Module 12. Cocoa and chocolate products

Lesson 43

CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS-I

43.1 Introduction

Although the first chocolate processing plant appeared in 1580, it wasn’t until 1847 that the first chocolate bar was manufactured in England and introduced to the popular market.

Chocolate was prepared by roasting the cocoa beans in earthenware pots, before grinding them between stones. The mixture was added to cold water, often with other ingredients such as spices or honey, and whipped to a frothy consistency.

The solid form of milk chocolate is normally attributed to Daniel Peters of Vevey, Geneva in 1876. Over the years, many different flavours of both milk and plain (dark) chocolate have been developed. A sweet centre such as a fondant may be best complemented by a relatively bitter chocolate and vice versa.

43.2 Types of Chocolate

Plain chocolate: It is a homogeneous product obtained by an adequate process of manufacture from one or more of cocoa nibs, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder including low-fat cocoa powder with sugar and cocoa butter.

43.2.1 Plain covering chocolate

As for plain chocolate, but suitable for covering purpose.

43.2.2 Milk chocolate

It is the homogeneous product obtained by an adequate process of manufacture from one or more of cocoa nib, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder including low-fat cocoa powder with sugar and milk solids including milk fat and cocoa butter.

43.2.3 Milk covering chocolate

As for Milk chocolate, but suitable for covering purposes.

43.2.4 White chocolate

It is the homogeneous product made from cocoa butter, milk solids including milk fat and sugar.

43.2.5 Filled chocolate

It is the product having an external coating of chocolate with a centre clearly distinct through its composition from the external coating. Filled chocolate does not include flour confectionery, pastry and biscuit products. The amount of chocolate component of the coating shall not be less than 25% of the total mass of the finished product.

43.2.6 Composite chocolate

It is a blend of milk and plain chocolates in varying proportions.

The formulations for some variants of chocolate are provided in Table 43.2.

43.3 FSSA Requirements for Chocolate

Chocolate means a homogeneous product obtained by an adequate process of manufacture from a mixture of one or more of the ingredients, namely, cocoa beans, cocoa nib, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake and cocoa dust (cocoa fines/powder), including fat reduced cocoa powder with or without addition of sugars, cocoa butter, milk solids including milk fat. The chocolates shall not contain any vegetable fat other than cocoa butter. The specific requirements for various types of chocolates as specified by FSSA is shown in Table 43.1.

The material shall be free from rancidity or off odour, insect and fungus infestation, filth, adulterants and any harmful or injurious matter.

The chocolates shall be of the following types:

Milk chocolates is obtained from one or more of cocoa nib, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder including low-fat cocoa powder, with sugar and milk solids, including milk fat and cocoa butter.

Milk Covering Chocolate is as defined above, but suitable for covering purposes.

Plain Chocolate is obtained from one or more of cocoa nib, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder including low fat cocoa powder, with sugar and cocoa butter.

Plain Covering Chocolate is same as that of plain chocolate but suitable for covering purposes.

Blended Chocolate means the blend of milk and plain chocolates in varying proportions.

White chocolate is obtained from cocoa butter, milk solids, including milk fat and sugar.

Filled Chocolates means a product having an external coating of chocolate with a centre clearly distinct through its composition from the external coating, but does not include flour confectionery pastry and biscuit products. The coating shall be of chocolate that meets the requirements of one or more of the chocolate types mentioned above. The amount of chocolate component of the coating shall not be less than 25.0 % of the total mass of the finished product.

Composite Chocolate means a product containing at least 60.0 % of chocolate by weight and edible wholesome substances such as fruits, nuts. It shall contain one or more edible wholesome substances which shall not be less than 10.0 % of the total mass of finished product.

