Frequently Asked Questions - ChocoVision REVOLATION DELTA Owner's Manual

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is "pure" chocolate?
"Pure," unsweetened chocolate is produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree, and
contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Most consumed
chocolate is sweetened with sugar. Milk chocolate contains sugar and some form of either
condensed or powdered milk. "White chocolate" contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk but
no cocoa solids (thus is not truly chocolate).
2. W hat is "compound" chocolate?
Compound chocolate is a chocolate replacement made from a combination of cocoa,
vegetable fats, coconut or palm kernel oils and sweeteners. Compound chocolate is
designed to simulate enrobed chocolate on a product.
3. Why do I have to temper my chocolate?
Cocoa butter is the fat in cacao that gives chocolate its stable properties. To be
considered "real" chocolate, a chocolate bar or chunk can contain only cocoa butter,
not any other fat. Cocoa butter is the reason that chocolate must be tempered.
Cocoa butter is comprised of three to four fatty acids, each of which solidifies at a
different temperature. When chocolate is melted, the crystals of fatty acids separate.
The objective of tempering is to entice those separated fat crystals of cocoa butter back
into a stable form.
Proper tempering gives chocolate a smooth and glossy finish, has a crisp snap, and won't
melt as easily as un‐tempered chocolate to the touch.
4. What is seed chocolate?
The "seed" is tempered chocolate (chunks or wafers) that should be set aside and placed
behind the baffle at the beginning of the temper cycle (your machine will beep three times
to indicate that your chocolate had hit its melt‐point and is ready for tempering/seeding).
These pieces of seed chocolate act like magnets, attracting other loose crystals of fatty
acids together, beginning the crystallisation process that results in a proper temper.
Tempered chocolate melts at a much higher temperature than un‐tempered.
The fat crystals are locked together tightly and are resistant to developing chocolate bloom.
5. How do I cool my chocolate?
The ideal temperature for cooling chocolate used for moulding work is between 10 and 12°C
and there should be plenty of cold air circulating. If you are using a fridge to cool your
chocolate, the shelves need to be wire as opposed to glass. Chocolate for coating work
should preferably be cooled between 15 and 18°C, with no ventilation if possible.
13