Ruby chocolate need more attention than other types of chocolate because ruby chocolate is more sensitive to the way that you handle the ruby chocolate. The pink color of ruby chocolate come from the ruby chocolate beans themself so the pink color can change if the ruby chocolate isnt handled correct. To make ruby chocolate, the chocolate must be tempered to allow the ruby chocolate to having a clean snap and to maintain it’s pink color.
If the ruby chocolate is not tempered before it is set into a molds, the ruby chocolate may have a chalky surface or it may turn brown. The tempering process for ruby chocolate involve three stages, but ruby chocolate has narrower temperature range than dark, milk, and white chocolate. First, the chocolate maker must melt the ruby chocolate to ensure that all of the crystals of the ruby chocolate has dissapeared.
How to Handle and Store Ruby Chocolate
Second, the ruby chocolate must be cooled until the correct type of crystals forms within the ruby chocolate. Third, a small amount must increase the temperature of the ruby chocolate so that it will smooth move within molds. If the ruby chocolate loses its temper during the tempering process, it can happen if the room in which the ruby chocolate was tempered was warm, or if the tools use to temper the ruby chocolate contained moisture.
The acidity within the ruby chocolate beans is responsible for the stability of the pink color of the ruby chocolate. If alkaline ingredient like baking soda are introduced to ruby chocolate, the pink color will turn brown in a short period of time. The humidity within the workspace in which the ruby chocolate will be tempered must be kept at below fifty percent, and the ruby chocolate must be store away from bright light.
Bright lights like sunlight and fluorescent bulbs will make the ruby chocolate look dull so the use of tungsten light or indirect daylight will help to preserve the pink color of the ruby chocolate. Many people makes mistakes when tempering ruby chocolate. Many people treat ruby chocolate as if it are dark chocolate.
Many people also heat the ruby chocolate to a higher temperature then it should be heated. If the ruby chocolate is heated to a temperature higher than the upper limit of the tempering range, the stable crystals within the ruby chocolate will break down and the chocolate must be tempered again. A way to avoid heating the ruby chocolate to an incorrect temperature is to use the seeding method in which two-third of the ruby chocolate is melted and one-third of the solid ruby chocolate are stirred into the melted ruby chocolate.
The solid ruby chocolate will lower the temperature of the melted ruby chocolate and introduce the correct type of crystals to the melted ruby chocolate. It is a good idea to test the ruby chocolate prior to add it to molds. To test the ruby chocolate, a spoonful of the tempered chocolate can be spread on parchment paper.
If the ruby chocolate is correctly tempered, it will set in a few minute and have a glossy appearance. If the chocolate does not set correct, the temperature of the chocolate is incorrect. Additional solid ruby chocolate can be added to the ruby chocolate to lower its temperature or the bowl can be warmed to raise the temperature of the ruby chocolate.
Ruby chocolate has flavor of berries and citrus. Ruby chocolate should be paired with ingredient that have similar flavors. Raspberry, lychee, and rose water is good ingredients to use with ruby chocolate.
Strawberries and passionfruit can also be used with ruby chocolate, but only in small amount to avoid overpowering the natural flavor of the ruby chocolate. Finally, the finished ruby chocolate must be stored in a cool, dark place to maintain the color and temper of the chocolate. An ideal area to store ruby chocolate is in an area that maintain a storage area of approximately fifteen degree.
Ruby chocolate should not be moved directly from the refrigerator to an area that is warm in the room. The temperature difference will cause condensation in the ruby chocolate. This condensed moisture will create sugar bloom within the finished ruby chocolate which appear as white dust on the surface of the chocolate.
To avoid sugar bloom in finished ruby chocolate, it should of sit out of the refrigerator for twenty minutes to become acclimated to the temperature of the room prior to remove the chocolate from its wrapping.