The history of chocolate has almost six centuries. For hundreds of years and taste, and appearance chocolate has undergone dramatic changes.
Initially, it was a liquid mass with a bitter taste and an incomparable aroma. A little later, the taste became sweet, and the chocolate became hard. Nowadays, chocolate has become the favorite delicacy of millions of people; it amazes with the variety of its types and forms.
- dairy;
- bitter;
- white;
- diabetic;
- powdery;
- porous.
Today we will talk about aerated chocolate. Aerated chocolate can be milk, black (bitter) or white.
Milk aerated chocolate is made from cocoa beans, milk or dairy products, cocoa butter and sugar. Some varieties of porous milk chocolate have a filling and a variety of additives in the form of puffed rice, nuts and dried fruits.
The history of aerated chocolate
How is porous chocolate made, when did it appear, where did the idea to create such chocolate come from? We do not know the name of the creator, but the first porous chocolate bars appeared almost simultaneously in Czechoslovakia and Great Britain. It happened in October 1935. The English chocolate bar was called "Aero", the Czech - "Vista".
The first domestic porous chocolate appeared in 1967. The factory "Red October" then produced chocolates "Humpbacked Horse" and "Glory".
Aerated chocolate manufacturing technology.
How is aerated chocolate made? Undoubtedly, many of us wondered how these wonderful bubbles get inside the chocolate bar, which burst on the tongue so pleasantly and give extra pleasure to the sweet tooth.
Each manufacturer has its own technological secrets.
Aerated chocolate is made on conventional production lines, since it is made from the same dessert mass as regular chocolate. The only difference is that these lines are additionally equipped with vacuum generators and special units located in the gap between the chocolate collector and the tempering machine.
Inside this unit is a special low-speed turbine, with the help of which the chocolate mass is foamed. The whipping process is accompanied by intense saturation of the chocolate mass with a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
The liquid chocolate saturated with gas then enters the vacuum generator, where it stays for at least four hours at a temperature of 40 degrees. Under the influence of vacuum, air bubbles increase and are evenly dispersed throughout the mass.
The technological parameters of the foaming unit for each manufacturer are unique and kept secret: after all, it is these characteristics that determine the size of the magic bubbles.
The process of casting porous chocolate is absolutely identical to how ordinary chocolates are cast. The only difference is only in the size of the finished bar: with the same mass, a porous chocolate bar will be slightly larger than a simple dessert bar. At the time of casting, the already tempered chocolate mass passes through a vibrating conveyor, which helps it to be evenly distributed over the mold.
Is it possible to melt aerated chocolate?
Sometimes to decorate homemade cakes, housewives need melted chocolate, so they often have a question: “how to melt porous chocolate”? Information posted on the Internet about this is extremely contradictory.
Some sources categorically state: "porous chocolate cannot be melted." In other sources, it is reported that the mass obtained as a result of melting porous chocolate is no worse than that obtained from ordinary chocolate.
Most likely, the reason for unsuccessful attempts to melt porous chocolate (in some cases it curls up, forming a lumpy mass) is its poor quality. Therefore, if you want to get a good chocolate coating, take chocolate with a high content of cocoa butter (without the addition of vegetable fats) and from a good manufacturer.
It is best to melt aerated chocolate in microwave oven. To do this, break the chocolate bar into pieces, put it in a dry glass mold and set the microwave to defrost mode. Two minutes is enough to melt aerated chocolate.
If you don't have a microwave, you can use the "water bath". Pour a little water into the bottom of the saucepan, heat to 80 degrees, reduce the heat and place a dry bowl with chocolate pieces on the edges of the saucepan. It is very important that hot water under the bowl did not come into contact with it and did not fall into chocolate mass. Cover with a lid (so that condensation does not form) is not necessary. Stir the chocolate constantly and do not allow the water to boil in the pan (so as not to overheat the chocolate). The stirring spoon should initially be dry (even a drop of water that has fallen into the molten mass can cause the icing to quickly harden or lose plasticity).
When the last piece is melted, remove the bowl from the pan. The temperature of the melted chocolate mass is not more than 50 degrees. Remember that you should not melt more than 200 g of chocolate at a time: you can make another portion a little later.
Is it possible to make aerated chocolate at home?
Is it possible to make aerated chocolate at home? Unfortunately, this is not yet possible. The process of making aerated chocolate is too complicated, it requires the use of high-tech equipment.
Therefore, the only thing that can be done with it at home is to melt it and use it for cooking. chocolate icing, although experienced chefs advise taking an ordinary dessert or White chocolate.
The best use of aerated chocolate is to print out a colorful package and simply enjoy this wonderful delicacy filled with air bubbles: after all, aerated chocolate was once invented for this purpose.
The huge variety of existing types of chocolate can cause confusion for anyone: is chocolate healthy, which one is more popular for men and which one for women, what does this or that taste go with, what is it made from? In this review, we will talk about the production technology of such an intriguing sweetness with air bubbles bursting on the tongue, like aerated chocolate.
