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Chocolate History and Information
 FRANCOIS-LOUIS CAILLER (1796-1852) saw chocolate for the first time at a local fair. Italian chocolate makers were stirring the exquisite potion which so titillated the nostrils of the young François that he went to Italy as a Swiss "immigrant labourer". For four years he worked in the Caffarel chocolate factory in Milan. He then returned home as a master chocolate maker, and had a press with stone rollers built to his own design. In 1819 he opened the first Swiss chocolate factory at Corsier, near Vevey. At the age of 12, PHILIPPE SUCHARD (1797-1884) was sent to Neuchâtel to collect a pound of chocolate from the local apothecary for his ailing mother. The tonic preparation cost 6 francs, which, in those days, represented a labourer's wages for three days! In 1815, he was allowed to start work as an apprentice confectioner with his elder brother in Berne. In 1824 he left Switzerland to visit the United States. At the end of the year he returned and opened a confectioner's business in Neuchâtel. In Serrieres, he set up a chocolate factory, powered by a water-wheel. With only one assistant, he was producing at that time between 25 and 30 kilograms of chocolate a day. In 1880, Philippe Suchard opened the first Swiss foreign branch in Lorrach, Germany.In 1826, JACQUES FOULQUIER (1798-1865) started the production of chocolate by hand in Geneva. His son-in-law, Jean-Samuel Favarger, later became his successor.  As a wholesale provision merchant, CHARLES-AMEDEE KOHLER (1790-1874) started by buying ready-made chocolate, but finally went over to producing his own in 1830. Like Cailler and Suchard before him, he strove constantly to improve and perfect thc popular types of chocolate. In one of his experiments he succeeded in developing something which was going to be of great benefit to the chocolate industry - hazelnut chocolate. In partnership with his son, he manufactured this new speciality in Lausanne. The Kohler factory became a large operation following its amalgamation with the firm of Daniel Peter. After the founding of the first chocolate factories in French Switzerland, 1845 saw the establishment of the first factory in the German-speaking part of the country. In that year, RODOLPHE SPRÜNGLI-AMMANN (1816-1897), using an improved method of manufactrure, produced chocolate for the first time in his confectioner's shop in Zurich. In 1899, his son, Rodolphe Sprüngli-Schifferli or, more accurately, Chocolat Sprüngli A.G., took over the factory of Rodolphe Lindt. The reputation of Lindt chocolate was so great that the price paid for the secret recipes, the trademark rights and the equipment was 1 1/2 million gold francs. AQUILINO MAESTRANI (1814-1880), whose father was one of those natives of Tessin who emigrated to Lombardy in the middle of the 18th century to learn "the chocolate trade", and who, himself, gained valuable experience in Milan, opened a chocolate factory in Lucerne in 1852. Soon space became too limited for the constantly expanding factory, and Maestrani moved to St. Gallen. JACQUES KLAUS (1814-1909), a native of the canton of Zurich, made an extended "journeyman's" tour through Switzerland and France before setting up in business as a confectioner in Le Locle. In 1856 he established a chocolate factory which rapidly achieved a considerable reputation. The road which led DANIEL PETER (1836 - 1919) to chocolate was anything but straight. The son of a butcher, he was employed by a woman in Vevey who owned a grocer's shop and made candles as a sideline. Since his employer, Madame Clement, saw straight away where the boy's real interest lay, she let him take over the candlemaking on his own account. Unfortunately - or rather, fortunately for the chocolate industry - the paraffin lamp became popular just at this time, and from then on the Swiss, like most of us, used candles mainly to decorate their Christmas trees. But Daniel Peter's interest in Vevey was not confined to candles; he also had an eye on Fanny Cailler, the eldest daughter of François-Louis Cailler. And so, almost accidentally, he discovered chocolate. But he didn't let matters rest there. Like a true Swiss, he took milk and combined it with chocolate. 