Table 43.1 FSSA requirements for various types of Chocolates

Parameters	Milk chocolate	Milk covering	Plain chocolate	Plain covering	White chocolate	Blended chocolate
Total fat (DB) % Min.	25	25	25	25	25	25
Milk fat (DB) % Min.	2	2	-	-	2	-
Cocoa solids (moisture-free, fat-free) % Min.	2.5	2.5	12.0	12.0	-	3.0
Milk solids (moisture-free, fat-free) % Min. % Max.	10.5 -	10.5 -	- -	- -	10.5 -	1.0 9.0
Sugar (sucrose), DB, % Max.	55.0	55.0	60.0	60.0	55.0	60.0
Acid insoluble ash (Moisture, fat & sugar-free) %, Max.	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
*Microbiological requirements*
E. coli	Absent in 10 g
Staph. aureus	Absent in 10 g
Salmonella	Absent in 25 g
Yeast and Mold	Max. 100 /g

43.3.1 Packing

Bulk chocolates shall be packed in clean, sound and odour-free containers made of tin-plate, plastic, grease-proof paper, aluminium foil, cellulose film or other suitable flexible packaging materials.

In case of moulded chocolate bars, each unit of chocolate shall be wrapped in aluminium foil, printed or otherwise, and may be lined with glassine or grease-proof paper. Such units may be overwrapped. These units, in turn, shall be collectively packed in clean and odour-free cartons.

43.4 Other Versions of Chocolate Products

43.4.1 Unsweetened chocolate

It contains up to 75.0 % cocoa solids and no added sugar or milk products. It is primarily used for baking, because although it has chocolate flavour, it is too bitter to eat on its own.

43.4.2 Dark chocolate

It is also known as ‘bitter sweet’ or ‘semis weet’ chocolate. It contains a high percentage (up to 75.0%) of cocoa solids, and little (or no) added sugar. Semisweet chocolate has a rich, intense flavour and is found in candies and the chocolate morsels (chips) are used in baking.

43.4.3 Milk chocolate

It contains powdered or condensed milk. It is a sweet, mild-flavoured type of chocolate. It contains approximately 20.0 % cocoa solids. Many candy bars are made with milk chocolate.

43.4.4 Baking chocolate

Both semisweet and unsweetened baking chocolates are available. Baking chocolate is sold in one ounce (28 g) squares, which are convenient for use in recipes.

43.4.5 Couverture

It is a high-quality chocolate used in making speciality candies and truffles. It contains a high percentage of cocoa solids, which gives it a high gloss.

43.5 Legislation of Cocoa Products

Most EEC and USA, the name ‘chocolate’ may only be used if no other fat is present but cocoa butter. Cocoa butter equivalent fats, up to 5.0% of the total chocolate content may be used in UK, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden.

Table 43.2 Formulation for Some Types of Chocolate

Types of chocolate	Cocoa mass,%	Cocoa butter,%	Milk powder,%	Sugar, %
Dark chocolate	40	10	-	50
Milk chocolate	10	20	15	55
Enrobing chocolate	40	15	-	45
White chocolate	-	25	25	50

43.6 Ingredients in Chocolate

43.6.1 Milk solids

Roller dried WMP is preferred over spray dried ones. Roller dried powders tend to have somewhat spicy and salty taste, whereas spray dried ones have a distinct milky flavour. The high content of free suface fat (~ 95% vs. 10% in spray-dried powder) results in favourable rheological properties during the manufacturing steps of mixing and conching. Energy consumption is reduced considerably and the amount of cocoa butter can be reduced (2-3% of cocoa butter) under constant rheological conditions.

Na-caseinate can be used to replace dried milk. Incorporation of buttermilk powder can exert some emulsifier action. Whey products would be advantageous with respect to:

· Reducing the sugar content and chocolate liquor.

· Enhance flavour.

· Give resistance to ‘fat bloom’.

43.6.2 Milk crumb

For milk chocolate, one of the biggest flavour differences between the chocolate made from milk powder (Continental Europe) and the ‘Milk crumb’ (UK and parts of America). Milk crumb is obtained by dehydrating milk, sugar and cocoa mass. This was developed where milk production was very seasonal. As cocoa is a natural antioxidant, it was possible to improve the keeping properties of the dehydrate form of milk over extended periods without refrigeration. The drying process also produced a distinct cooked flavour, not normally present when the milk is dried separately. Addition of cocoa mass acts a a natural antioxidant and stabilizes the product against rancidity. The essential part is Maillard reaction. The organoleptically active compounds generated add a typical flavour (caramel flavour) to the end product. Such effect and the removal of undesirable flavour elements during the evaporation and drying stages in crumb manufacture reduces conching time considerably.

