Ferré & Consulting Blog (English Version)

The starting point for a unique selling proposition is chocolate pieces in new shapes, colours and flavours. One example of this is bake stable chocolate batons, that are used chiefly for chocolate croissants.

Herza supplies these batons in bake stable white and caramel flavoured chocolate as well as whole milk and dark chocolate. All the batons are between one and two centimetres wide and 8 to 40 centimetres long, depending on the customer’s requirements. “The size can be adjusted to the customer’s specifications, which means that the batons can be used quickly and simply on the existing plant. Such individual sizing is a unique service that only we offer in this form”, Marc van Essen, key account manager at Herza explains. “We are constantly creating new flavours, too. For example, the white batons can be made even more interesting with aromatic components like vanilla or coffee.”

Source: Confectionery Production

Bakery, Chocolate, Pastry baked goods, chocolate batons

A new theme park made entirely of chocolate has just opened in China’s Shanghai.

Shanghai’s World Chocolate Wonderland welcomed visitors through its doors on Friday (December 16), into a theme park of lifelike chocolate exhibits.

According to Reuters, everything on display was made from chocolate, including a replica of ancient China’s famous Terracotta Warriors and the traditional Chinese symbol of the dragon.

Organisers say that the choice of delectable items on display was made based on an effort to unite the East and the West.

Tina Zheng, manager of the Beijing Artsource Group that is behind the mouth-watering project, said that the exhibit is the result of a ‘clever combination’ of both cultures.

‘The truth is, Western and Eastern cultures together can make a clever combination. So here at the exhibition, you can see that we have used Western chocolate, which has more than 3000 years of history. But Chinese culture has a history dating back over 5000 years. So blending both Western and Eastern cultures to make a clever and creative combination has brought about a creative spark.’

The exhibition has attracted visitors of all ages, young and old. 19-year old Chen Aobo (pronounced Chen Ow Boh) said that he was impressed by how lifelike the chocolate articles were.

‘I feel that it’s quite cosy here, plus most of the exhibition was extremely lifelike, and the dragon and terracotta warriors were so vivid and so well-made, so I think it’s all pretty good.’

Also on display were chocolate models of Chinese porcelain vases.

As much as adults may enjoy the novelty of being surrounded by chocolate objects, it is much more of a dream come true for sweet-toothed children.

‘I want to play here for a long, long time. I want to buy a huge box of chocolate here. If they have cakes I want to buy a huge cake too,’ a five-year old said.

A chocolate fashion show, in which models strut down the catwalk in fancy chocolate outfits, was hosted earlier on Thursday (December 15) ahead of the grand opening.

Entrance fee starts at 100 yuan ($16 US Dollars). The wonderland will remain open until February 19, 2012.

Chocolate, Events China, Chocolate, World Chocolate Wonderland

Malaysian cocoa plantation owner KLK Selbourne Estate won this year’s Cocoa Industry Award for the best plantation in Malaysia after partnering up with Barry Callebaut for a joint agronomy research program.

The award, handed out by the Malaysian Cocoa Board, evaluated plantations on physical quality of the estate, agronomic practices, management, technology usage and welfare.

At the awarded plantation, Barry Callebaut contributed the research and development facility (a laboratory for fermentation research and a laboratory for agronomy research), the cocoa fermentation unit, as well as the sun and artificial drying unit.

Barry Callebaut initiated the research program with KLK Selborne Estate in collaboration with Switzerland’s Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, the Bolivian consultancy ECOTOP, and the University of Gent in Belgium. The research program focuses on developing new agronomy techniques aimed at increasing plantation yields and enhancing cocoa bean quality while managing cocoa plantations in a sustainable manner in order to ensure their future productivity.

The results of this multi-year trial will subsequently be used to help develop new strategies for increasing cocoa production.

Source: Bakers Journal

Chocolate award, Barry Callebaut, KLK Selbourne Estate

Recently, consumers are more and more consciously looking for products free from certain ingredients such as additives, preservatives or refined sugars. They are constantly balancing their desire for something natural and healthy with something tasty. Barry Callebaut now offers an alternative: Sweet by Fruits. This chocolate is sweetened by all natural fruit sugars, derived entirely from fruits. It functions as an alternative sweetening solution, thus replacing the refined sugar in chocolate.

