Chocolate

Types

; Black chocolate The black chocolate, also called fondant chocolate or bitter chocolate, is the chocolate itself. It is the mixture of Cacao and Sucre. To be able to be called “chocolate”, it must contain cocoa 34% at least. In lower part, one speaks about “chocolate confectionery”. The requirement out of sugar depends on the bitterness on the variety on cocoa used. He knows a revival of consumption since the beginning of the Années 1990 even if there remains less consumed than the milk chocolate.

; Chocolate not sweetened

The chocolate not sweetened is pure cocoa paste without addition of sugar.

; Milk chocolate The milk chocolate is chocolate which is obtained by adding dried milk or Condensed milk. It contains less than cocoa 40%. The law American E requires a concentration minimum of cocoa 10%. The European regulations indicate a minimum of cocoa 25%. Certain signs of luxury as Michel Cluizel propose milk chocolates up to 45%. It is as heating as the black chocolate (less fatty but more sweetened). For a long time, he much more was appreciated and consumed.

; White chocolate The white chocolate is a preparation containing Cocoa butter, added with sugar, milk and flavor, without any solid cocoa component. It is especially used in Confiserie to exploit the contrast of the colors.

; Chocolate of cover The chocolate of cover is a chocolate of very good quality which is used by the chocolate sellers and the pastrycooks like raw material. It can be black or with milk but it contains at least cocoa butter 32% what makes it very fluid to carry out a coating finer than a traditional coating.

; Chocolate candies One calls chocolate candies of the Bonbon S of ten grams made up of chocolate. Let us quote the Praline S, the coated candies of which the interior can be made up of Ganache or praline-flavoured ice cream, the Dragée S…

; Chocolate mouthfuls Legislatively speaking, a chocolate candy which does not enter in once the mouth is called stopped . A mouthful weighs approximately 40g.

In Europe, the two large most famous countries for the chocolate are:

the Swiss for, in particular, the milk chocolates and the black chocolates
the Belgium for, in particular, the black chocolates and dress them.

the France, to a lesser extent, is known for the black chocolates and spiced. Historically, the existing craft industry in the south-west of France originates in the driven out Jewish merchants of Spain by the enquiry.

Since 2003, the European regulation was aligned on the directives of the National institute of the labels of origin (INAO) which govern viticultural names. Following classification describes the chocolates of quality:

the chocolates of origin must be produced starting from a cocoa coming from only one state or country.
the chocolates of vintages result from cocoa of a geographical area even identified single plantation.
the chocolates great wines characterize the chocolates whose cocoa has an identifiable special character in a single way what justifies an high price.

The world organization of the trade of the cocoa ( International Cocoa Organization ICCO) also set up since 1994 a list of the producer countries of fine cocoas or cocoas remarkable flaveurs by their flavor and their color.

History

Etymology

The word chocolate most probably comes from the language Nahuatl spoken in the central Mexico, although it could be influenced by the Maya Langues. A commonly allowed theory would like that this word comes from the word nahuatl xocolatl or chocolatl , derived from the xocolli , “land-mark”, and atl , “water”. In addition, the Philologue Mexican Ignacio Davila Garibi proposed that the Spanish S invented the word by taking the Maya word chocol and by replacing the Maya word for water haa , by the word Aztèque atl . But this theory supposes that the conquistadors changed indigenous words of two very different languages, while adopting hundreds of words of these same real languages; an improbable scenario.

In a recent article, the linguists Karen Dakin and Søren Wichmann showed that in many dialects nahuatl the word is chicolatl , rather than chocolatl . Moreover, much of languages in Mexico, such as Popoluca, Mixtèque and Zapotèque, and even of the spoken languages in Philippines borrowed this form of the mot.

The Latin name of the Botanical kind of the cacao-tree, " Theobroma" , " means; Food of the Dieux".

The hot chocolate was invented in 1720.

Origins

As of their appearance, the broad beans of cocoa were used by the inhabitants of Central America like currency of exchange and calculating unit , that already approximately 1 000 years front JC. Zontli was equal to 400 broad beans, while 8 000 broad beans were equal to Xiquipilli. In the Mexican hiéroglyphes, a basket containing 8 000 broad beans symbolized the figure 8 000.