1875 was the proud year of Daniel Peter's invention of milk chocolate. We should be grateful to him; for most of us, chocolate without rnilk wouldn't taste half as nice. HENRI NESTLE (1814 - 1890) was a latecomer to the chocolate industry. His story started with milk. But not the milk we find on the doorstep every morning or buy in the grocer's shop. Henri Nestle had invented the manufacture of children's groats and, in this connection, had perfected the making of condensed milk, without which Daniel Peter could not have industrialized his milk chocolate. The Nestle and Peter companies worked so closely, following the death of the two founders, that in 1905 Messrs. Peter, who had meantime joined forces with Kohler, produced, to cater for the French taste, a very sweet chocolate developed by the Nestle company.In 1874 JOHANN GEORG MUNZ set up a confectionery works in Flawil. Some time later, Albert Munz also began to manufacture chocolate.  Below the cathedral in Berne, RODOLPHE LINDT (1855-1909) opened a chocolate factory powered by a water-wheel. A born manufacturer, his genius for invention led him to a new process by which he produced the first melting, or fondant, chocolate. The refining effect, which we know today as "conching", was first noticed by Rodolphe Lindt while processing chocolate over several days in a narrow mixing trough. He incorporated this into his production methods and, at the same time, developed equipment on principles still in use today. The addition of cocoa butter to the chocolate, to give it the necessary melting quality, was another epoch-making discovery of this man from Berne. These discoveries and the invention of milk chocolate by Daniel Peter were essential to the manufacture and success of the fine Swiss chocolate we know today.In 1893 CHARLES MULLER and KARL BERNHARDT founded the first, and to this day the only chocolate factory in the canton of Grison. As a result, it traded under the name "Grison". It changed hands in 1961 and then carried on under the name of Lindt & Sprungli.  In the Longgasse area of Berne, JEAN TOBLER (1830-1905), a native of Appenzell, had conducted his "Confiserie speciale" since 1868. He had learned the confectionery trade in St. Gallen and in Paris. On opening his shop in Berne, he sold mainly specialities which he rnade himself, using chocolate coatings supplied by various manufacturers. Very soon he was selling so much chocolate that he thought that he should make it himself. And so he was forced by circumstances to become a chocolate manufacturer. In the year 1899, he and his sons founded the "Fabrique de Chocolat de Berne, Tobler & Cie.". Today, this firm belongs - together with Suchard - to the Jacobs Suchard Tobler company.Cocoa Producing Areas These all lie in the vicinity of the equator, and are bounded to the north and south by the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This region of tropical rain-forests, with its moist, windless climate and constant warmth provides ideal conditions for the growth and well-being of the cocoa tree. The oldest plantations are in the northern areas of South America; for, after all, Mexico, Venezuela and Equador are regarded as the original home of cocoa. At a later date, the cultivation of cocoa spread southward, mainly to Brazil, and at the end of the last century, spread to the equatorial regions of West Africa. The Ivory Coast and Brazil are today the most productive areas in the world. Ghana, once the most important world producer, is losing its importance owing to ageing of the plantations. These are followed by Nigeria and the Cameroons. In the islands of South-East Asia, cocoa was established very early, but only small quantities of good quality are produced. In the Far East, Malaysia has given most encouragement to the cultivation of cocoa Growth The cocoa tree can flourish only in the hottest regions of the world, but the young plants in particular need ample shade. “Cocoa mothers” is the term given in the jargon of the trade to the many varieties of shade-providing trees: tropical forest, leguminous plants, banana trees, coconut palms, lemon trees, baobab trees, etc. Under their “motherly” care the cocoa trees develop. Their fragile branches are not capable of supporting the weight of the precious fruit, which always grows directly on the trunk of the tree, or close to it, near the forks of the main branches. Cocoa trees can, in fact, grow to a height of 50 feet but, to simplify the harvesting of the crop, they are usually pruned back to a height of 20 feet or so. The gnarled trees, whose open-grained wood can be used only as fuel, bear fruit three or four times a year. They are in leaf continuously; blossom, unripe fruit and also mature fruit can be seen on the branches simultaneously. The seedlings are reared in rush baskets and when the young plants are several months old they are transferred to the plantation. The first blossoms begin to appear after about two years—delicate pink sepals and yellowish-white blossom petals. A striking feature of the cocoa tree is that the blossoms sit, either singly or in clusters, right on the trunk of the tree. As the trees blossom almost continuously, a