Conching

Conching is the mixing of the chocolate mass. During this process all the ingredients of the chocolate - the cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin and any other additives (for example milk powder, vanilla or another flavor) - are well mixed. Conching occurs after grinding the cocoa beans. The chocolate mass is moved in a large tank or container. Often the chocolate is also heated at this point. Due to the movement and the heat, certain volatile substances evaporate that make the chocolate sour and bitter. At the same time, the ingredients are given the opportunity to dissolve even better and to merge into one another. The chocolate also becomes less moist. All this gives the chocolate a fuller taste and a fine, homogeneous, smooth structure.