Chocolate

Cocoa Butter and Compound Mass / Couverture

Colorful chocolate is increasingly popular to deliver variety and fit with flavor types to deliver a beautiful array of indulgent and playful shades. Color can be within the mass itself, feature as painted decoration on surface even within sprayed decoration. Dustings and outer layers can also be colored to complement or contrast with the mass.

Formulation

  • EXBERRY® MN powders are recommended for these applications
  • Starting color dosage range is 0.2% w/w – 0.3% w/w for EXBERRY® MN in chocolate and other fat-containing masses
  • Starting color dosage range is 0.3%-3% w/w for EXBERRY®OD for relevant fat-based applications
  • Consider the base color of the chocolate or mass. Different color hues will be achieved depending on the white to yellow tones of the chocolate. To overcome richer yellow tones, higher color dosages may be required.
  • For dusting, a premix containing the EXBERRY® MN powders is advised. Finely milled “icing” sugar is ideal as a carrier.

Manufacturing process

  • Colors can be added directly to melted chocolate. For MN, sufficient mixing is required to disperse the color throughout the chocolate. OD colors are already pre-dispersed in oil, therefore, color incorporation in the compound mass will be easier.
  • Colors must be stored as recommended at ambient temperature and controlled relative humidity to maintain product quality

Shelf-life

  • Red anthocyanin-containing shades may shift to slightly more purple hues over time in white chocolate and similar masses owing to the presence of milk proteins
  • Overall color stability is very good