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2018 Mysteries of Conching Revealed Small Mysteries of Conching Revealed Conching plays an imperative role in the flavor development of chocolate and is crucial to the success of a smooth, well-balanced end product. Carly Meck Blommer Chocolate Company rom the discovery of the cocoa bean ing chocolate had a smooth texture, mild Fthousands of years ago to the irreplace- flavor and improved viscosity. This led to able treat the world knows today, chocolate more development on a machine known as has been an integral part of our lives. To bet- a longitudinal conche (Figure 1). This ter understand the transformation of choco- machine, shaped somewhat like its namesake late over the years, it is important to explore shell, consisted of a heavy roller repeatedly an important step in the chocolate making moving through a basin filled with liquid process called conching. During conching, chocolate. By adding a small amount of refined ingredients are kneaded under cocoa butter to the thick chocolate mass, the roller is able to glide easily through the basin Carly Meck is senior R&D immense force to create a smooth, well-bal- scientist — product and create a uniform product. While years anced end product. Conching has been development at Blom- shrouded in some mystery over the years. of technological advancements have since mer Chocolate Co. In Looking at what takes place during this step improved the process, this breakthrough was this role, she develops a game changer for the chocolate industry. new chocolate and sheds some light on this important process. cocoa formulas, creates Conching has a long and accidental his- CONCHING STYLES process improvements, tory with chocolate. Until the mid-1800s, All conches are not created equal. Func- provides training and chocolate was mostly consumed in beverage executes technical stud- tionality differences exist between styles form while a few pioneers introduced it into ies. She has been with along with differences in price, cycle time the company since 2010. baked goods. Solid chocolate was not a pop- and floor space requirements. Essentially ular treat due to its coarse texture and unde- all systems perform the same task of knead- sirable sour and bitter flavor. Rudolphe ing chocolate; however, each uses a different Lindt changed this in 1879 by inventing the method of doing so. The principle conching conche in Switzerland. There is no clear story methods or styles are illustrated in Figure 2. on how his invention came to be, but it allegedly happened by accident while leaving Longitudinal Conche a mixer on over a long weekend. The result- As shown in Figure 1 and 2A, the longitu- ➤ 72nd PMCA Production Conference, 2018 1 Mysteries of Conching Revealed The concept behind Longitudinal Conche this style of conche today, but it is not as the melanger is based common as other methods. on the centuries-old mortar and pestle. It Melanger can be used for The concept behind the melanger is based several different on the centuries-old mortar and pestle. It functions including can be used for several different functions grinding nibs into including grinding nibs into liquor and liquor and making making nut butters. For the purposes of chocolate making, nut butters. it is a refiner conch. The melanger uses Figure 1 Brooklyncacao.com rotating stone wheels which grind the mass dinal conche was where it all began. These against a stone-bottomed bowl reducing conches create improved flavor develop- particle size of the raw materials while ment and texture of the chocolate, but simultaneously conching (Figure 2B). cycle times can be restrictive, often taking All of the ingredients are added at the days to conche a mass. Limitations of this beginning of the process resulting in high conche method include difficulty in filling fat content while grinding over several and emptying and in temperature control. hours. Significant particle size reduction Formulation can also be a challenge. Com- can be achieved (down to 25 microns); pared to other styles, paste fat is very high however, cycle times can exceed 24 hours. in this machine type, therefore chocolate As with the longitudinal conche, paste is conched in a liquid phase. A higher fat fat is quite high so the ability to eliminate content in the conche equates to less volatiles or moisture is minimal. Melangers cocoa butter savings at the end of the are ideal for smaller confectioners; initial process. Several chocolate makers still use cost is low, and the machine footprint is Conching Styles 2A. Longitudinal Conche 2B. Melanger 2C. All-in-One or Rotary-Style Refiner Conche 2D. Ball Mill Refiner Conche 2E. Continuous Conche 2F. High-Shear Conche Figure 2 ➤ 2 72nd PMCA Production Conference, 2018 Mysteries of Conching Revealed small. Furthermore, a significant produc- smaller size footprint. As with the other In some systems, tivity advantage for confectioners is that styles of refiner conches, cycle