fully grown specimen can sometimes produce as many as 50000 or even 100000 blossoms in one year. This is nature at its most extravagant! The average annual yield per tree, however, is in the region of 20 to 30 fruit. In outward appearance they are oval or elongated and look like cucumbers. In length they vary from 6 to 10 inches and are between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The hard, coarse shell changes from green to yellow, and then to a reddish brown. Inside the fruit, enveloped in the white fruit pulp and arranged in five rows are between 20 and 40 precious, almond-shaped cocoa beans. Each tree produces annually between 1 lb and 5 lbs of seed kernels, which we know as cocoa beans. Maximum yield is not usually achieved until the tree is about eight years old, but with proper care this yield can be maintained for 30 or 40 years. The main fruit seasons are in May and in October/November, and it is usually at these times that the crop is harvested. Recently developed varieties of cocoa trees begin to bear fruit when they are only three or four years old. So, if you are thinking of becoming a cocoa planter, you will not only need a plot of land near the equator but also a moist, shady location. Varieties There are two basic classifications of cocoa, under which practically all varieties can be categorised: Criollo and Forastero cocoas. The pure variety of the Criollo tree is found mainly in its native Equador and Venezuela. It is particularly susceptible to climatic influences and is difficult to rear. Its yield tends to be smaller than that of other varieties and to ripen later. On the other hand, the seeds are of finer quality than those of the Forastero variety. They have a particularly fine, mild aroma and are, therefore, used only in the production of high-quality chocolate and for blending. However, Criollo cocoa accounts for only 10% of the world crop. The remaining 90% is harvested from trees of the Forastero family, with its many hybrids and varieties. The main growing area is West Africa. The hardy and heavy-cropping Forastero trees provide a rather bitter, harsh type of cocoa. Depending on location, this variety produces qualities ranging from medium to fine, which are either selected or blended according to the purposes for which they are intended. Recently, successful attempts have been made, using cocoa trees of the Amelonado variety and specimens from the Upper Amazon, to develop new hybrids with greater resistance and richer yield. Seed Kernels The almond-shaped cocoa beans vary in appearance depending on their variety. They range in length from 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches, are between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch broad, and vary in thickness from 1/3 to 1/2 an inch. Their general shape is either flat or slightly rounded. When the leathery skin is removed the fleshy, fissured leaves of the bud can be seen. The fine-quality Criollo beans, when they are opened, have a yellowish-white colouring due to the absence of pigments. The standard quality Forastero beans, on the other hand, are recognisable by their dark, purplish colour. The leaves, on the other hand, contain important substances of high nourishment value, such as protein, fats and starch, plus alkaloids, theobromine and caffeine. They also contain ail the aroma-producing elements, of which, however, not very much can be seen at this stage. Harvest Despite the fact that cocoa trees bloom throughout the year and the fruit ripens continuously, harvesting is generally restricted to two seasons. The main harvest begins at the end of the rainy season just as our winter is commencing, and lasts until the onset of the dry season. The second crop, which is smaller, is then harvested at the start of the following rainy season. Between 4 and 9 months after fertilisation of the cocoa blossom, the fruit is ripe and must soon be picked. Using large knives which they sometimes fasten to poles, workers cut off the fruit very carefully to avoid damage to the sensitive trees or to the developing blossom and unripened fruit. Immediately after harvesting, the fruit is treated to prevent it from rotting. At fermentation sites, either in the jungle or at collecting points, the fruit is opened. A well-aimed stroke with a jungle knife or a blow with a short stick, and the shell splits in half. The seed kernels, complete with the surrounding white pulp, are scraped out and then subjected to fermentation. Fermentation The fermentation process is decisive in the production of high quality raw cocoa. The technique varies depending on the growing region; in some places the beans are placed in heaps, in others they are laid out in baskets or large