Condensation or Sweating on Chocolates

10-01-2019 | Author : Deepika Namdev

We tend to wonder while learning & mastering the skills few issues that may really bring you back to think of what mistakes you are making.

I am talking about the Couverture Chocolates that you all must have started making but may be few of you facing issues with the concern subject.

Why do Chocolate Sweats??

Firstly understand its not because you didn't tempered chocolate rightly but happens if you cool/store chocolates in varying temperature zones, giving it exposure to sudden change or shock in the atmospheric condition that is due to the weather of the city, humidity present in the working room, cooling/storing moulds/chocolate in fridge having high levels of moisture inside.

What are the characteristics that are visible?

1. Do you ignore/forget to pipe ganache between the temperature of 20-25° in the shells ?
   If yes then understand that this too affects the shells by not only getting it to melt, but the heat in Ganache gets released on cooling, it results in formation of water droplets on the surface of chocolate after being contracted/unmoulded, this is technically called the "Latent heat". So avoid being in hurry & follow the matrix of temperature.
2. The first moisture migration happens when you keep moulds in fridge for cooling & you keep it for too long. The water activity in the fridge ie the moisture starts forming/making its space in the micro spaces of the mould, resulting in droplets on chocolate or difficulty to unmould.
   For this the desired cooling time is 20-30 minutes for the chocolates to contract, if you don''t happen to remember to take the moulds out in time put a alarm reminder. Secondly if you observe that the fridge has high moisture environment inside, put your mould in a zip lock bag & then keep for cooling & take it out timely for unmoulding.
3. Do you use room thermometer to know the atmospheric conditions of the space where you work?
   If not, do understand that the atmosphere of the room plays a vital role in unmoulding/storing chocolates. The humidity levels in your work area should be around 35° technically but we don't have such levels unless we use air conditioning then in such cases it should be below 45°. A affordable remedy I suggest for this is storing silica gels pouches in a big bowl at all the corners of your room ( make sure to keep the doors & windows closed for any inflow of air) this will absorbs the moisture present in the air & will help to give conducive environment to an extent.

Always remember that unmoulding chocolate should be done at room temperature between 20-23° this way the chocolate won''t get the shock of coming from fridge to a higher temperature zones & getting melted/deformed or losing its shine. Following/keeping in mind the temperature will not only assure perfect chocolate pieces but will also allow chocolate to retain its right crystal structure. If you avoid following this fundamentals chocolate will sweat on the surface after being unmouled.

Affording a air conditioning & a room thermometer can be useful investment which you should think of that will help you to get rid of chaos.

How you store chocolates?

As explained in point 3, do understand that storing chocolate in a condusive environment helps to retain its crystal structure, which is very important for you to keep in mind so that you can supply chocolates without loosing its appearance.

For this follow the remedies given in previous point & always remember, before putting/storing the chocolates in cavities & in fridge, first store chocolates in a temperature of 20-23° ie in your room, properly Cling wrapped (to avoid contact with moisture/dirt/contamination) for four hours to let the chocolate have the right crystal structure for sustaining temperature change when you cater orders.

Thats the best way to get rid of concern. Hope it helps you all while dealing with Chocolate.