TEMPERING The latest tempering development from Aasted came in
2019 when it launched the new StellaNova tempering machine which is built with separate cooling and shearing sections. “The exit temperature can be accurately controlled and set as low as 27°C without compromising the tempering and quality of crystals – basically, it is now possible to temper the chocolate to a colder yet very fluent, low-viscosity state,” explains Henrik. Of course, it is a basic requirement of a tempering machine
to keep the chocolate melted and de-crystallised when in idle mode. Typically, tempering machines are kept heated to 45°C and this can make it a very energy hungry piece of equipment, especially if the machine is idle for long periods of time. To save energy, Aasted has included a feature on its tempering machine that allows the operator to lower the idle-mode temperature to about 35°C after a certain period of time, as the chocolate will remain un-tempered at this temperature. A further advantage of this is that it doesn’t take as long to start up the machine again for production. “It is a small detail that enables some further energy-savings, but these days it is all about the small things we can do, right?” says Henrik. We ask Henrik how modern, automated tempering operations can be balanced against the traditional skills that have been employed by chocolatiers to create their own unique, and perfectly tempered chocolate. “The task of the automated tempering process is to secure a certain chocolate volume at perfectly tempered conditions for production. It is still down to the skills of the chocolatier to determine
what is possible tempering-wise and what the tempering conditions need to be to create a unique finished product,” he says. “In this sense, our tempering machine goes beyond its primary function, as it enables the temperature of well- tempered chocolate to be precisely controlled within a much wider tempering window than is possible with some more traditional tempering machines, giving chocolatiers the perfect degree of crystallisation and viscosity to meet their very specific requirements.” So, in conclusion, Henrik believes that state-of-the-art tempering machines can provide a higher degree of flexibility that, when combined with the traditional skills employed by the chocolatier, can result in a unique and optimised end product for each user.
More than temperature
Mike Gee, Director at Premier Forrester, points out that, in very simple terms, tempering is a heat exchange process, and therefore the critical element is not providing a perfect temperature at the point of tempering, but instead it is about providing a perfect set of parameters throughout the process – temperature is just one the elements that needs to be considered. “As a continuous cycle, variables occur at each stage of the process, and we must control these to provide consistent tempering,” he says. Mike advises that, before starting the tempering step, it is important to consider the following: Chocolate type: Each type of chocolate has different
Image supplied courtesy Aasted.
KennedysConfection.com
Kennedy’s Confection November 2022 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