43.6.3 Crumb recipe

The recipe for ‘Crumb’ used in chocolate manufacture is as given below:

Moisture 1.0%, Sucrose 53.0%, Milk solids 32.0%, Cocoa liquor 14.0%

43.6.4 Process of making milk crumb

Milk, with or without standardization of fat, is concentrated in a multiple effect evaporator to 30-40% TS. A sucrose solution of ~60% dry matter is added and mixture further concentrated to 88-92% TS under vacuum. When producing ‘chocolate crumb’, cocoa mass or cocoa powder is added at this stage. A further vacuum drying step follows to obtain a moisture content of < 1.5%.

Atmospheric pressure process: Sweetened condensed milk or reconstituted milk, sugar and water are thoroughly mixed and heated to 74°C and cocoa mass is added and mixed until completely blended with other ingredients. Some water is added to enhance solubility of sugar and to obtain a mixture containing about 70% TS. The premix is concentrated to 94% TS at 125°C in a scraped surface evaporator. Maillard reaction takes place during 2-4 minutes that the paste is in the evaporator. Crystallization of sugar occurs in a specially designed crystallizer. Moisture of the crumb is about 3.5-4.5% at 55°C, when it leaves the crystallizer. In the final stage, the crumb is dried to a moisture content of 1.5-3.0% on an open conveyor.

Where chocolate crumb is used, this dehydrated mixture of condensed milk and cocoa mass is normally preground to a maximum size of 2 mm (0.1 inch). This is then crushed and mixed with cocoa butter in order to provide a suitable paste for processing in a refiner. To make chocolate, only cocoa butter has to be added.

43.6.5 Advantages of using crumb

· Darker in colour and higher flavour intensity

· Smoother texture and better mouthfeel.

43.7 Butter Oil

It is cheaper than cocoa butter. It can be used to replace 1-5% of total fat (up to 30% replacement attempted). Excess replacement softens the chocolate and has adverse effect on gloss, demoulding and hardening.

43.8 Cocoa butter

It provides flavour, gloss, desired viscosity, keeping quality, nutrition and smooth texture.

43.9 Sugar

Sugar is pre-crushed to powdered or icing sugar before mixing with other ingredients. Impact stressing is the most effective method. For organoleptic reasons, the maximum particle size is 30 mm in chocolate. Minimum size should be 6 mm, if optimum rheological properties are to be achieved in chocolate masse.

43.9.1 Purpose of using sugar

(a) Stabilization of product

(b) Reduced bacterial growth and possibility of lipolytic rancidity

(d) Balances some of the bitter taste of cocoa

43.10 Emulsifiers

43.10.1 Lecithin

Addition of 0.1-0.3% soya lecithin has the same viscosity reducing effect as over 10 times this amount of cocoa butter. If the level exceeds 0.3-0.5%, thickening of chocolate occurs.

43.10.1.1 Advantages

(a) Prevents fat bloom.

(b) Lowers viscosity of chocolate mass by reducing its surface tension.

(d) Exerts an antioxidant effect.

43.10.2 Sorbitan mono-stearate

As it has low solubility (i.e. 0.03%) in cocoa butter at 35°C, polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono stearate acts as a carrier.

43.10.2.1 Advantages

(a) Prevents fat bloom.

(b) Forms a layer on starch, sugar and fibre.

Other surface-active agents are Sucrose esters, Ca-stearoyl lactoyl lactate and Polyglyceryl polyricinoleate better known as ‘Admul-WOL’.

43.11 Flavourings

Vanillin, Coumarin, Essential oils of natural fruits or synthetic; dried fruit and nuts such as figs, raisins, dates, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, etc may be used for flavouring.