Chocolate residues were discovered in potteries Olmèques what means that this age of old Mexico drank already chocolate 2600 years ago. One can think that they domesticated the Cacaoyer which was always regarded as the tree of the gods. With the Belize a pot containing of the cocoa traces was discovered, which proves the existence of a chocolate consumption as of the 6th century.

The Mayas also developed the culture of the cacao-tree. The cocoa seeds had an important value and would have been used to make barter. The drink obtained with these seeds was probably used with the fine therapeutic ones or at the time of certain ritual. The book of the Genesis Maya, the Popol Vuh , allots the discovery of the chocolate to the gods. This drink would have been made during the natural union of the hero Hun Hunaphu with an young girl of Xibalba, the Maya inframonde. Hun Hunaphu had been decapitated by the lords of Xibalba. Its head was then hung with a dead tree which miraculeusement gave fruits in form of Calebasse called dent cocoa. The head of the hero spit in the hand of the young girl, thus ensuring her magic fecundation. Since, the Maya people make use of the chocolate like preliminaries to the Mariage. The cocoa also made it possible to purify the young children Maya at the time of a ceremony. In the same way, the late one was accompanied by cocoa for its voyage towards beyond.

About 1300 after J. - C., the Aztèques associated the chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of the fertility. In old Mexico, the chocolate was consumed in the form of bitter and spiced drink called xocoatl , often aromatized with the Vanille, the Piment and the Roucou. The xocoatl was supposed to fight tiredness, a belief which is probably ascribable to the Théobromine. Only the noble ones and the warriors consumed chocolate because the cocoa was rare goods that it was necessary to import since the orchards of the Tabasco and of Soconuzco pertaining to the Maya. The cocoa was an invaluable product in all the Mésoamérique and the broad beans of cocoa were often used as currency of exchange. Other chocolate drinks combined it with edible products such as the Gruau X of Maïs (which acted like a emulsifier) and Miel.

Conquest of the chocolate

Christophe Colomb threw over edge the broad beans which it had received from the Amerindian S: the explorer would have taken them for droppings of Chèvre thus leaving with Hernán the Cortes the privilege be the first, in 1528, to pay some to his Masters of Spain. It is at the time of the conquest of the Mexico in 1519 that the Cortes discovered the chocolate beverage. The cocoa consumption was very widespread at the missionaries and conquistadores of the new world. The discovery of the Cane to sugar allowed to make the chocolate less bitter and more accessible to all.

The first introduction of the chocolate in Europe is done at the court of the king Charles Quint at the 16th century. As of the 17th century, the chocolate becomes a very appreciated resource of the aristocracy and Spanish clergy. The chocolate extends then in the other Spanish colonies like the Flandres and the Netherlands. In 1615, the France discovers the chocolate in Bayonne at the time of the marriage of the Spanish infante Anne of Austria with Louis XIII. But it is Louis XIV and his wife Marie-Therese of Austria which insert the chocolate in the practices of the court of the Château of Versailles. The chocolate is then consumed hot in the form of drink like the Café. But only the court of the king had access to this drink. The people could not reach it.

The chocolate consumption is spread among the noble ones and the rich person. It was necessary to have drunk the famous beverage coming from on the other side of the Atlantic. The Marchioness of Sévigné known as of the chocolate, in its Letters , that “it flatters you for a time, and then it lights you very blow a continuous fever”. The chocolate remained the prerogative of richest, except in rare areas. For example, in the South-west of the France (area of Bayonne), the installation of the driven out Jewish merchants of Spain by the enquiry allowed a popularization of the product and one found the chocolate one even in more modest families.

Democratization of the chocolate

It is during the Industrial revolution that the chocolate becomes accessible to everyone. It becomes an object of trade and commerce which is popularized and started to take many forms. In 1826, the Dutchman Coenraad Johannes van Houten deposits a patent on a cocoa degreased more digeste. The chocolate is sold like a beneficial food with the great happiness of the chocolate sellers. The beginning of the industrialization of the cocoa powder makes it possible cause a drop in the cost of the product. Its introduction in France is due to the migration towards Bayonne of Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition.