boxes. Usually they are covered with banana leaves or branches and left for 2-6 days depending on variety. The larger heaps are turned over several times to ensure even fermentation. In the course of the complex fermentation process, the cocoa bean undergoes a number of changes. The sugar-containing fruit pulp, which would otherwise be difficult to dispose of, is broken down by ferments, and the heat thus produced, bringing the mass to a temperature of about 50°C, destroys the germination properties of the cocoa seeds. The astringent and bitter taste diminishes, and at the same time, new substances are formed which are precursors of the aroma components and from which the true cocoa aroma later develops during the drying and roasting operations. During these final stages, the beans of the Criollo variety turn a brownish-yellow colour and those of the Forastero variety become violet-brown. Drying After fermentation, the raw cocoa still contains far too much water; in fact, about 60%. Most of this has to be removed. What could be more natural than to spread the beans out to dry on the sun-soaked ground or on mats? After a week or so, all but a small percentage of the water has evaporated, the beans have taken on a browner colouring and the aroma has become more pronounced. Now the time has come when, after having been packed into jute sacks, weighed and classified, hundredweight upon hundredweight of the tropical fruit disappears into the holds of ocean-going freighters to begin the journey across the oceans to the great ports of Europe and North America. Storage After arriving at their destination, the imported raw cocoa is subject to a strict quality control. Laboratory technicians ensure that the cocoa beans are healthy, perfectly fermented and dried and have suffered no damage during transport. If the result of the test is satisfactory, the raw cocoa, particularly in larger chocolate factories, is first stored before undergoing further processing. This is generally carried out in silos which measure from 40 to 120 feet in height and have a capacity of up to 1000 tons or more. The raw cocoa is sucked up by powerful vacuum extractors and carefully fed into the silos from above. This process also includes pre-cleaning treatment. Only the most careful treatment of cocoa in store will ensure that the quality does not deteriorate. Air temperature and humidity are therefore rigorously controlled and constant ventilation assured. Cleaning Before the real processing begins, the raw cocoa is thoroughly cleaned by passing through sieves, and by brushing. Finally, the last vestiges of wood, jute fibres, sand and even the finest dust are extracted by powerful vacuum equipment. Roasting The subsequent roasting process is primarily designed to develop the aroma. It bas long been known that certain foodstuffs not only become more wholesome but also acquire an improved aroma as a result of roasting we need only think of coffee, almonds and hazelnuts. Depending on the purpose for which they are intended, the beans are more or less intensively roasted; for cocoa powder, for example, a strong aroma is desirable whereas for chocolate, especially if it is of high quality, a subtler aroma is preferable. The entire roasting process, during which the air in the nearly 10 feet high furnaces reaches a temperature of 1300C, is carried out automatically on a conveyor system within a period of 15 - 20 minutes. In the meantime the cocoa beans have become quite dark and their flavour a little milder. A side-effect of roasting is the loosening of the husk from the cocoa bean. As the outer skin is heated to a higher temperature than the inside of the seed, it becomes brittle, separates slightly from the seed, and can thus be more easily removed during the subsequent crushing process. Crushing and Shelling The roasted beans are now broken into medium sized pieces in the crushing machine. Thereupon a system of sifting and air currents removes the husks from those parts which will be used to make chocolate. The separated cocoa bean husks are passed on to the chemical industry which is still able to extract valuable ingredients from them. Blending Before grinding, the crushed beans are weighed and blended according to special recipes. The secret of every chocolate factory lies in the special mixing ratios which it has developed for different types of cocoa. As we have already mentioned, the producing countries supply various kinds of raw cocoa which differ widely not only in quality but also in taste. It is precisely the skilful blending of these individual aromas which determines - especially as far as plain chocolate is concerned - whether a particular chocolate has a delicate, a strong, or some