times and ingredients such as melangers are able to complete several throughput can be a challenge along with cocoa butter or conching steps at once. the higher amount of cocoa butter needed lecithin can be dosed to standardize viscosity. as the chocolate All-in-One Conche or Refiner Conche advances through the All-in-one conches, or refiner conches, have Continuous Conche system. gained popularity over the years. A more Continuous conches use a different mech- sophisticated version of the melanger, the anism to treat chocolate than the afore- refiner conche reduces particle size and mentioned styles. With this style, refined conches within the same machine. Forced chocolate is fed through the machine which air can help drive off volatiles, reduce cycle applies intense mixing for a short period time and improve the flavor of the finished of time through a jacketed rotor/stator product. The principal theory behind this (Figure 2E). Shearing and mixing are machine is based off high fat, or liquid applied to the chocolate in one step while conching. That being said, there are several pushing the mass through a temperature- styles of this equipment type. controlled cylinder. In some systems, ingre- The traditional style of refiner conche dients such as cocoa butter or lecithin can consists of a water-jacketed horizontal be dosed as the chocolate advances tank. Ingredients are added and a series through the system. Benefits to this style of angled metal knives scrape the ingredi- of machine are fast cycle times and homog- ents against a grooved metal inner wall enized product in a matter of minutes. Dis- while rotating around a center axis (Fig- advantages are lack of volatile removal ure 2C). Variable pressure can be applied and fat release. A few systems pair the con- to achieve the desired particle size. These tinuous conche with other machinery conches take up minimal floor space and which aids in the removal of volatiles and consume less energy than other types and moisture before the chocolate is conched. the cost is reasonable for the throughput. High-Shear Conche Drawbacks to refiner conches include long process times and the potential for using High-shear conches are a specific category more cocoa butter for the desired final vis- of equipment based on the theory of low- cosity due to super fine particles formed fat conching. Low-fat conching results in while grinding. the maximum efficacy of moisture and volatile reduction, particle rounding due Ball Mill Refiner Conche to shear, fat release and flavor enhance- A newer style of refiner conche consists of ment. Unlike the other conche styles, these a conche trough attached to a ball mill. The machines run in conjunction with a roll- ingredients are conched first, sometimes refining line. In this process, refined flake using forced hot air in the temperature-con- is conveyed into the conche. A small trolled trough. After conching, product is amount of cocoa butter is added to create recirculated through a ball mill (Figure 2D) a thick paste. Target fat percentage of the to achieve the desired particle size. Extra refined flake is 22 to 25 percent while the cocoa butter or emulsifiers are added during target fat percentage of the conche is 27 this step as the chocolate thickens and par- to 30 percent. The conches are able to use ticle size is reduced. This all-in-one unit is a specialized paddle design to kneed the another cost-effective option and has a chocolate more efficiently. A wedge- ➤ 72nd PMCA Production Conference, 2018 3 Mysteries of Conching Revealed Milk chocolates shaped blade at the end of the paddle mov- Three-shaft high-shear conches have typically reach ing in one direction allows the blade to cut intense mixing capabilities that tend to temperatures into the chocolate mass and thoroughly bring the product into a plastic or pasty between 55° C and mix the product (Figure 2F). This step phase quite quickly. Three interlocked pad- 65° C. This allows for occurs first during conching at high rpm. dles move the mass from one end of the flavor development Next, the conche paddles switch direction unit to the other while continuously expos- without risking the creating intense shear at high rpm scraping ing the product to air to help eliminate the mass between the wedge-shaped pad- creation of scorched volatiles and moisture. About halfway dle and the conche wall. flavors. through the cycle, the paddles automati- During the entire conching process, tem- cally change direction facilitating further peratures are closely controlled through shearing action. Cost, power consumption chilled water flow in the jacket. Milk choco- and footprint make three-shaft systems a lates typically reach temperatures between restrictive option, however this may be 55° C and 65° C. This allows for flavor devel- outweighed by their ability to produce a opment without risking the creation of premium chocolate product.
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