“We are very excited to launch Sweet by Fruits, the first chocolate on the market with only sugars 100% derived from fruits”, stresses Hans Vriens, chief innovation officer at Barry Callebaut. “This chocolate does not contain any added refined sugar and no added artificial sweeteners. It is made from selected cocoa and sweetened by sugars from fruits such as apples and grapes without compromising in the exquisite taste of our high-quality chocolate.”

Sweet by Fruits is the first chocolate that combines the entire and complex sugar profile of selected fruit and thus forms an answer to the increasing demands for chocolate with ingredients from natural sources, and also excludes potential side effects of some other alternative sweetening solutions. Fruits contain by nature different sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, polyols and complex sugars. Whereas for existing fructose chocolate the fructose is being isolated, and purified, Sweet by Fruits uses the entire sugar profile of the selected fruits.

Source: Confectionery Production

Chocolate Barry Callebaut, Chocolate, Sweet by Fruits

Barry Callebaut continues to focus on convenience and premiumness with the launch of new confectionery decorations, fillings and inclusions.

Barry Callebaut is proud to present Désir, the ultimate chocolate filling with the smoothest bite and the most delightful taste, comparable to an artisanal made ganache. The Désir filling range will help you to create superior chocolate applications, eventually with a personal touch, as they are the ideal interior for high quality moulded products.

Barry Callebaut’s mini decorations nibs, vermicelli, CrisPearls, splitters and blossoms, are small in size but big in style and beauty. Innovative inclusions close the range.

The mini vermicelli decorations have an incomparable taste thanks to the use of quality ingredients and are ideal to decorate pralines, cakes and plated desserts.

For a festive and sophisticated chocolate touch, Barry Callebaut has created mini Blossoms. The irregular and handcrafted character of this decoration allows you to create special effects and highlights.

Mini CrisPearls are made from the finest dark, milk and white chocolate around a crispy toasted biscuit kernel for an overwhelming taste sensation. They can be included in confectionery, ice cream, desserts and pastries for a tasty, crispy bite, or as a seductive, shiny decoration.

Mini splitters are shiny flat shaped chocolate bits, and provide an impressive look and taste eg to create a stracciatella effect in ice cream or to decorate truffles, pralines, cakes, desserts, cakes and roles.

Mini nibs are probably the most typical decorations for Barry Callebaut. They are roasted kernels of the cocoa bean with a refined and intense taste, a mild and pleasant roasted bitterness and fruity notes. They offer a pleasant, mild crunch and enhance the artisanal and authentic character of your products.

Barry Callebaut offers new possibilities when it comes to personalised inclusions eg your logo embossed three dimensional in a real chocolate inclusion.

Barry Callebaut also offers an extensive range of nut products ranging from whole roasted hazelnuts and almonds to fine, pure nut pastes, gianduja’s, praliné’s and so much more. All products are produced in an authentic way. Our hazelnuts and almonds are sourced from the best nut cultivating regions in the world.

Source: Confectionery Production

Chocolate, Ingredients Barry Callebaut, Désir, premium ingredients

Nestle is launching a new brand of luxury chocolates selected to match individual preferences that consumers will order online.

“What we are offering is the perfect personalised chocolate,” says Cedric Lacroix, director of Nestle’s Chocolate Centre of Excellence in Broc, Switzerland.

Nestle, the world’s biggest food group and global leader in dark chocolate, opened the research centre in Broc in 2009 and has said the economic woes of recent years have not hurt demand for premium chocolate much, calling it an “affordable treat” in difficult times.

The Swiss group presented its new chocolates at its 9-month press conference in Paris, asking journalists to taste different flavours and handing them little slips of paper to help them remember their chocolate identity.

Nestle said consumers will first order a box of five “tasting” chocolates with hints of milk, caramel, nut, fruit, flowers and vanilla to determine their preferences which they rate online following a set of instructions.

“Chocolate has certain attributes that people distinguish in different ways. It is like tasting wine,” Lacroix said.

The Nestle Maison Cailler brand will then use the results to make a selection that suits an individual’s taste from a set of 12 different chocolates that are sent directly to the consumer from the factory in Broc.

“We will be able to fine tune the Maison Cailler offering according to consumer feedback,” Lacroix said.

The recipients can then share their favoured “chocolate personality” with friends through their Facebook profile.