other specific flavour. Grinding The crushed cocoa beans, which are still fairly coarse are now pre-ground by special milling equipment and then fed on to rollers where they are ground into a fine paste. The heat generated by the resulting pressure and friction causes the cocoa butter (approximately 5000 of the bean) contained in the beans to melt, producing a thick, liquid mixture. This is dark brown in colour with a characteristic, strong odour. During cooling it gradually sets: this is the cocoa paste. Cocoa Butter The cocoa paste is subjected to a pressure of up to 80 tons/dm2 in hydraulic presses. The cocoa butter flowing out is a pure and valuable fat with a marked aroma; after filtering and purifying it looks very much like ordinary butter. The cocoa butter has important functions. It not only forms part of every recipe, but it also later gives the chocolate its fine structure, beautiful lustre and delicate, attractive glaze. Cocoa Powder After the cocoa butter has left the press, cocoa cakes are left which still contain a 10 to 20% proportion of fat depending on the intensity of compression. These cakes are crushed again, ground to powder and finely sifted in several stages and we obtain a dark, strongly aromatic powder which is excellent for the preparation of delicious drinks - cocoa. If sugar is added, it must be described as “sweetened cocoa powder”. Chocolate powder is a similar product except that, in contrast to cocoa, it contains most of the ingredients of pure chocolate. Plain chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate Cocoa paste, cocoa butter, sugar and milk are the four basic ingredients for making chocolate. By blending them in accordance with specific recipes the three types of chocolate are obtained which form the basis of every product assortment, namely: Plain chocolate: cocoa paste + cocoa butter + sugar Milk chocolate: cocoa paste + cocoa butter + sugar + milk White chocolate: cocoa butter + sugar + milk Country regulations usually specify the limits within which the blending ratios are allowed to vary; the latitude is sufficiently wide, however, to enable the recipes of the various manufacturers to have their own character. Kneading In the case of milk chocolate for example, the cocoa paste, cocoa butter, powdered or condensed milk, sugar and flavouring - maybe vanilla - go into the mixer, where they are pulverised and kneaded. The result is a homogeneous, paste-like mixture, which is already pleasant to the taste: chocolate at last! It is still gritty to the palate, however, and does not yet possess the final flavour which makes it so popular. It bas to be further refined. Rolling Depending on the design of the rolling mils, three or five vertically mounted steel rollers rotate in opposite directions. Under heavy pressure they pulverise the tiny particles of cocoa and sugar down to a size of approx. 30 microns. (One micron is a thousandth part of a millimetre!) The cloying paste is first forced between the two lowest rollers. Since the roller above is rotating at a faster speed it picks up the paste and feeds it upwards on to the next roller, until, with the pressure increasing all the time and the clearance between the rollers getting less and less, a very fine, flaky powder can be scraped off the top roller by a fixed blade. Conching But still the chocolate paste is not smooth enough to satisfy our palates. The separate flavours of the individual ingredients have not yet combined; the pure, rounded aroma is still missing. But within two or three days ail that will have been put right. For during this period the chocolate paste will be refined to such an extent in the conches that it will flatter even the most discriminating palate. Conches (from the Spanish word “concha”, meaning a shell) is the name given to the troughs in which 100 to 1000 kilograms of chocolate paste at a time can be heated up to 800C and, while being constantly stirred, is given a velvet smoothness by the addition of certain amounts of cocoa butter and of the very valuable lecithin. In the horizontal troughs or conches, for example, a roller travels constantly from one end of the container to the other. In the circular conches, which are in more general use today as a result of their increased efficiency — their capacity can be as great as 9 tons — a similar effect is achieved by means of rotary movement. A kind of aeration of the liquid chocolate paste then takes place in the conches: its bitter taste gradually disappears and the flavour is fully developed. At the same time, the ultimate homogeneity of the chocolate is produced and a soft film of cocoa butter begins to form around each of the extremely small particles. The chocolate no longer seems