The history of aerated chocolate
Porous chocolate has long and reliably settled on the shelves of domestic stores. In total, the history of its production has less than a century. At the end of 1935, almost simultaneously in two countries - Great Britain and Czechoslovakia, the first tiles of this original delicacy were created.
In Russia, porous chocolate began to be produced in 1967 at the Krasny Oktyabr factory. The first domestic porous chocolates were called Slava and Humpbacked Horse.
What should be aerated chocolate?
Like any other food product, porous chocolate is subject to special quality standards. Depending on the type, the color of aerated chocolate is strictly regulated:
- white porous may have creamy shades and should be darker than a regular white chocolate bar;
- color of milk aerated chocolate - light brown;
- dark aerated chocolate should be dark brown.
On the surface of a porous chocolate bar, stains and plaque are unacceptable, it must be smooth and shiny. If the chocolate contains nuts, then its surface may be slightly dull.
Aerated chocolate is produced using several technologies, the most common below.
We note right away that it is impossible to make porous chocolate at home without special equipment. In chocolate factories, such a delicacy is made using high-tech equipment - a special turbine. Excessive pressure is created in it, the chocolate mass is foamed and saturated with nitrogen, carbon dioxide, the release of which subsequently creates voids.
Depending on the technological parameters of the equipment, the size and uniformity of bubbles in chocolate varies significantly.
There is another technology for the production of porous chocolate, it differs slightly from the first one: the chocolate mass is poured into molds, placed in a vacuum boiler, where for several hours at a temperature above 40 degrees in an airless space, air bubbles in chocolate expand and form emptiness.
It is recommended to eat porous chocolate not cold, its taste properties and aromas are fully revealed at about 22 degrees. Due to its characteristics, this sweet is practically not used in cooking, it is difficult to melt it at home, and there is no need to.
Enjoy the taste of porous chocolate by breaking off a piece and putting it on your tongue, wait until it starts to melt, and do not chew, only in this way you can appreciate it.
Porous chocolate was invented relatively recently, but almost immediately it was able to win the hearts of many sweet teeth. The lightness and airiness that the delicacy carries in itself caress our receptors and delight with a unique taste. How and where the dessert appeared, no one knows for sure. But there is an assumption that this happened in 1935. Moreover, chocolate with bubbles could be found in two countries at once - Czechoslovakia and England. But the domestic confectionery factory began to produce a “new product” only in 1967 under the name “Humpbacked Horse” and “Glory”.
What is special about aerated chocolate?
The porous delicacy has many small bubbles inside, which makes the tile have a lighter structure. The difference from regular chocolate is that:- melts much faster
- breaks more easily
- softer in taste.
Oddly enough, aerated chocolate is not advised to be used for making glaze. It is very difficult to melt it correctly, and sometimes even experienced confectioners cannot do it. Therefore, for chocolate icing, it is better to choose a tile with a high percentage of cocoa butter.
Manufacturing technology
Not only children, but also adults, when they first tried porous chocolate, probably thought about how these wonderful bubbles are inside. It is worth noting that each manufacturer has its own little secrets associated with production.Essentially, the manufacturing process is identical in both types of chocolate. They are made from the same dessert mass and on the same equipment. But to create bubbles, a vacuum generator is additionally installed. During production, foaming of the chocolate mass occurs inside the unit, as well as its filling with nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
Next, the workpiece is sent to a vacuum generator, where it is left for about 4 hours at a temperature of forty degrees. Here, the porosity of the chocolate increases, and there is also an even distribution of bubbles. Each manufacturer himself sets the technological parameters, on which the external and internal appearance of the delicacy directly depends. Aerated chocolate is cast, just like regular chocolate, but with the same weight, the sweetness with bubbles will be slightly larger.
Russian aerated chocolate is recognized as the best among chocolate products representing our country in the world market. Our manufacturers have perfected the technology and brought it to the highest level. Picking up on the idea of making an early 20th century puffy treat in England, Soviet confectioneries launched mass-produced aerated chocolate in 1967. original taste bubbles, melting in the mouth, became known to the whole world.
Production technology
The production of aerated chocolate can be carried out in several ways. The most common are the two technologies for mass production.
- First way consists in the use of a special unit. A special turbine is installed between the compartment for the chocolate mass and the machine to maintain the desired temperature, which foams the raw material and saturates it with carbon dioxide and nitrogen. As a result of this, the volume increases and a lush mass is formed, which then solidifies.
- Second way radically different from the first. Already prepared chocolate mass is placed for some time in a vacuum environment. The air in the raw material rises and increases the volume. A special temperature regime captures this state, and chocolate is obtained with frozen bubbles inside.
Composition and calories
Aerated chocolate consists of cocoa powder, vegetable substitutes for cocoa butter, sugar. The dairy or white variety has dairy products in the form of powdered milk or cream. The cocoa butter present in ordinary chocolate is not provided for in production. In addition, its cost is quite high. It is this difference that makes it possible to sell products at an affordable price, designed for the mass consumer.