Birth of a chocolate industry

It is at the beginning of the 19th century that the first chocolate factories in Europe with the futures great names appear of what will become in the middle of the century a chocolate industry.

The chocolate is usually consumed in Spanish Catalonia and France in Roussillon: the first factory of France is rested by the chocolate seller Jules Pares, in 1814, in the Eastern Pyrenees (origin of group CEMOI).

In 1815, the Dutchman Coenraad Johannes van Houten creates a first factory later followed a few years by Swiss the Cailler, Suchard (in 1824), Kohler (in 1828), Lindt and Tobler.

In 1821, the English Cadbury produces the first black chocolate to be crunched. To meet the needs for industry, the Cacaoyer S are introduced in Africa and the first plantations created. Appear then the industrial chocolate factories, mainly in France, Suisse and with the Netherlands.

In 1828, Van Houten deposits a patent for the drinking chocolate. This patent releases the surplus of the cocoa butter. Van Houten is first has to invent a process to separate the thin cocoa (or oil cake) and it cocoa butter, making it possible to the industrialists to proportion the relative quantities of thin cocoa and cocoa butter in the cocoa paste. 1830 sees the appearance of the chocolate to the Noisette S invented by Kohler. In 1847, the chocolate in shelf is marketed by the English company Fry.

In 1848, Victor-Auguste Poulain creates a Chocolaterie - industrial confectionery with Blois.

In 1856, Jacques Klaus creates his first chocolate factory to the Locle in Switzerland.

In 1862, it is with the tower of the chocolate factory Rowntree in England to be born, then in 1868, that of the first Tobler chocolate factory in Switzerland. In 1870, Jean Tobler develops the milk chocolate. This same year Emile Menier makes build a modern factory of production of chocolate with Noisiel in Seine-et-Marne. This factory cause a drop in the cost of the chocolate in France. It is today classified historic building with the contiguous working city.

In 1875, Daniel Peter develops after long tests the milk chocolate in its factory of Vevey.

In 1879, Rodolphe Lindt invents the fondant chocolate and creates its first chocolate factory in Switzerland. Its technique consisted in letting turn the crusher containing the chocolate for a long time in order to make the cocoa paste more consistent. Its secrecy was bored only in 1901 at the time when it fell into the public domain.

The beginning of the Years 1880 mark the development of Belgian chocolate industry with the appearance of the first chocolate factory Coast of gold.

At the beginning of the Années 1920 appear the first chocolate Barres: Dutch Kwatta invents the first bars of chocolate of 30 grams. American Mars lance Milky Way and Dutch Nuts his bar with the hazel nuts éponyme.

Manufacture of the chocolate

Écabossage, fermentation and drying

This stage proceeds at the owners of the plantations of cacao-trees. The fruit (Dents) is split with a machete and is emptied its broad beans and its pulp. Broad beans are shelled the central and sorted axis. The broad beans are placed in vats and are covered with sheets of Bananier. Other plantations leave seeds in heap or use baskets according to the means which they have. The temperature varies 45°C with 50°C. One lets them rest approximately a week with regular phases of mixings. The Fermentation removes broad beans from their pulp, reduced the bitter taste and develops the precursors of Arôme.

The first fermentation proceeds in an anaerobic way under the sheets of banana trees. The acid and sweetened pulp dent transforms itself into alcohol during this phase. It is same fermentation as for the grape must. The one second fermentation known as lactic fermentation proceeds very quickly. Then, the juices run out and the air penetrates in the broad bean heaps supporting the third fermentation, acetic fermentation. The high temperature kills the Germe of cocoa broad bean. During this phase, the broad beans change colors. With harvest, they are white or violets and transfer after fermentation with the brown chocolate.

