Chocolate Bloom – The Reason Your online Chocolate is White. When your chocolate turns white it’s called chocolate bloom. Chocolate bloom is caused by either the fat or sugar in the chocolate blooming.
Fat Bloom.
Fat bloom is when the cocoa butter separates itself from the cocoa solids. As the cocoa butter works its way to the surface of the chocolate, it turns the chocolate white. Fat bloom occurs when the chocolate has been through a drastic change in temperatures. For example, if while melting your chocolate, you reach temperatures that are too hot for the chocolate, when it cools it could bloom. Or, if you place your chocolate in the freezer or fridge to set, it could possibly experience fat bloom. When these two instances occur it’s usually the result of inadequate tempering.
Fat bloom does effect the color and sometimes texture of the chocolate, turning it soft and crumbly, it is still safe to eat and, in most cases, doesn’t effect the taste. When fat bloom occurs it is perfectly safe to melt down the chocolate again, and re-temper.
Sugar Bloom.
Sugar bloom is the result of water, in the form of dampness or condensation, interacting with the chocolate. Just like the cocoa butter in fat bloom, the sugar separates itself in sugar bloom. This will cause your chocolate to look white and grainy.
When the chocolate is exposed to moisture the sugar ultimately crystallizes on the chocolate. If the bloom is light, the chocolate can be saved by scraping the bloom off. However, if the bloom is severe you may need to use new chocolate.
What does it mean when your chocolate turns white?
That white discoloration that sometimes forms on old chocolate turns the stomachs of chocolate lovers everywhere. For years, researchers have known that the harmless change, known as a fat bloom, is caused by liquid fat such as cocoa butter migrating through the chocolate and crystallizing on the candy’s surface.
Is chocolate bad if it has white on it?
Chocolate with fat bloom may have a soft or crumbly texture, and it will often have tan or grayish-white blotches on its surface. Neither sugar bloom nor fat bloom are harmful to people.
What is the white film on chocolate?
When you see a white or grayish film on the surface of your food, it normally means the product has gone bad, but it’s a different story with chocolate. When the cocoa butter fats in chocolate separate from the cocoa mass and rise to the surface, it results in something called “fat bloom.”
Is it possible to repair chocolate bloom?
Chocolate that has “bloomed” is still safe to eat. In general, Chocolate bloom can be ‘repaired’ by melting the chocolate down, stirring it, then pouring it into a mould and allowing it to cool, bringing the sugar or fat back into the solution.
What is a fat bloom?
Fat bloom is a common occurrence. when working with chocolate products. It is a physical defect that appears during storage of chocolate and is characterized as a whitish layer on the outer surface
Do chocolate expire?
Chocolate does expire – after some time, even if it was stored properly, chocolate will go bad. If it looks fine, smells like chocolate and tastes fine, it’s safe to eat it. If the chocolate is after its “Best by” date and you’ll notice that somethings isn’t quite right, discard it.
Also, read about Phase separation theory and Polymorphic transformation.