eating experience of the chocolate depend on the amount and type of the raw materials that the producer has chosen to put into the actual chocolate. Producing the exact same recipe using different types of equipment will likely lead to quite different chocolates, varying in flavor, taste and viscosity profiles. TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION Manufacturing chocolate using a traditional machine setup requires mixing, refining and conching steps. In the first of these steps, the fat phase and all the powder materials are mixed together at approximately 122ºF (50ºC) to obtain a certain, soft clay-like refining texture. It is, in fact, the fat-to-particle ratio that regulates texture to be ‘refiner-receivable’. In the refining step, the mixer paste passes through rotating rolls. The rolls are hydraulically pressed together to create a defined gap between the sets of rolls until desired particle size has been reached. This size is determined by a number of factors such as time, temperature, speed of rotation and machine pressure. And in chocolate, with the human detection limit at around 18 to 20 microns, the maximum is usually in the interval of 20-25 microns for the largest particles. The dry conching step requires the refiner flake to be blended at temperatures of approximately 140-160ºF with the rest of the fat. During the wet conching step, emulsifiers and flavor are added. The temperature selected depends on the type of chocolate: white, milk or dark, and the objective is to achieve the desired flavour profile and to adjust the viscosity profile to the chocolate’s specification. PRODUCTION USING A REFINER/CONCHE SYSTEM (MACINTYRE) Integrated refiner/conche systems offer an alternative method of chocolate manufacture, performing the functions of a pre-mixer, refiner and conche all in a single machine. Refiner/conches can be used for making chocolate, compounds, coatings and fillings for small to medium production capacities. Almost all raw materials go into the refiner/conche from the beginning. There is a limitation to texture during the refining part of the process as the machine needs a certain low viscosity during the process to avoid “tumbling” and to conduct an acceptable refining process within a reasonable time frame. The first step in a refiner/conche approach is refining. The pressure of rotating blades towards the inner rippled wall is adjusted until the desired particle size is reached (a process that may take some hours, depending of the size of the machine used). When a final particle size of , for example, 25 microns has been reached, refining is interrupted and, without stopping, the machine is now used as a conche. Conching continues after pressure has been released, at which point a wheel is turned to release pressure and end the refining function. The remainder of the fat is added during or at the end of the refining process. Emulsifiers are then added to modify viscosity to meet required specifications, and flavor is added as the final ingredient. MANUFACTURING CHOCOLATE USING BALL MILLS There are many different types of ball mill refining equipment in the marketplace – and a variety of different ways to conche the chocolate after refining. To begin with, powders are mixed with cocoa butter and cocoa liquor, along with some of the recipe’s emulsifier. When the chocolate matrix is pumped through a tube filled with steel balls, the balls begin to roll (providing additional emulsifiers are added to liquefy and lower the chocolate’s viscosity), and the chocolate is refined until 2
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