Maison Cailler, which will launch at the beginning of 2012 in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, also plans to set up “profiling stations” for its chocolates at a number of locations around the country, such as five star hotels.

Source: Reuters

Chocolate luxury chocolates, Nestle

Frank Haasnoot

Yesterday was held the final of the World Chocolate Masters 2011 in the third edition of the Salon du Chocolat, among the 19 participants finally won the Dutch chocolate master .

Spain was represented by master chocolatier Francisco José Somoza, a jury of Spain was Christián Escribà. The youngest winner Frank Haasnoot created a magnificent figure called “Warrior” in second place was the japanese Yoshiaki Uezaki and third the danish  Palle Sorenseny.

Participants made ??their creations for three days, had to create an artistic piece of chocolate, cake, a dessert plate and an assortment of chocolates.

Winning chocolate figure : "The warrior of darkness is in search for cocoa in the mysteries of the jungle."

Chocolate, Events Salon du Chocolat, World Chocolate Masters

Investment by Cargill’s cocoa & chocolate business has boosted Cargill’s chocolate capabilities in speciality tastes.

Three new chocolate tastes are the first fruits of this investment: chocolate with mocha (coffee) paste, chocolate with hazelnut paste, and an authentic Gianduja (hazelnut) chocolate, and are produced using two new processes developed by Cargill.

“At Cargill we work in partnership with our customers to create tailor-made recipes, which address customers’ unique requirements relating to the taste, texture, mouthfeel, and rheological properties of chocolate, and we will take the same approach with these new chocolate tastes”, explains Rens de Haan, marketing and communications director, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate.

“Our philosophy is that no two customers are the same – we have as many recipes as we have customers, and pride ourselves in creating individual tastes and products, which our new investment will further enhance”, adds de Haan.

Coffee flavouring in confectionery is a growth area, and in the past three years the number of new confectionery product launches with coffee flavouring has increased dramatically from 378 in 2008 to 834 in 2010.

Traditionally, it has been difficult for manufacturers to create chocolate with strong flavours such as coffee, but Cargill has developed two new processes that allow such flavours to be incorporated into chocolate in a homogenous and consistent way. They also resolve the issue of line and product contamination with strong flavours, ensuring a consistent taste experience.

Cargill’s new mocha paste is flavoured with superior coffee beans and can be used mainly in dark, but also milk chocolate, for applications such as filled bars, pralines, ice cream, and bakery products, including biscuits.

“Our chocolate with hazelnut paste is available from 0.5% to a maximum of 40% hazelnut content”, explains De Haan. “At 0.5% hazelnut content, the chocolate has a greater creaminess and an enhanced mouthfeel, from 1-2% a subtle and natural signature nut profile emerges, and at 15-20% an authentic Giandjula chocolate is produced.”

Giandjula chocolate paste has a legal definition for minimum hazelnut content – 20% for dark and 15% for milk chocolate. It was invented in 1852 and takes its name from an Italian carnival and marionette character which traditionally represents those native to the Italian region of Piedmont.

“This is a luxurious product with a great history and legacy and is widely used in chocolate confectionery applications”, De Haan clarifies. “It is understandably popular in Italy, but is also widely used in the UK, US and Germany.

“Our expanded chocolate capabilities complement our single origin, organic and UTZ Certified sustainable chocolate, which we offer our customers through our eight factories across Europe. Additionally our formulation capabilities and taste expertise helps create products for our customers that their consumers will love”, concludes De Haan.

Source: Confectionery Production

Chocolate Cargill, chocolate tastes

Lecithin is indispensable in the making of chocolate. A natural emulsifier, with just short conching it gives a homogeneous, low viscosity chocolate mass that is relatively easy to work and melts gently. Lecithin reduces fat blooming, increasing the product’s shelf life. It also offers cost benefits, since with lecithin up to eight percent less cocoa butter is needed. Sternchemie, an international supplier of lecithins, has now once again shown in trials that sunflower lecithin is a viable alternative to IP soy lecithin for chocolate manufacture.

