shrinks by about 2% in each dimension as it
solidifies, because the fat molecules in the
stable crystals are more densely packed than
they were in liquid form. This shrinkage is
helpful in making molded chocolates, because
the chocolate pulls away from the mold as it
hardens. But it can cause the thin coating on a
candy or truffle to crack, especially if the
filling is cold and expands slightly when
coated with the warm chocolate. The snappy
hardness of tempered chocolate takes several
days to develop fully as the crystal network
continues to grow and become stronger.
Specialty Coatings
Ordinary chocolate is not well suited for
certain kinds of coatings, including those
on ice cream and other frozen ingredients,
and candies that are eaten in the heat of the
summer or the tropics. For these kinds of
products, manufacturers have developed
replacements for cocoa butter that don’t