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Paul Soncodi
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Hi there,
I need some help please. If somebody can tell me where to find some info about the chemical reactions that happen when you mix water with chocolate. I am interested in the chemical aspect of this issue.
Any help would be much appreciated…
Are you interested in all the nitty gritty details of cacao and chocolate - genetics, geopolitics, agronomy, taxonomy, and the like? Then this is the group to join to take a deep dive into chocolate.
Profile Information
- Dark, Milk, White?
- Milk
- Most memorable chocolate experience:
- When I made my first batch of chocolate.
- My favorite chocolate is:
- Not a big fan but I like caramel chocolate
Comment Wall (3 comments)
- At 3:56pm on May 3, 2009,
Alison Holland said…
- Thanks for that info Paul. I have quite a few kilos to use up but will try both of those contacts as a cheaper source. I did get an email from Taza in Australia the other day stating that they are up and running again but again shipping costs more than the beans.
- At 8:24am on April 20, 2009,
Robert Shea said…
- Cocoa Butter = hydrophob
Water = oleophobe
Cocoa Powder = oleophobe
Sugar = hydophile
Water attracts the sugar and cocoa solids while repelling the cocoa butter. The cocoa powder and sugar clump in the water, which is surrounded by cocoa butter. Additionally the high specific heat of the water may cause unstable crystalization in the cocoa butter (but sucking away thermal energy), worsening the appearence of the chocolate.
As more water is added it can be evenly distributed through the chocolate so that instead of a few clumps in the middle of the road as it were, you have countless tiny clumps smoothly flowing.
Lecithin (= surfactant/amphiphilic) and other emulsifiers work by reducing the surface tension, thereby lessening the hydophobic/oleophobic properties, of fats and water. This helps stabalize (and reduces viscocity), but far higher concentarions than typically found in chocolate would be required to mitigate this clumping.
If you need something more in-depth, ask your question more clearly. What exactly are you looking for?
- At 6:24am on April 20, 2009,
Robert Shea said…
- At low levels of moisture, the solids become wet and clump, as more moisture is added a water-in-fat emulsion can be formed... beyond that, it all depends on the quantity and nature of any emulsifiers.
In theory, even a drop of water in a large amount of chocolate could be emulsified in, it's just not very practical in most situations.
I would think by the language of your question, that a more in-depth answer would be of little use to you, but if you need it, feel free to ask.
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