Depending on the composition and parameters of rheology, Terravita's semi-finished chocolate products may be used for:

• Coating and enrobing of bakery and pastry products (g. a Jaffa cakes, biscuits, gingerbread).
• Coating and enrobing of variously shaped confectioneries: jellies, foams, candies.
• Coating of nuts and dried fruits like the California plum or apricot
• Coating of delicacies and small confectioner
• Forming of chocolate bars, hollow figures and praline shells.
• As an ingredient of chocolate mousse, ganache, cake’s fillings.sss

Melt the chocolate from its solid form in squares at the indicated temperature: plain chocolate at 50-55°C, milk and white chocolate at 42-45°C.

• Melting process: on the industrial scale in a water-jacket tank equipped with a stirrer (mixing speed 12-15 rpm); in the craft scale on a water bath.
• Subject liquefied chocolate to the tempering process, using professional tempering equipment or manually in the craft scale (on a marble table or a water bath).
• Use the tempered chocolate according to its purpose: forming of bars, hollow figures, shells of pralines, coating of confectioneries and bakery products.
• Correctly tempered chocolate is glossy and crispy which determines its sensory value and attractiveness of finished products
• If the chocolate is supposed to be used for coating or molding, the liquefied chocolate mass must be tempered in accordance with the recommendations described in the section „tempering of the chocolate in a craft way”.

Tempering the chocolate in a craft way

 In order to temper chocolate on a craft scale, follow the below instructions:

 Depending on the type, melt the chocolate on a water bath at the temperature ranges as recommended in the section above.

 Keep two-third of a chocolate dose in a liquid form at a temperature of 45^oC (please check with spike thermometer). One-third of a dose pour on a marble table and cool down by fast moving and spreading onto the marble surface using a steel spatula.

When the mass reaches the temperature of 26-27 ^oC (please check using a spike thermometer), add it to the remaining two-thord liquid mass hold at a temperature of 45 degrees. Blend the combined mass until it reaches temperature of 30-31oC (dark chocolates) and 28-29 oC (milk and white chocolates).The chocolate processed in this way is well tempered and ready to use: for coating, forming of praline shells, plates, decorations.

 Keep in mind that the temperature ranges mentioned may vary slightly, depending on the type and composition of the chocolate, therefore they should be verified individually for each type of chocolate mass being used.

Liquid form: keep stirring in containers with a water jacket at a temperature of 40-45 ° C. Shelf life: at 40 ° C - up to 6 weeks from the production date (plain and milk chocolate) and up to 3 weeks (white chocolate).

Solidified form (squares): temperature 12-18 degrees,relative air humidity RH <75%, 16 months for dark and milk chocolates and 12 months for white chocolates, in intact packaging. Store in a dry, ventilated room, free from odors and away from sources of heat.

Tempering

Terravita semi-finished chocolates are offered in liquid form (in a cistern) and in solidified form (non-tempered flakes or tempered squre). The silvery coating on flake's surface is not a quality defect. It is a result of the production process, which lacks semi-finished chocolate tempering, intended for further processing in terms of final use in recipients' production plants. Only there, the chocolate in a liquefied form (after melting the flakes) is subjected to a tempering process. It involves a cycle of cooling and re-heating the liquid chocolate mass, in order to obtain a stable form of cocoa butter crystals - as the main fat forming the chocolate structure. Thanks to a properly carried out tempering process, chocolate is so sensory-attractive: crispy, shiny, does not melt in your hand. For this reason, each of the potential uses of chocolate requires a tempering process in order to obtain a final product with high quality and durability.

The temperature ranges in the individual phases of the tempering process differ between the different types of chocolate mass: dark, milk and white. These differences result from the fibre composition of chocolates, including those from the fat phase composition. General temperature ranges in subsequent stages of the tempering process are presented in the table below.

Tempering the chocolate in the confectionery way

Steps that must be done in order to temper chocolate in the confectionary way:

Depending on the type of chocolate, liquefy dose of chocolate in a water bath in temperatures reccomended above. Two-third of a dose leave in a liquid form, keeping the temp of 45 Celsius degrees (please check with spike thermometer).One-third of a dose pour on a marble table and cool down by vigorous grinding and then transfer the mass using a rounded knife or metal putty on a marble counter. When the mass reaches the temperature of 26-27 degrees (please check with spike thermometer, add it to 2/3 of liquid mass at a temperature of 45 degrees. Stir the whole to a temperature of 30-31 degrees (dessert chocolates) and 28-29 degrees (milk and white chocolates). Then the chocolate is tempered and ready to use: for coating, forming praline shells, plates, decorations. It should be remembered that the temperature ranges mentioned may vary slightly, depending on the type and composition of the chocolate, therefore they should be verified individually for each type of chocolate mass that being used.

Rheology (fluidity) of chocolate

Terravita semi-finished chocolates, depending on their use, are offered in several variants with different rheology, expressed by a combination of viscosity parameters and yield point.

Moderate and high liquidity standards, characterised by low viscosity, are intended for icing. The lower liquidity of the chocolate mass, expressed in high viscosity, allows not only for the formation of bars, pralines and sugar coating, but also for using as an addition to mousses or creamy masses based on whipped cream or mascarpone. In order to meet individual customer needs, in the category of intermediate chocolates, we offer made-to-measure solutions, through the development of individual recipes and rheology of chocolate, adapted to specific applications.