Sunflower lecithin is similar to soy lecithin in terms of phospholipid composition. To find out if sunflower lecithin has the same functional properties as soy lecithin in chocolate manufacture, Sternchemie ran practical tests in cooperation with sister company Herza Schokolade. According to Janine Binder, applications technician at Sternchemie, “First we made samples of dark chocolate, with and without added cocoa butter, and milk chocolate. The cocoa butter content was 27% and 34% with the dark chocolate, and 29% with the milk chocolate. We processed some of the samples with our Yellothin 100 IP soy lecithin, and the rest with our LeciStar S 100 sunflower lecithin. We then tested the samples for viscosity, flow moisture point and taste.”

Production testing at Herza Schokolade showed that in milk chocolate the standardised sunflower lecithin LeciStar S 100 gives properties that are essentially identical to soy lecithin. In dark chocolate, the flow moisture point was slightly higher. However, adding about 0.1% more sunflower lecithin gives the same flow moisture point as with soy lecithin. To test the flavour profile, the chocolate samples were blind-tested. With both milk chocolate and the pure dark chocolate, there was no significant difference in taste between sunflower and soy lecithin. “In summary, you can say that you need to use a little more sunflower lecithin in chocolate to get the same flow moisture point as with soy lecithin. In terms of taste, there are no significant differences,” says Binder.

Soy lecithin has a host of uses as an emulsifier and homogeniser. However, the rapid rise in cross contamination between GMO and non-GMO soy is a problem. This creates fertile ground for speculation even before the harvest, which has a significant effect on market prices. For the food industry, this is very disadvantageous. As a result, demand is rising for sunflower lecithin as an alternative. “We are seeing a trend where big supermarket and discount chains are increasingly demanding alternatives to soy lecithin,” explains Michael Heidland, in charge of lecithins at Sternchemie. “One reason is that there is currently no risk of genetic modification with sunflowers or products made from them. Another reason is that sunflower products are hypoallergenic.” Unlike soybeans, each sunflower seed has a shell that must be removed in a separate processing step. Raw sunflower lecithin also contains more by-products that influence the quality, which varies greatly depending on production methods. This makes it necessary to process the lecithin before use. Sternchemie removes by-products from the sunflower lecithin it receives from oil mills by a special cleaning process at its own facilities in Poland and Holland. “With our process technology, we attain such a high product quality that we can use the sunflower lecithin in our oil separators to derive a pure lecithin,” says CEO Andreas Reith.

Source: Confectionery Production

Chocolate, Ingredients Chocolate, lecithin, soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin

It used be a relationship akin to oil and water. But avant-garde chocolatiers across the UK are pushing a new generation of gourmet chocolates that uses water in place of cream – a technique that derails the myth that chocolate and water don’t mix.

It’s a concept being experimented with by the new guard of chocolatiers – pastry chefs like Damian Allsop, whose water ganaches are served at Michelin restaurants across the UK.

While it took the British chef four years to perfect the recipe, Allsop shared some of his secrets at the Specialty and Fine Food Fair  in London, where some of the UK’s leading chocolatiers showcased the newest techniques and flavor pairings coming out of their boutiques.

Pastry chefs and home cooks have long been taught that chocolate and water are culinary foes as just a drop can cause chocolate to seize and become grainy.

For Allsop, using water instead of cream and eggs to create bonbons has transformed the chocolate experience.

But after experimenting with new techniques and perfecting the formula, Allsop created a line of water ganaches which he says unlocks the true flavor of chocolate, unlike cream and eggs which simply mask them.

“It has a clean taste,” Allsop said in an interview with Relaxnews. “It’s fresh, light and dances across the tongue. There’s also a cleaner mouthfeel. It’s more respectful to the chocolate…it’s far superior in flavor.”

Perhaps one of the earliest adopters was celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, who shared the technique on a TV show called Discovery Science. The chocolate mousse recipe calls for just two ingredients – water and chocolate – and requires the use of a bowl of ice and a lot of elbow grease whisking.

Taking away cream and egg yolks also reduces the fat content in Allsop’s bonbons by about 10 percent – a side effect, but not a goal.

Water-based chocolate shells also allow the fillings – be it a liqueur or fruit – to ‘sing,’ he added.

Allsop’s signature water ganaches are sold at specialty fine foods boutiques like Liberty London and Tavola in Notting Hill.

Michelin-starred restaurants in London like Hibiscus and Gordon Ramsay’s Maze and Murano also serve Allsop’s chocolates.

Source: The Independent

Chocolate flavors, gourmet chocolates, water-based chocolates