Chocolate comes in a variety of forms, such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. Making it is a lengthy process that turns cacao seeds into what we know as chocolate. Large ovens heat the seeds and dry them out before chocolate machine removed their shells and crush the remnants into a powder, called cocoa powder. Several machines are used to produce chocolate from cocoa powder.
Mixer
A large mixer incorporates cocoa power with other ingredients to produce different varieties of chocolate. For example, manufacturers combine cocoa powder with chocolate liquor, condensed milk, sugar and cocoa butter to produce a chocolate base. Milk and sugar are added to the base to get milk chocolate.
Refining Machine
Once the ingredients are combined, the chocolate mixture is sent to a refining chocolate machine that rolls the chocolate into thin layers so that the ingredients are well incorporated and all bumps are removed. The process makes the chocolate silky and smooth.
Conching Machine
A conching machine kneads and churns the chocolate in a large barrel. This machine removes air bubbles and further combines the mixture, adding depth and richness to it. Once this process is complete, the mixture is tempered--a process that gives chocolate its shine.
Tempering Machine
A chocolate tempering machine stabilizes the chocolate's cocoa butter molecules with a process that heats and cools the substance so it hardens appropriately and creates a glossy finish. Chocolate that is not properly tempered is dull and fragile, lacking a crisp snap when it's broken. Tempering is a tedious process that requires precise temperature controls. Although you can master the technique without a tempering machine, the machine is set to heat and cool chocolate at the exact temperature to consistently produce quality chocolate. Best of all, manufacturers produce countertop tempering machines ideal for the home cook.