|
   Chocolate: A Contemporary Confection | 1750—1910 Making Chocolate— EUROPEANS and AMERICANS used MACHINERY to process cacao into SOLID CHOCOLATE CANDY  Machines made chocolate a mass-produced treat.In the early 1700's, a Frenchman named Doret invented a hydraulic machine to grind cacao seeds into a paste. Not long afterward, another Frenchman by the name of Dubuisson, created the steam-driven chocolate mill. These mechanical mills relieved people from the labor-intensive process of grinding cacao. It became possible to grind huge amounts of cacao and mass-produce chocolate inexpensively and quickly. New innovations improved chocolate’s texture and taste. Before the Industrial Revolution, chocolate was a gritty, rather oily paste usually dissolved in water or milk and made into a beverage. But the invention of new machines made it possible to create smoother, creamier chocolate in the form of an edible candy bar. One of the most important inventions was the cocoa press, created in 1828 by the Dutch chemist Coenraad Van Houten. It squeezed out cocoa butter (leaving the powder we call cocoa) and made cocoa both more consistent and cheaper to produce. New ingredients also improved chocolate’s texture and taste. In 1815, Van Houten added alkaline salts to powdered chocolate, which helped it to mix better with water and gave it a darker color and milder flavor. And in 1875, Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé teamed up to introduce condensed milk to chocolate. Their smooth, creamy “milk chocolate” rapidly became a popular favorite. Continue to Using Chocolate |
 |
|
|
Chocolate Home | Chocolate Exhibition | All About Chocolate | Educators' Resources | Planning Your Visit | Events and Programs | Chocolate Tour | Field Museum | Credits |
|
| © 2007 The Field Museum, All Rights Reserved 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 Copyright Information | Linking Policy |
Technical Support |
|
