Liquid chocolate is often poured into hollow molds to make figures (eg Sinterklaas, Easter figures, ...)

 

The conching machine was invented in 1880 by the Swiss chocolatier Rodolfe Lindt. The name comes from the French word conche, which means shell. The shape of the machine resembles a shell. In this machine, the liquid chocolate is rocked and rubbed for a long time. It is an essential process in which the taste of the chocolate is developed and softened. Any sharp edges disappear and the texture thus reaches the most important stage, the velvety softness. Manufacturers of cheap chocolate think 12h conching is enough. Qualitative chocolate makers, on the other hand, conch for up to a week and sometimes add extra cocoa butter to make it even softer. Various flavors are added during conching, such as vanilla, cloves or cinnamon. Vanilla is always used and dates from the Aztec era. We got used to it and so vanilla is linked with chocolate like salt with bread. Pure vanilla extract is used for the best quality. But cheaper varieties contain the synthetic substitute vanillin.

 

After conching, the chocolate goes into tempering kettles, where it is cooled while stirring, but remains liquid. It is very difficult to cool chocolate, because cocoa contains different types of fat and has a different melting and solidification point.

 

After mixing, the chocolate is finely ground between a series of rollers (5) with each roller rotating faster than the previous one. The paste is passed in a thin layer between the first and second roller by the next pair, through a carefully adjusted opening. When it has done all the rollers, the pasta is paper thin.

 

The process stops here for mass production, but conching now follows for the finest quality.