The energy value of porous chocolate is quite high. The approximate calorie content of 100 grams of the product is 525 kcal, of which 25 kcal are proteins and 250 kcal each are fats and carbohydrates. That is why it is necessary to carefully monitor the daily rate so as not to be at risk for weight gain and other diseases.
Benefit for health
There are three types of aerated chocolate: black, milk and white. The first two varieties contain cocoa powder. It is he who is useful product which is rich in vitamins, trace elements and amino acids. As a result of their entry into the body, complex reactions occur, which ultimately have a healing effect on the body.
The main advantage of cocoa beans is that their use contributes to the production of the hormone of happiness - serotonin. As a result, vitality increases, depression disappears, and a stressful situation is much easier to endure.
Porous chocolate improves blood circulation, prevents the occurrence of cancer, heart attacks and strokes. It has an analgesic effect, normalizes metabolism and improves memory.
An interesting fact is that it is chocolate that is included in the mandatory diet of pilots, sailors, representatives of military professions that involve risk. This speaks of the extraordinary value and excellent properties of the product to help the body in critical situations.
Since the product is high in calories, it should not be consumed by people who are overweight or have a tendency to gain weight. It is not recommended to eat chocolate for patients with excess cholesterol in the blood, as well as for hypertensive patients and allergy sufferers. Replacing cocoa butter with emulsifiers can also be detrimental to health.
The daily maximum allowance for a healthy person is 25 grams. The use of such an amount will only benefit. Exceeding the norm threatens with unpleasant consequences, so the advice of experts should not be ignored.
The pleasure of melting air bubbles in the mouth helps to uplift mood and promote health. Therefore, it is worth pampering yourself and your loved ones with such a chocolate bar.
Given the huge range of chocolates, it is difficult to find your favorite and most delicious. Among the rich assortment, aerated chocolate is of particular interest, as this dessert intrigues with tender and melting bubbles in the mouth, which actively and very funny burst on the tongue. Many women prefer a porous dessert, especially white and milky.
Production features
Many people wonder how porous chocolate is made? Why is it so tender and melt in your mouth? There are several ways to produce this dessert.
To make aerated chocolate, an appropriate low-speed turbine is used, which is located between the temperature machine and the mass of chocolate. As a result, it creates high blood pressure with gas inside, which helps to foam the mass. Thanks to this trick, the mixture is actively saturated with carbon dioxide and nitrogen, their release forms voids in the tiles. They are called pores. Due to the fact that the nodes for foaming have a special structure and arrangement, there is a uniform distribution of bubbles throughout the chocolate bar.
There is another popular method for the production of porous chocolates. For this purpose, characteristic molds are used, which are installed in vacuum boilers, then left at a temperature of 45 degrees for 3 hours. Exposure to a certain temperature, vacuum, allows you to expand the air bubbles in the chocolate, so there are pores, voids.
It is important that the porous dessert meets the established quality standards. According to the rules, a treat should be:
- saturated;
- tasty and fragrant;
- there should be a homogeneous mass, as well as a pronounced structure.
Strict regulations correspond not only to the type and quality of chocolate, but also to its color. As for white, a beautiful creamy shade must prevail in it, light brown is inherent in milk, and dark brown in black. On the surface, the presence of white plaque, various spots is not allowed. If nuts are added, the surface may dull slightly.
As for the recipe and technology for the preparation of porous chocolates, the use of fats and cocoa butter is prohibited.
Useful and harmful properties
In addition to the fact that porous white chocolate is unusually tasty, it is also very healthy. White chocolate with bubbles is very popular. This product is very high in calories, as it contains a lot of sugar. The calorie content of a chocolate bar is 536 kilocalories.
This kind of white dessert has a favorable effect on work. nervous system human, contributes to the production of a special hormone of joy, namely, serotonin. With its help, a person can more easily cope with many diseases, pain and stress. Serotonin introduces a person into a light and relaxed euphoria, so it is easier to deal with tension. Despite the benefits, among the harmful properties, one can note those that the abuse of a white porous delicacy provokes fatigue and irritability.
As part of the dessert there is a special substance called choline. In turn, he takes part in the synthesis of insulin, it is necessary to strengthen the memory and nervous system of a person. When there is a deficiency of choline in the body, it is not possible to produce methionine, an important amino acid. With the help of a small amount of white chocolate with bubbles, you can improve your mood and improve your health.
If the product is natural, then it contains valuable vitamin E, which is extremely beneficial for the reproductive system. In addition, vitamin E ensures the stable functioning of the brain and endocrine system, tones and invigorates.
It is important not to abuse this delicacy, as this threatens with obesity, exacerbation of chronic ailments and malfunctions in carbohydrate metabolism. It is forbidden to eat a treat with increased acidity of the stomach, with allergies and diabetes. Eliminate white chocolate from your own diet if you have a predisposition to be overweight.
Thus, the porous dessert is made using a special technology, so it turns out to be unusually tender, light and airy. As for the white delicacy, it has not only useful, but also harmful properties, so know the measure and do not abuse.
