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Tip #300: How to Avoid Oil Migration when Coating Nuts

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020

As consumers, we love chocolate-covered nuts because they represent not one, but multiple craveable characteristics. Crunchy – check! Sweet and salty – check! Plus, as a good source of protein and healthy fats, they are often categorized as being a healthier and more satisfying treat!

However, when combining nuts and chocolate in confections oil migration often presents problems. Oil migration between the chocolate and nut or nut paste leads to changes in the quality of the confection, such as visible surface bloom, hardening of the filling and softening of the chocolate.

While oil migration is inevitable when pairing chocolate and nuts together, the following techniques will help avoid or slow oil migration, pulled from education led by Guittard Chocolate Company and the Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board at RCI’s 2018 Fall Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon last fall.
 
 
  • If using roasted hazelnuts, use a two-step roasting process.
  • Select a chocolate with a fine particle size.
  • Ensure the chocolate is well-tempered.
  • When adding hazelnuts or hazelnut paste to tempered chocolate, the temperature of the hazelnuts should be within 1-2˚F of the temperature of the tempered chocolate.
  • A thicker layer of chocolate around a hazelnut or hazelnut filling slows oil migration, bloom formation and textural change.
  • Double enrobing with cooling between layers.
  • Consider the shape and design of the confection to limit thin spots of coating.
  • During storage, limit temperature fluctuations.

With these expert tips for fighting oil migration, you can create truly craveable treats using hazelnuts and other nuts. RCI members: Login at retailconfectioners.org/pasteducation to access this and other education recordings from past RCI events.
 
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Tags:  bloom  Chocolate  Chocolate-Covered Nuts  Nuts  Oil Migration  troubleshooting 

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Tip #273: Don’t Skip This Step When Roasting Nuts

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020

Not only do roasted nuts add satisfying crunch and crave-worthy sweet and salty flavors to chocolate confections, the pungent aroma of freshly roasted nuts, alone, can lure nearby shoppers into your candy store. This week’s brief tip, shared during RCI’s Chocolate Boot Camp®, is a must for candy makers who roast their own nuts.
 
REDUCE THE RISK OF BLOOM
To reduce the risk of fat bloom, due to fat migration, wait at least 48 hours to coat roasted nuts with chocolate. This practice allows the oils to reabsorb into the nuts. Keep in mind, dry roasted and whole nuts will have less free fat than those that are oil roasted.
 
STOP CRACKS IN THEIR TRACKS
Waiting to enrobe roasted nuts will also help lessen the chances of unwanted cracks in these chocolate-covered morsels. Quick and easy tips like these will help ensure your nutty delights look and taste as good as they smell!
 
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Tags:  bloom  Candy Hacks  Chocolate Boot Camp  Chocolate-Covered Nuts  Cracks  Nuts 

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