The dipping of pralinés etc. is exceedingly easy if the new type of dipping machine is used, a full view of which is given in Fig. 81 and which has the highly appreciable advantage of simultaneously cooling the dipped centres. All the parts are, in the main, worked by hand, only the shaking and stirring contrivances and the cooling fan requiring to be driven by motor power. The middle piece carries the actual dipping apparatus, underneath which the tank holding the covering chocolate is fixed, while the lefthand sidepiece serves for feeding; as many as four operators can be engaged simultaneously at the latter, the work consisting of laying the centres in the gratings corresponding to the mouldings desired. The construction of these gratings is, in the main, similar to the stamped trays of Anton Reiche, but they are not provided with handles and are despatched along the guide-rails by hand. The filled grating is then placed in a frame, which is dipped by means of a winch into the liquid chocolate. The top grating on the dipping frame is adjustable, and the object of this grating is to keep the centres down, as without this arrangement some of the centres might rise to the surface of the covering. The top grating is, before commencing to dip, pushed over the filled grating with the centres and is thus immersed with them. The frame having been removed, the shaker is put in action to remove the superfluous material from both the gratings and the centres. The grating is drawn out after use from below the top grating and transferred to a book-shaped ejector, on one side of which is a metal sheet covered with paper. The whole of the centres are then discharged on to the sheet, by reversing the two flap-sections.
The sheet containing the covered centres is then transferred to the cooling apparatus at the right, in which it is gradually lowered on a “paternoster” apparatus by turning round a handle. It is then conducted to the left by an endless band, and finally discharged in a cooled state by the machine. The ventilator should be supplied with air from the cellars and is arranged to blow it out in the opposite direction to the goods in the cooling apparatus.
Fig. 81.
The shape of the design-gratings is reproduced in high relief on the goods, and it will therefore be readily understood that further designs or fancy shapes can be made on the gratings. For the production of semi-dipped goods or such as are dipped round and remain uncovered at the bottom, a device is attached to the striking gear which renders it possible to regulate the depth of each immersion at will. The tank containing the covering material is surrounded by a water-jacket, which is heated by steam. The heat of the water is indicated by a thermometer. The receptacle containing the covering can easily be drawn out towards the front. In addition to this, the whole of the outside of the machine, which also constitutes a complete water-jacket, is heated by steam, and finally the ejector. The gratings containing the impressions are taken out of the ejector after use and transferred to the feeding side to be used again, so that, at the very most, four gratings are required for each design.
The daily output of the machine is 300-600 kilos, and the size of the gratings 280 by 400 millimetres, the output naturally depending on whether the machine is operated by two, three or more persons.
[B. The Manufacture of Cocoa Powder and “Soluble” Cocoa.]
a. The various methods of disintegrating or opening up the tissues of cacao.
The comparatively high fat content of pure cacao, which would deter certain persons, especially those suffering from stomach disorders, from taking it, has given rise to the now extensive demand for a cacao preparation containing a less amount of fat and the constituents of which are capable of being easily assimilated in the human organism. At the same time the desire to obtain a cacao preparation easily capable of complete and uniform suspension in milk or water may have played its part, as this quality, in consequence of which the preparation can rapidly and without difficulty be rendered ready for consumption, is obviously a great advantage. The best way to obtain this appeared to be the pulverisation of the cacao, which, when reduced to a powder, more readily satisfies the above conditions. As, however, it was not possible to pulverise cacao which still contained its full amount of natural fat, it became necessary to devote attention to the operation of extracting the cacao butter. It is many years since the first appearance of certain preparations in Germany which went under the name of “Cacogna”, and which had been deprived of their fat to the extent of 20-25 %. This problem, however, was recognised and attempts and all manner of experiments made to solve it at a much earlier period in Holland. The founder of the well-known Dutch firm of J. C. van Houten & Sons in Weesp, Mr. C. J. van Houten, was the first to attempt the expression of the fat from cacao (1828) and to treat it with chemical agents with a view to opening up or bringing about the disintegration of the tissues, in order to render the cacao a fit and welcome article of food, not only for healthy persons, but also for invalids and convalescent persons.