Modelling
This technique is used to shape the chocolate using special moulds. It is used for producing chocolate bars, pralines, chocolate eggs and hollow shapes. The following advice/recommendations may be useful for this purpose:
Moulds
These must be perfectly clean and washed using special detergents, possibly with demineralised water, dried in stoves or with jets of forced air. They must have a temperature of around 24°/26°C in order not to cause a thermal shock to the chocolate. Preference should be given to moulds in stiff polycarbonate or even steel, which allow a more efficient beating of the mould as well as a better heat dispersion. The mould must then be beaten to get rid of any air bubbles and distribute the chocolate evenly.
Solidification
After beating, the mould should be placed quickly in a cool atmosphere (around 10°/15°C), free from humidity and fitted with an air circulator for a suitable length of time (generally 10/15 minutes) depending on size. Upon completion of this process we will have a perfectly crystallised chocolate which is easy to extract and shape.
Chocolate coating
We can use the chocolate to ice a multitude of products: biscuits, cakes, nougat, nuts, pralines etc. This is a relatively easier moulding technique ; even in this case, however, attention must be paid to the temperature of the products to be iced, which should not be any lower than 20° C. The cooling temperatures of the final product must be slightly higher than those of the moulded product and must lie between 12° and 18° C. It is very important to use chocolate coating featuring an ideal viscosity for the specific use, as this may vary a great deal between the various different types of chocolate. In some cases it is advisable to use the chocolate at working temperatures which are 1°/1.5° C higher than the moulding temperature.
Packaging and preservation
The chocolate should be packaged in a suitable atmosphere at a controlled temperature, not exceeding 18°/20° C, and with a level of humidity no greater than 50/55%, in order to avoid melting and condensation.
Preservation or storage
The chocolate must be preserved in rooms at a controlled temperature, preferably between 15° and 18°C. The level of humidity should not exceed 50/55%. We also recommend that the chocolate is not exposed to light sources (in particular white chocolate). Last but not last, we recommend that the greatest care is taken to avoid the presence of odours in the atmosphere and packaging materials as these can be easily absorbed by the chocolate.
Ganaches
The term 'ganache' may be used to describe an emulsion of chocolate and liquids (cream, milk, fruit, etc.). The consistency of the 'ganaches' may vary: from soft/creamy to compact/plastic, depending on the balance of the ingredients on the basis of the very wide spectrum of possible products it may be used for
• pralines
• filled chocolates
• creams for filling
• chocolate sauces
Method
Bring cream to the boil and pour onto the finely ground chocolate, stir to obtain a smooth, even mixture. The liquid, i.e. the cream and possibly a liquid softening agent, should be used as the basis for calculating the amount of coating to be added.
For ganaches with milk or white chocolate with the same consistency, more coating is required than with dark types of chocolate. Heavy and light ganaches can be alternated as preferred.
Variations
The ganaches may be refined and flavoured as preferred by adding other ingredients such as:
Butter: refines the taste and improves the chocolate
Cocoa butter: is used to obtain a greater consistency and can be used for ganaches with milk or white chocolate.
Spirits: to obtain a better blend, for each 100g of spirits, between 150 to 300 g. more coating will be required. Alternatively, reduce the amount of cream proportionately. If egg yolks are also added to the mass, the blend will be more even.
Eggs: egg yolks are usually added when the cream is replaced by other liquids (fruit juice and pulp, dessert wines, spirits). This will improve the effect of the thickening agent.
Honey: the maximum quantity of honey is normally equal to half the weight of the cream. If larger amounts are added, extra quantities of fat must also be added to rebalance the proportions.
Tea: Prepare an infusion of tea in boiled milk and filter. With the addition of milk, any fat which is missing will be replenished with butter. As an alternative to tea leaves, instant powdered tea may be used.
Tempering
The processing of chocolate, especially when used to coat and fill moulded items, is strongly affected by the specific solidifying properties of the cocoa butter. When cocoa butter is cooled, it usually takes up several crystalline forms.
Polymorphism and monotropism of cocoa butter
At least 5 crystal types have been identified, which differ in shape, structure, size and melting point (polymorphism). In addition only one or two types of crystal maintain stable over time, whilst all the others are highly instable, as they tend to melt independently and to re-crystallise subsequently (monotropism).
The purpose of the tempering process is to select the crystals of cocoa butter only in the stable form, so that the chocolate can maintain its optimal properties over time: sheen, ease of shaping, perfect crystalline structure, snapping properties and durability.
On the contrary, chocolate which becomes dull due to an incorrect tempering process, but also to variations in temperature, will have an opaque appearance, which may even lead to visible traces of cocoa butter on the surface (fat bloom). It will be difficult to mould, have a grain-like, inconsistent structure and will not easily melt in your mouth, plus a rapid organoleptic deterioration over time. The tempering process can usually be divided into 3 phases:
Melting
For the chocolate to melt perfectly, it must be heated to the temperature of 45°/50°C (for a sufficient length of time to melt the chocolate entirely) taking care that there are no remaining lumps and that it is perfectly fluid. This operation may be carried out using melting equipment, stoves and microwave ovens; in the latter case we recommend proceeding gradually in order to avoid product accidental burning.
Cooling (pre-crystallisation)
In this phase the mass of melted chocolate is cooled to a temperature of 25°/26° C for white chocolate, 27°/28° C for milk chocolate and 28°/29° C for dark chocolate. It is important that the mass of chocolate to be tempered be cooled evenly so that the crystals of cocoa butter are distributed evenly in the correct quantities. For this purpose it is useful to stir the chocolate mass continuously; many of the crystals which form during this phase belong to different types including both instable and highly instable types.
Heating (selection)
This refers to the heating of the pre-crystallised chocolate mass. This phase involves heating the mass (28°/29° C for white chocolate and 32°/33° C for dark chocolate). In this way, we select the crystals of cocoa butter because only the stable crystals resist this temperature, whilst the instable crystals have lower melting points: we can therefore proceed to manufacture and use the chocolate as required.
Tempering methods
There are several different methods for tempering chocolate. Naturally, we recommend that suitable tempering machines are used. However, if such equipment is not available we recommend using one of the following methods:
Tabling
The melted coating is worked on a cold surface (20°C) using a spatula, until the pre-crystallisation temperature is reached. At this point more coating is added at the temperature of 40° C in a ratio of 1 to 2 in order to reach the suitable processing temperature.
Injection or insemination
Heat the mass of melted chocolate to around 34°/35°C and leave to rest in a container. At this point a small quantity of tempered chocolate (5/10% of the mass) is added either in a single block or grated, and is carefully stirred in. When the temperature of 33°/34° C is reached, some crystals of cocoa butter (the more stable crystals belonging to the ß forms which have melting points above 34°C) which are present in the chocolate blend, will be able to resist melting and make other similar cocoa butter crystals adopt similar forms.
To carry out this method well, the greatest attention must be paid to the temperature which must lie between 33° and 35°C for all types of chocolate. A certain quantity of chocolate which has already been perfectly tempered must also be available. For this purpose we recommend that the chocolate to be worked should not be melted completely.
Direct method
Very gradually heat the mass of chocolate to an absolute maximum temperature of 33°/34° C. This operation may be carried out by heating the chocolate for a suitable length of time using a stove with a set temperature of 33°/34°C. A microwave oven may also be used for this purpose, making sure to proceed gradually.
