The most basic definition of coating is ‘solid suspend within a fat base’. Compound coatings may be formulated with a combination of coca butter and compatible hard butter as the fat phase, or with hard butter as a total replacer of cocoa butter in the coating.
In this process coating solutions are melted under the influence of heat and hardened again by the removal of this heat.
Enrobing machines are normally used for chocolate coating. The machine also used for cream coating and caramel coating.
It is necessary to have a high enough yield value to prevent decorations from collapsing and to avoid the chocolate following off the centers, causing flags on the base edges.
The candy centers first are ‘bottomed’ by passing on a screen over a layer of molten chocolate. They then pass through a tunnel in which they are showered by molten chocolate.
The automated equipment permits coating and polishing in the same unit, while batch systems require transfer to another pan. A coating should have a rapid rate of solidification, so that production output can be kept at a high level.
Excess liquid chocolate is drained and returned to the tunnel and the pieces quickly cool, solidifying the coating.
Modern chocolate enrobers are large machines up to 2 m wide, and have elaborate control systems for temperature, air flow and amplitude and frequency of vibration.
Uniform coating at high speeds requires close control of the temperature of the incoming candy centers as well as the molten chocolate.
Confectionary coating chocolate
