Cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, powdered milk and vanilla are the raw materials with which we make all of the different types of chocolate:
From liquor to chocolate
Dark chocolate is made with cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar.
For milk chocolate, milk powder is added.
And for white chocolate cocoa butter sugar and milk powder are used (no cocoa liquor, which explains the ivory color of white chocolate.)
To all types, vanilla or vanilla flavor is added to enhance the taste.
The ingredients are first weighed very precisely for the particular type of chocolate that is about to be produced. These ingredients are mixed together and then blended into homogeneous chocolate dough.
This mixture is then pressed between rollers to form a fine powder. This will give the finished chocolate a smooth texture and a homogenous flavor. The average size of the particles in this chocolate powder is smaller than the distance between the taste buds on your tongue - so small you will never physically feel them. This guarantees a smooth chocolate, free from any grainy texture.
This chocolate powder is kneaded for hours in the conches until the aromas have fully developed. Conches are large tanks with a powerful stirring apparatus inside that slowly kneads the mixture. Due to the friction caused by the stirring, heat develops. This heat melts the powder into a homogeneous paste and makes the unpleasant, acid aromas evaporate.
At the end of the conching process, cocoa butter and soya lecithin are added to make the chocolate liquid. Soya lecithin ensures the stabilization of the liquidity and the emulsification of the chocolate.
The liquidity (viscosity) of the chocolate is measured after this. Some applications require a thick, paste-like kind of chocolate, other types of applications require very runny, liquid chocolate.
The liquid chocolate is now stored in large heated tanks so that it can be pumped later on and transported to industrial processors. Another part of this liquid chocolate is processed further.
Liquid chocolate on the way...
