Cacao and their derivatives

The cacao tree can grow up to 5 to 10 meters. The cacao pod weighs 300 to 400 grams and measures between 15 to 0 cm. The inside of the pod has 20 to 50 seeds covered with a viscous pulp, rich in sugars, which is responsible for the fermentation.

Types of Cacao

Criollo

Characteristics:

It is scarce. Acid, aromatic, and a little bit bitter. 1% World population. Roasting temperature 105℃ to 110℃ (221℉ to 230℉)

Trinitario

Characteristics:

It is a mix between forastero and criollo. Disease resistant. It produces fine cacao and is rich in fat. 10 to 15% of the world population. Roasting temperature 110℃ to 120 ℃ (230℉ to 248℉).

Forastero

Characteristics:

Cacao for consumption. Their beans are purple. High performance. Strong flavor and aroma. 80% World population. Roasting temperature 120℃ to 125 ℃ (248 to 257℉)

Environmental Conditions For Tempering Chocolate

Workshop 22℃ (72℉).
Marble or granite 20℃ (68℉).
Avoid humidity.
Avoid contact with water.

Different methods to temper chocolate

Microwave tempering: Bring the chocolate to 32ºC in case of the dark chocolate, preventing it from reaching more than 35ºC. This way the chocolate doesn't need to be tempered. Avoid putting the chocolate in the fridge for a long time because it will absorb moisture changing the texture. This type of tempering is recommended for small quantities of chocolate.

Temper using marble or granite: heat the chocolate in the microwave until it reaches the desired temperature depending on the type of chocolate, for example, milk chocolate needs to reach 45ºC. Place 3/4 of the chocolate on top of the marble or granite and leave 1/3 of the chocolate in the bowl. Lower the temperature of the chocolate until it reaches 28ºC in the case of tempering milk chocolate. Place the chocolate in the bowl and mix it with 1/3 of chocolate. The final temperature of the milk chocolate has to be 32ºC.

Method of seeding: melt your chocolate (depending on if the chocolate is dark, milk, or white). Once it has melted you add pieces of unmelted chocolate to be able to get to the right temperature. For every 300 g of melted chocolate, you will need around 100 g of unmelted chocolate.

Test if your chocolate is correct

To be sure your chocolate is now tempered, dip the tip of a clean, dry knife in the bowl and allow it to stand for a couple of minutes. If it is correctly tempered, the chocolate on the knife tip will begin to reach a nice hard, shiny state.

Why are temperatures important in the process of making chocolate?

Each chocolate has a different temperature at which it should be tempered.

This is because certain particles in ingredients in the chocolate, like sugar, cocoa, and milk maintain a solid form and only the cocoa butter changes from a solid to a liquid when you heat it up. That is why it is tempered based on cocoa butter.

Crystallization is the transition from liquid to solid state of cocoa butter. It has to be carried out at a certain temperature, due to the monotropic and polymorphic properties of this product. These physical-chemical properties are responsible for the slowness and instability of the crystallization of cocoa butter. If we let a completely molten mass of chocolate cool, without stirring it, to a temperature of 20º C (68°F), we would observe that a part of the cocoa butter solidifies in large irregular crystals, while the rest remains a liquid. Instead, during the cooling process, we stir the melted chocolate while controlling the temperature, small crystals will form that will provide homogeneity and prevent light from reflecting in all directions.
To achieve a stable crystallization of cocoa butter, it is enough to produce a small percentage of V-shaped crystals, whose melting point is between 34 and 35º C (93 - 41°F). Once the chocolate is tempered, the quantity of so-called stable crystals constitutes about 3%, a basic core, a starting point that will lead to a chain reaction at which crystallization will occur with this same form.
The process to follow when tempering chocolate: For manual work, lower the temperature of the melted chocolate to 28 - 29º C (82 - 84°F), spread it and pick it up with a spatula and a steel scraper on a slab of granite. You have to reserve a portion of hot chocolate; it will serve to increase the temperature afterwards. Through this cooling operation, in addition to the V-shaped crystals, unstable crystals will have been created that must be removed.
Therefore, once the temperature reaches 28-29º C (82 - 84°F), we must collect the chocolate quickly. Add a small amount of decrystallize hot chocolate to increase the temperature to 31 or 32º C(88 - 90°F). In this way an optimal percentage is achieved of forming V crystals in the mass.

IN THE CASE OF WHITE AND MILK CHOCOLATE

The crystallization temperature must be adjusted two degrees lower. The reason is that the presence of 26% fat in powdered milk interferes with the crystallization process, and so its melting point is lower.

GANACHE

In a ganache it is important to keep the temperatures because they help to make a better emulsion. Mixing the liquid elements with the sugars ensures a good dissolution at a temperature between 25 and 30ºC (77 - 86°F). Mixing all the melted fat ingredients separately at 45º C (113°F), helps to make the emulsion. The final temperature of the ganache will be between 35 and 40ºC (86 - 104°F). It's important to wait until the ganache has pre-crystallized when it is cooling down, which happens between 35°C (86°F) to 28ºC (82°F). The Ideal crystallization temperature of the ganache is 16º C (61°F)with a relative humidity of 60%.

Sandy La Pastelera

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