A chocolate maker is someone who buys cocoa beans and then performs all the steps to make the finished chocolate. A chocolatier buys and re-melts chocolate that has already been produced to make candies, flavored bars, etc.
Bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturers are those that make chocolate from raw cocoa beans through the process of roasting, cracking and winnowing, refining, and conching. This contrasts with most other large-scale chocolate manufacturers, which make chocolate from semi-finished ingredients such as cocoa mass. Chocolate makers also often distinguish themselves from chocolatiers, which melt store-bought couverture, mold them into various shapes, and make a ganache.
Our preservation advice: For finished products (tablets and coatings)
Reception storage conditions: Keep the boxes tightly closed, in a dry place between 16 and 20°C, and away from light (which causes fatty materials to become rancid).
Products with milk, praline, and nut decorations are particularly sensitive.
We guarantee that our products, preserved according to our instructions, will maintain their organoleptic characteristics (appearance, taste, texture) optimally and will not suffer any changes until the indicated expiry date.
We cannot guarantee the preservation of the organoleptic characteristics of our products after this date.
These products can be stored at 16 °C, just like any other type of bonbon.
However, Franceschi recommends storing them at 4°C: Upon receipt, store the chocolates at 4°C in their original packaging with the protective foil intact.
Before displaying in a display case at 16°C, leave the chocolate box with its protective film at room temperature for about 3 hours.
Simply put, the cocoa percentage is the number of cocoa beans in the chocolate, including both the mass and the added cocoa butter.
% cocoa + % cane sugar = 100% real chocolate*.
*May contain sunflower lecithin
When you see a number like 70% cocoa in a dark chocolate bar, it means that 70% of what is in that bar comes from the cocoa bean as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter. The remaining 30% is mostly sugar.
Lecithin is an emulsifier used in very small amounts in most chocolates to control the flow properties of melted chocolate. Lecithin is the phospholipid fat portion, most commonly from sunflowers or soybeans. Phospholipid chemistry helps facilitate fluid interactions between cocoa butter and non-fat ingredients such as sugar. This helps the chocolate flow more easily in the melted state, making it generally easier to work with. Sunflower lecithin has been used in Franceschi chocolates since 2017. Based on customer requests, some Franceschi chocolates continue to use soy lecithin. Please refer to the Ingredients Declaration for specific product information.
Yes, all of our chocolates are kosher.
No, 100% real chocolate does not need additives or preservatives, so we do not use them.
The shelf life of chocolates is usually limited due to changes in flavor and texture and depends on the storage conditions. The typical shelf life for milk chocolates is 12 to 18 months. Bitter chocolates generally have a shelf life of eighteen to 24 months when stored tightly closed in a cool, dry area (60 to 70°F, no refrigeration) away from other odors.
Chocolate is best stored at cool room temperature (60-70°F), well wrapped to avoid moisture, and away from highly perfumed foods or aromatic products that the chocolate could absorb. Chocolate is a stable product that does not require refrigeration. Ideally, it should not be refrigerated as this will change the appearance of the chocolate. In particular, the condensation that forms when it is removed from the refrigerator causes sugar to bloom on the surface of the chocolate.
The whitish surface appearance is chocolate bloom and is cocoa butter or sugar that has migrated and recrystallized to the surface of the chocolate. Although the bloomed chocolate may have lost its smooth, uniform appearance, and there may be a change in texture and mouthfeel, the chocolate can still be consumed. For more information on chocolate bloom, see "What is fat or sugar bloom in chocolate?"
The most common cause of "blooming" is that the cocoa butter in the chocolate migrates to the surface when the chocolate is exposed to warm temperatures and then cooled, when the chocolate is not well tempered, or when other fats (such as nut oils from a nut-based filling) are present. Oils from a nut-based filling). While not visually appealing, it will disappear when the chocolate is melted and retempered.
White spots on the surface of the chocolate can also occur when moisture gets into the chocolate, from water left in the candy molds, or from condensation that can occur when a double boiler is used to melt chocolate or when chocolate is moved from a cold environment (refrigerator) to a warmer environment. We call this sugar blooming, and the appearance is usually grainier and powderier compared to cocoa butter blooming.
As a quick test to determine the type of blooming, if the white blooming does not melt to the touch, it is sugar blooming. If the white blooming melts to the touch, you are most likely looking at cocoa butter blooming. Chocolate affected by any blooming is still safe to eat and can be used in your kitchen for baking and candy making.
The "classic" praline is made with sugar syrup and almonds, which are caramelized together before being ground to the required fineness; gianduja is made with hazelnuts, sometimes almonds, which are roasted and peeled, then mixed with icing sugar before being ground to a fine paste to which chocolate is added.
