Milk chocolate
To be called ‘chocolate’ the product must contain ingredients: cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin and vanillin. Milk chocolate also contains whole milk solids.
In 1847, Joseph fry was the first to produce a plain eating chocolate bar. In 1876, milk chocolate was introduced by Daniel Peters of Switzerland.
The ground nib was processed with sugar and milk solids and the result was a product that today is the mainstay of the chocolate industry.
Mixing of cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, milk and sugar is the first step in chocolate milk manufacturing.
The next step is refining or particle size reduction, in which the coarse paste is passed through a roller mill or media mill to reduce the particles of crystalline sugar, fibrous cocoa matter and milk solids to nominal diameter of 15 to 50 um.
Refining improves the texture of the chocolate and the degree of refining depends on the type of chocolate and the confectioner’s own recipe.
The refined chocolate is then conched, following by tempering, a mixing and cooling process specific temperature ranges to cause a small part of the liquid cocoa butter to be crystallize in the appropriate polymorphic form.
During the conching process, which can take between 6 to 72 hr, the moisture and volatile acid are evaporated which results in reduction of the viscosity of the chocolate. Conching describes the finals stages of bulk chocolate production. The purpose is to add the final touches to the texture and flavor of the product.
Milk chocolate is paler in color than dark chocolate, has a less intense flavor and is sweeter.