At this stage, they contain 60% more of moisture which it is necessary to reduce to 7% to ensure an optimal conservation and a transport. The broad beans then are dried with the sun or in driers during 15 days and sometimes washed (Madagascar). They are systematically turned over in order to ensure a homogeneous drying. Drying as fermentation exploits the flavors of the cocoa. They are then dispatched and the remainder of the treatment is held in chocolate factory.

Torrefaction, crushing and crushing

As for the Coffee, the broad beans are torrefied in order to increase the flavor. This phase proceeds after cleaning of seeds in a roaster. The broad beans are cooked in heart with their hull then they are peeled. They are then crushed and transformed into glares, which one calls Nibs or Grué. Torrefaction lasts 40 minutes with 140°C in general. But it differs according to the species and the flavors which one wishes to obtain. Torrefaction also makes it possible to reduce the moisture of broad beans from 7% to 2%.

The cocoa grains are transformed into liquid paste: cocoa mass. The Cocoa butter is then separated from the mass by pressure. This stage proceeds in crushing made up of several cylinders increasingly tightened and making it possible to refine crushing. A refining makes it possible to reduce broad bean in nondetectable very fine grains on the palate of the mouth.

Addition of ingredients and conchage

The preceding stages made it possible to obtain a cocoa mass to which one will add various ingredients according to the chocolate which one wishes. The black chocolate is manufactured by mixing “solid” cocoa, cocoa butter (for flux) also named “oil cake”, for the taste, and sweetens. The more there will be of sugar, the less the percentage of cocoa will be high. Dried milk is added if one wishes chocolate with the lait.

to obtain black chocolate, one adds to the cocoa paste of the sugar and possibly of the cocoa butter for flux (or another vegetable fat).
to obtain milk chocolate, one adds to the cocoa paste of the cocoa butter (or another vegetable fat), of dried milk and sugar.
to obtain white chocolate, one keeps only cocoa butter, and one adds dried milk and sugar. The white chocolate does not contain cocoa.
For all the chocolates, one often adds flavors or spices: very frequently vanilla, but also of other spices.

The conchage is the fact of heating the cocoa in order to increase the homogeneity, the flavor and the consistency of the future chocolate. It is held with approximately 70°C in a mixer which brews the mixture of chocolate slowly. During this stage, one can add emulsifiers. The industrial chocolates contain almost a whole a emulsifier in the form of Lécithine of Soja, which prolongs the homogeneity of the mixture.

March 15th, 2000, under the pressure of the industrialists of the chocolate, the directive " chocolat" was adopted by the European Community. It makes it possible to use other vegetable fats, less expensive than the cocoa butter for the manufacture of the chocolate, within the limit of 5% of the total weight of the end product. To satisfy the request of certain consumers experts, of the marks created their label " 100% butter cacao" to announce on certain chocolates that it is a chocolate of tasting which respects the traditional composition of the cocoa

Tempérage and moulding

The tempérage of the chocolate consists in bringing the cocoa butter in its crystalline form most stable. The cocoa butter is composed of five different fatty molecules melting each one at distinct temperatures (into 26 and 31°C), and this mixture gives to the chocolate an high degree of crystallinity: it can crystallize in six different forms. Among these six states, the tempérage brings to most stable: the form known as beta of the cocoa butter.

The tempérage gives to the chocolate, once cooled, a brilliant and smooth aspect, a hardness and a flux characteristics, more a long life of conservation.

Curve of crystallization

The chocolate melts starting from 36°C. The curve of crystallization varies according to the proportion of the cocoa butter: for black chocolate, once all the chocolate is molten it is necessary to cool it until approximately 28°C then to heat it with 32°C without never exceeding this temperature. To finish, it should as soon as possible be cooled around 20°C.

The chocolate is:

brought in the liquid state beyond 36°C;
brought back at the solid but unstable state (low temperature);
stabilized at the high temperature;
then fixed when it is completely cooled.

The low temperature makes it possible to start crystallization, that of work makes it possible the crystals to be ordered in their stable form. If the chocolate goes down in lower part from the low temperature or exceeds that of work, it will not reach the form beta cocoa butter and marblings will be formed, it will have a pasty texture. It is then enough to remelt the chocolate and to start again as much time than necessary until the success to the tempérage, the chocolate not losing its properties at the time of the operation.