sandy, but dissolves meltingly on the tongue. It has attained the outstanding purity which gives it its reputation. Further methods of refining have been developed as part of rationalisation of the production process. The elimination of the bitter taste and homogenisation no longer take place simultaneously in the conches, but in separate manufacturing operations. These processes ensure a uniform high quality of the chocolate and permit substantial economies in space, time and energy. Temporary Storage On the hand, the conches are always filled with the largest amounts possible in the interests of efficient production. On the other hand, the moulding machines can only accept small amounts of chocolate paste at one time, in order to shape it into bars, chocolates and other products. Temporary storage is therefore necessary. For shorter periods in store, the chocolate is retained in its liquid state, but for longer storage it is solidified, usually in the form of hundredweight blocks. These blocks must be reheated before further processing so that they liquefy again. Tempering Before the forming process, the chocolate paste must be heated to 500C and then cooled to a specific temperature a little over 300C depending on the product. This thickens the chocolate and imparts the right flow properties for filling the moulds. This complex operation is performed in the tempering plant and is necessary to give the final chocolate product a delicate composition, a uniform structure and a well-rounded flavour. The storage life is also increased in this way.
To manufacture solid bars of chocolate, the cooled, liquid chocolate paste is fed into pouring equipment. These machines continuously fill a carefully measured quantity of chocolate into moulds which pass under them on conveyor belts. The moulds then proceed to the shaking line where they are vibrated and shaken to ensure that the chocolate spreads evenly. If you look closely you will see innumerable tiny bubbles bursting. The vibration removes the locked-in air. The conveyor belt transports the filled moulds to the cooling tower, where the chocolate is cooled to the point where it is sufficiently solid for turning out. The moulds are then turned over, shaken briefly once more — and there lie the gleaming bars of chocolate on the conveyor belt which carries them to the wrapping machines. In this way the familiar bars of plain chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate are produced. Other types of solid chocolate are made by adding creamy hazelnut or almond paste, coffee aroma and other additives to these three basic materials. Solid Bars with Additives In principle, the same forming process is used here as for solid bars. In this case however — immediately before filling - whole or chopped hazel nuts, almonds, walnuts or candied fruit and other additives are blended with the chocolate paste. Filled Bars The production of filled bars is a little more complicated. After the slightly deeper moulds have been filled, they are immediately inverted so that some of the chocolate paste flows out again. A thin coating remains on the walls of the moulds and this is hardened in a cooling tunnel. The delicious fillings are then poured into the again upright moulds. Following renewed cooling, everything is covered with a layer of liquid chocolate (which later forms the bottom of the bar) and following final cooling, the bar is removed from the mould. Additives and Fillings The basic additives used are oil-seed products such as ail kinds of nuts, e.g. hazel-nuts, walnuts, almonds, pine kernels, pistachios, etc., the addition of which not only improves the taste of the chocolate but also enhances its nourishment value. Chocolate can be further enriched by the inclusion of candied fruits, e.g. oranges, cherries, pineapples and lemons, various kinds of fruit purees or whole fruit such as raisins, sultanas, etc. The term filling covers substances of ail consistencies, ranging from liquid to solid. It is impossible to all the different varieties. We will confine ourselves, therefore, to some of the most popular, which include: Croquant: Melted sugar with the addition of crushed nuts or almonds. Nougat: Whipped white of egg, boiled sugar and honey, with almonds, nuts and candied fruit. Truffles: A blend of chocolate, cocoa butter, sugar and heavy cream. Gianduja: Prepared from nuts or almonds, sugar and milk or plain chocolate. Marzipan: Melted sugar mixed with finely milled almonds. Creme Fondant: Sugar and glucose with added flavourings. Praline: Almonds and hazel-nuts crushed finely and caramelised and mixed with milk chocolate. This much appreciated paste is used in numerous confections of chocolates, to which it finally