We’ve all experienced opening a chocolate excitedly, only to find it coated in an unpleasant white film. That white coating is called chocolate bloom. In this article, food scientist Elily Temam explains how to fix chocolate that has turned white, how to prevent it and what causes blooming in the first place.
While you might be familiar with the basic knowledge of chocolate making, it is also essential to understand the techniques and the procedures you need to follow in order to fix any mistakes that may arise. If your home-made chocolate is showing signs of chocolate bloom, don’t be discouraged; it takes a bit of practice to get the hang of making chocolates. Fortunately, when chocolate turns white, it is not necessarily a sign that you have made your chocolate incorrectly, but rather a sign of improper storage.
You might have heard about chocolate bloom but, might not be familiar with the meaning of the word, and no, it doesn’t mean the chocolate is growing a flower. In this article you will find out:
- What chocolate bloom is and what causes it
- How to fix chocolate that has turned white using easy steps
- How to prevent chocolate bloom from happening
What is Chocolate Bloom?
Chocolate bloom is a common term that is tossed around in the chocolate industry. Chocolate blooming refers to when the surface of the chocolate appears white. There are in fact two types of bloom:
- Fat bloom in chocolate
- Sugar bloom in chocolate
Fat Bloom is when the cocoa butter separates and rises to the top which creates a whitish surface on the chocolate. Fat blooming in chocolate prevents the formation of a smooth and glossy chocolate with a good snap.
Sugar Bloom in chocolate is caused by condensation, due to excessive moisture. The sugar in chocolate dissolves when moisture condenses on its surface. After drying, the sugar re-crystallizes on the chocolate’s surface, giving it a white, gray, or speckled appearance. The surface of the chocolate seems dry and gritty to the touch.
Now that you know what chocolate bloom is and what makes chocolate turn white, let’s move onto how it can be prevented and how to fix chocolate that has turned white.
How to Fix Chocolate that has Turned White (Easy & Quick)
Chocolate bloom may look off putting but don’t worry it’s still safe for consumption. While you can’t remove the bloom, you can fix it by melting the chocolate.
- Pour about half an inch of water into a saucepan and let it simmer lightly (do not boil)
- Place the heat-proof bowl on the saucepan, making sure that the bowl rests above the water
- Chop up your bloomed chocolate and place it in the bowl
- Wait patiently until the chocolate melts halfway before you start stirring it with a silicone spatula
- Remove the bowl from the heat when the chocolate is nearly, but not fully melted (you could use a thermometer to check if it has reached 45-50oC/89oF)
- Stir gently so as to not incorporate any air bubbles
- Cool it to 30-32oC/89oF or until it is still runny but not yet viscous
Now that you have successfully gotten rid of the bloom, you will need to re-mold the chocolate.
To quickly make a slab of chocolate, place some wax paper (parchment paper) in a sheet pan. Finally, pour in your melted chocolate and rotate the pan in order to spread it out evenly. Put the sheet pan in the freezer for the chocolate to set, don’t forget to check on it constantly to see if it has set properly.
How to Prevent Chocolate Blooming and Degradation
Chocolate is one of the most shelf stable foods out there, but for it to keep as long as it does, it requires us to store it in a careful manner. Unless you enjoy bloomy chocolate.
Avoid extreme temperature changes
One of the major causes of chocolate blooming is drastic temperature change and placing it in an environment that is over 50% humidity, so I wouldn’t recommend you take your chocolate bar into a steam room with you. The other thing we need to be mindful of, is to follow what the wrapper says, store in a cool, dry place.
Store away from strong smells
Make sure that you store the chocolate in a clean and aroma free environment, because chocolate tends to pick up the aromas around it. So, make sure not to keep your onions next to your chocolate bar.
Keep all chocolate tools and storage containers dry
Ensure that the tools, equipment and storage containers or wrappers you use are fully dry before they come in contact with the chocolate. If you are molding your own chocolate, don’t forget to make sure that any of the fruits you are going to use are completely dry.
Do not store in fridge
Do not store your chocolate in the fridge, the humidity causes condensation which leads to sugar bloom.
Check the expiry date
Last but not least don’t forget to check the production date of the chocolate, to make sure that it is recently manufactured and not an old batch, because new is always better.
Final thoughts on how to fix chocolate that has turned white
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article by Elily on how to fix chocolate that has turned white, and chocolate bloom in general. While finding a white coating on your handmade chocolate can be disappointing, the good news is that sugar bloom and fat blooming in chocolate can happen whether it is homemade or storebought. In most cases, chocolate bloom is caused by improper storage, and preventing the issue is quite easy. Although it is not really possible to ‘fix’ chocolates with bloom, it is perfectly safe to consume and melt down. If you do find yourself stuck with bloomy chocolate, simply consider it an opportunity to practice your chocolate tempering and molding techniques… or make a batch of gourmet rocky road.
Happy Chocolatiering!