Techniques

Even if the chocolate melts with 36°C, one heats it at a higher temperature to go more quickly because it is a bad driver of heat: starting from 40°C for the white chocolate and until 55°C for the black chocolate, beyond it is likely to burn. Until the last stage of heating, it is necessary always to stir up the chocolate so that the temperature is uniform. It should be maintained at the high temperature exactly for all the duration of the work. One never should make fall from water in the mixture, it could not be moderate.

Industrial method

To dissolve the chocolate then to cool it until the low temperature: crystals are formed, it thickens. To mix to distribute the crystals and to heat with 32°C. To work and make cool with 20C.

Method of the marble

To dissolve the chocolate, to spread out 2/3 over a marble and to work of them with the spatula until it thickens slightly. To add the 1/3 remainder which will make it go back to 32°C.

Simple method

To dissolve 2/3 of the chocolate, to add the third remaining out it fire and to stir up to the complete cast iron. To wait until it goes down at the low temperature and to heat with 32°C.

Tempéreuse

There exist machines which heat and cool the chocolate by respecting the curves of crystallization. They mix it permanently and maintain it at the good temperature for all the duration of the work.

Moulding

To obtain the form or the wished reason, the chocolate is directly versed in moulds. It is about the moulding of the chocolate. Additional ingredients like hazel nuts, puffed up rice or grapes can added according to the delicacy that one wishes. The moulds and the chocolate pass in a machine called tapoteuse which distributes the chocolate in the mould. Lastly, it passes in a cooled tunnel which cools it instantaneously.

Production of the chocolate

Chocolate consumption

The chocolate is consumed at a temperature of 16 with 18°C. The chocolate is a product which does not like the variations in temperature.

Forms of consumption

It can be consumed in Boisson (in general with Lait), in shelves, mouthfuls (such as the Coussins of Lyon) and in many other forms. It Marie very well with the alcohols, in particular with the Chartreuse (the " Green-Chaud") and the dry fruits.

The Chocolaterie S are shops specialized in the sale and the manufacture of chocolates. The Chocolatier is his manufacturer. The Chocolatière is a container equipped with a whip used to serve the hot chocolate.

Worldwide consumption

In the world in 2001/2002, the cocoa worldwide consumption (i.e. cocoa contained in all the chocolate products) was of approximately 0,53 kg/personne or 0,97 kg/personne if the China is excluded, the India and the Indonesia whose large populations have a disproportionate influence on the statistics. There exist however great regional variations: average consumption by anybody was of approximately 1,87 kg in Europe, 1,20 kg in America, 0,11 kg in Asia/Oceania and 0,13 kg in Africa.

In Europe, consumption is stronger in the countries of north and alpine and weaker in the countries of the south. The first consumer country is the Suisse with 10,3 kg per annum and per capita, follow-up of the Austria, the Ireland, the the United Kingdom, the Norway, the Denmark, the Germany, the Sweden, the Belgium and the Finland. The Italy, the Spain, the Greece and the Portugal are the weakest consumers.

The France arrives in 11th position with 4,8 kg/an/habitant (source 2002 International Statistics off Cabisco/ICCO).

The chocolate consumption varies in the year with two peaks of consumption to Christmas and Easter. In a general way, three great factors influence the chocolate consumption:

dietary habits;
economic environment;
climate.

For the France, apart from the period of Christmas and Easter, consumption strongly varies according to the outside temperature. For a consumption on basis 100 when it makes 15°C, it will reach its maximum with 120 between 5 and 10°C and will fall of 30% with 20°C and 50% beyond 25°C.

Tasting

The tasting of the chocolate became a practice as used as the Dégustation of the wine. The chocolate comprises to 600 identified molecules while the Vin comprises 1.500 of them. Only around fifty plays a part in the flavor of the chocolate and its identification. As for the wine, the flavors are related to the history and the transformation of cocoa broad bean into cocoa, then out of chocolate. The precursory agents of the flavors are formed during the fermentation and the drying of cocoa broad bean.