gave its name. Chocolate Assortments Who can discover chocolates — those seductive, sweet morsels — and not fall under their spell? Two distinct mechanical processes are employed in their manufacture. The first is similar to the technique applied in the production of filled blocks; the liquid or half-liquid fillings are poured in carefully measured amounts into chocolate-lined moulds and then covered with a coating of chocolate. In the second process the hard centres for the chocolates, previously cut to the required shapes, are fed by a long conveyor belt into a coating machine which pours a chocolate covering over the fillings. Many chocolates contain a liquid centre, which is surrounded by a coating of sugar. The production of these sugar crusts is particularly interesting. Wide sheets of starch powder are spread out and small indentations are made in them. A solution of hot sugar syrup and liqueur or fruit juice is then poured into these depressions. After one to two days a complete coating of sugar has formed, completely enveloping the liqueur. The starch powder is then removed and the centres proceed to the coating machines to receive their covering of chocolate. Chocolates with layer fillings contain centres consisting of several separate flavours. The individual fillings are first spread out in broad layers, one on top of the other, and then cut to the required shape and size. These chocolates are often sold in this form without any additional chocolate coating. In this case they are wrapped in protective paper or aluminium foil. Before the finished chocolates are packed, it is still the practice in many factories to decorate them. They are either topped off with a small piece of nut or fruit, or they are processed by machines which either impress on, or sometimes pour over, the chocolates, a wide range of decorations in, for example, chocolate of a contrasting colour or icing sugar. These line and diamond patterns, grooves, spirals and squiggles, are a feast for the eyes. Solid Figures and Hollow Shapes The production process of solid figures is the same as for the bars. Matching halves are moulded in relief for both the solid and the filled figures. After briefly warming the fiat sides, the figures are completed by pressing the two halves together. In the so-called centrifugal moulding process, liquid chocolate is injected into hollow moulds and then spun on a centrifuge to spread it evenly on the walls before cooling and extracting. Hollow shapes and figures, such as rabbits, eggs, balls and others are made in this way and these can also be filled by injection through a small opening. After cooling, the opening is sealed with a drop of liquid chocolate which immediately hardens. Half-finished Products To a part of the finished chocolate paste supplementary amounts of cocoa butter are added. The products obtained are so-called couvertures and are used as half-finished products in the biscuit and in the ice cream industry. Further important buyers of couvertures are confectioner’s shops and bakeries. They use them for making chocolate bonbons and other chocolate specialities. Couvertures are also used for the manufacture of Easter items (bunnies and eggs) and for delicious cake fillings and coatings. These specialities of the house produced by the confectioners with special professional skill substantially contribute to maintain the world-wide reputation of Swiss chocolate. Drinking Chocolate In contrast to pure or sweetened cocoa powder, chocolate powders are homogeneous products which differ only from solid chocolate in that they are in powder form and contain less cocoa butter. Instant Products Instant products, subjected to a special process which improves their solubility, are made mainly from sugar and cocoa and are used to make flavoured cocoa beverages quickly and simply, with or without milk, and either hot or cold as desired. Manufacturers often enrich these products by adding vitamins and other fortifying substances. Chocolate Confectionery This is the term applied to products which contain a certain proportion of chocolate or have a chocolate covering. They are usually small in size and are produced in a wide variety of shapes. Their manufacture owes as much to the art of the confectioner as that of the chocolate-maker. Hence the name, chocolate confectionery. Packed in their brightly coloured, sparkling wrappers, tit-bits such as chocolate-sticks, chocolate covered marshmallows, caramels, snack fingers, Christmas tree decorations and many other delicacies wait for buyers young and old. It is not really surprising that a considerable sector of production is devoted to confectionery products. |
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