Enrobing process of chocolate

Chocolate assortments, confectionary bars coated with chocolate and chocolate cookies and cakes are all manufactured by coating process known as chocolate enrobing.

By completely covering the center with chocolate, the shelf-life of the product may be extended. This primarily applicable to centers that, if no covered, could be prone to moisture loss, oxidation or microbial action.

Enrobing can begin as soon as the centers have been sufficiently air-dried. Chocolate must be well tempered because over-tempering will create thick coating and will make revoking excess chocolate more difficult.

Normally the thickness and form of the coat are controlled by blowing off the excess mass using air and then vibration.

The quality of the temper should be closely monitored to ensure a thin, even coating of chocolate.

Molding gives a more obvious gloss to the finished product, whilst enrobing can cope with complex shapes and gives a soft and pleasing finish to the article.

Originally enrobing machine was introduced for chocolate coating; it now is also used for cream coating and caramel coating.
Enrobing process of chocolate

Confectionery coating chocolate

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