There are still lots of people who don't know what compound chocolate is . In fact, this compound chocolate is one of the most widely used food ingredients for cooking purposes, making bakery products , and pastry .
If you are one of those people who don't know what compound chocolate is , then please find the answer in this article. You will understand more deeply about compound chocolate .
What Is Compound Chocolate?
Compound chocolate is one of the most frequently used types of 'chocolate' in the food industry. This is because compound chocolate has a lower price than other chocolates. Apart from that, compound chocolate can also be used for various purposes, ranging from as a raw material for making food to decoration.
Compound chocolate itself is made with the aim of being an alternative to real chocolate such as couverture chocolate , which is relatively more expensive. So, you can say that this compound chocolate is not real chocolate, but only imitation chocolate that is made so that people from all walks of life can buy chocolate.
However, compound chocolate also comes with varying percentages of cocoa in it and is divided into three types (black, milk, and white) , just like couverture chocolate . However, white compound chocolate isn't chocolate because it doesn't contain any cocoa at all.
Chocolate Compound Content
Just like couverture chocolate , the main ingredient for making compound chocolate is cocoa beans. However, the difference between the two is the cocoa butter content present in them. Unlike real chocolate which contains cocoa butter , compound chocolate does not contain cocoa butter and uses vegetable fats, such as coconut, soy, or palm oil, as a substitute.
Compound chocolate is not too complicated to produce because it does not require the heating and tempering processes involved in making couverture chocolate to give it a glossy finish. While it can be enhanced with flavour, compound chocolate will never achieve the same texture, taste and aroma as couverture chocolate .
4 Differences between Compound and Couverture Chocolate
There are several differences between compound and couverture chocolate apart from the ingredients and the price. The following are some differences between compound and couverture chocolate that you need to know.
1.“Snaps”
When breaking a couverture chocolate bar, you will hear a clear "snap" sound because the texture of this couverture chocolate can be said to be quite "crispy" and shiny. On the other hand, compound chocolate won't have that "snap" because it's more "pliable" and stickier in texture.
2. Tempering
Tempering is the process of heating and cooling chocolate so that the chocolate has the right texture and consistency to be molded into various needs. When you want to use couverture chocolate , you have to do some tempering first. On the other hand, compound chocolate can be used directly without going through the tempering process first.
3. Taste in the Mouth
When you put couverture chocolate into your mouth, the couverture chocolate will melt in your mouth because it contains cocoa butter . In addition, couverture chocolate will also leave a chocolate aftertaste that is softer, stronger, and lasts longer.
Conversely, when put into the mouth, compound chocolate will leave a greasy taste in the mouth because it contains vegetable fat, not cocoa butter . The aftertaste of compound chocolate is also not as strong as couverture chocolate , you will only feel a slight taste of chocolate and it will disappear after a while.
4. Usability
In terms of usability, because of its richer taste and softer and more glossy texture, couverture chocolate is often used by professionals to be used as an ingredient for dipping , coating, and so on. Apart from that, couverture chocolate is also commonly used in high-quality chocolate cakes or treats.
On the other hand, you will find compound chocolate more often used in counterfeit chocolate or in lower quality chocolate products. Even so, compound chocolate is also often used as a material for making decorations, especially complex decorations.
4 Advantages of Compound Chocolate
Although it is a cheaper and lower quality alternative to couverture chocolate , compound chocolate still has a number of advantages. The following are some of the advantages of compound chocolate that you need to know.
1. Easier to Use
As explained above, compound chocolate can be directly used for various purposes. So, you don't have to bother going through the tempering process first when you want to use it. You only need to melt it and use the chocolate compound for various purposes.
Thanks to its ease of use, compound chocolate is perfect for beginners who want to try different recipes and decorations. Just make sure you use good quality compound chocolate so that the end result is still good and doesn't look cheap.
2. Not Easy to Melt
Couverture chocolate is very fragile and sensitive to many things, especially temperature. On the other hand, this compound chocolate does not melt easily and can withstand higher temperatures. Compound chocolate has a relatively high melting point, which is 40 ° C. So, you can store compound chocolate at room temperature without melting.
Compound chocolate will also be more suitable for decoration, especially complex decorations, because it can last longer at room temperature. You don't need to immediately put it in the cooler like decorations made from couverture chocolate ..
3. More Flexible When Processed
You can process compound chocolate at room temperature only. So, you don't need to be in a room that has coolers or a special room to process it, unlike couverture chocolate which must be processed in a cold room. Just make sure the room where you process the compound chocolate has a stable temperature and is not exposed to direct sunlight.
4. More Affordable Prices
As explained above, the price of compound chocolate is relatively more affordable than couverture chocolate . This is because compound chocolate does not use brown fat but vegetable oil. Because the price is relatively more affordable, compound chocolate is very suitable for use in conducting experiments when cooking, especially baking .
Do you now understand what compound chocolate is ? If you need compound chocolate for your culinary business, please visit KioskCokelat right now to see the range of products we offer. There are many types of chocolate available, ranging from Compound , Couverture , and many more.