Seven criteria are taken into account at the time of the tasting of the chocolate:

the aspect of the chocolate with its color, its defects and its brightness;
break-in of the chocolate;
odors with the nose;
texture in mouth;
taste with acidity, bitterness and sweetened;
flaveurs in mouth and rétronasal;
the length in mouth.

Chocolate and health

Effects on the human ones

The chocolate is a particularly energy food because it contains many Glucide S and Lipide S: 500 kcal for 100 G (550 kcal in the milk chocolate). 100 grams of black chocolate bring a quarter of the average daily needs for a woman which are about 1 800 with 2 000 kcal/day.

The chocolate contains a hundred chemical substances Antioxydant (Flavonoïde S, of the family of the Polyphénol S or “tannins”) are discovered in the broad beans of cocoa which are at the origin of its qualities. These substances have multiple virtues:

énergisantes with the Theobromine (a psychostimulant) (40 with 500 mg/100 G of chocolate) and the Cafeine (70 mg/100 G), which cause to increase the secretion of Adrénaline. Theobromine, present in greater quantity, does not have almost any effect on the central nervous system, contrary to cafeine;

Aphrodisiac with the Phényléthylamine (PEA), 0,5 with 0,6 microgram per gram of chocolate. This molecule stimulates manufacture by the Cerveau of Dopamine;

anti-ageing with the Vitamin E and especially the flavonoïdes (Catéchine and épicatéchine) which allow by increasing the Blood circulation the level Cutané to improve the density and the hydration of the skin as well as the Photoprotection;

good for the cardiovascular system in general, the arteries and the Hypertension with the flavonoïdes. The chocolate would cause a drop in also the blood Pressure.

relaxing muscular by its wealth of Magnesium. In a general way, the chocolate is also rich in Phosphore, Potassium and Fer. 100 grams of chocolate provide a third of the recommended daily Apports of these minerals.

The chocolate does not have a positive or negative effect on the bad Cholestérol. The cocoa butter is made up mainly of Stearic acid, which is single among the saturated fatty-acids, not increasing bad cholesterol. Thus, in spite of the degree of saturation of the cocoa butter, this one induces only very little the Athérosclérose. Moreover, the flavonoïdes described above have anti-inflammatory drugs effects which could support the good performance of the circulatory apparatus.

The chocolate contains also an endogenous molecule: the Anandamide. The effects of this molecule can be compared with those of the Cannabis, being able to explain the euphoriant effects of the chocolate. But this molecule is present only in negligible quantity. The anandamide generates a lifting of the inhibition of the production of dopamine, thus increasing, indirectly, the quantity of dopamine produced.

The chocolate is disadvised or then in quantity limited for the people suffering from drop (because release of Uric acid), from gastric backward flow or Impaired renal function.

The chocolate can also give place to Allergie S.

In spite of its content glucids, it does not support the Dental carie. The tannins, the fluorine and the phosphates contained in the cocoa have properties anti-decays.

Danger to the pets

The chocolate is dangerous for the majority of the pets. Indeed, it contains Théobromine, chemicals similar to the Caféine, which stimulates the nervous system. This product can be mortal for the Chien S, the Chats, the Rat S, the Perroquet S or the horses, since their metabolism cannot eliminate it.

Thus, if a dog eats chocolate in considerable quantities, the theobromine, which remains during twenty hours in its blood circulation, can cause convulsions epileptics, an infarction, internal bleedings and finally death. It is necessary to manage a vomitory with the dog which ate chocolate within two hour after ingestion or to bring it at the Vétérinaire. This one will try using a treatment to limit the absorption of theobromine by the organization.

Expressions with chocolate

The word chocolate finds in several popular expressions

Être chocolate : to be maroon, be flabbergasted, depity while realizing that one was deceived.
To be pale blue chocolate (Belgian-French phrase): to have nausea or be badly in point, especially the shortly after one evening too sprinkled.
To make the chocolate : to play naive, the credulous one.
Medal out of chocolate : medal, imaginary, obtained by a finishing athlete 4th of an sporting event is said.

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