Guylian chocolate seashells

[Alibobs]

Had a big debate over the shiny versus dull chocolates tonight. i maintain they are all the same but the shiny ones are somehow "polished" to get that gleam.

My friend thinks they use two different types of chocolate.

Your thoughts please ABers

[nickmo]

I think the gloss is achieved with a butteroil which is a dairy fat that gives a gloss finish to chocolate after tempering and moulding. Tempering affects the cocoa butter and will give a shine to chocolate but butterfat will achieve a high gloss.

Fat bloom - when the chocolate gets a dull surface - is caused by the chocolate being too thin or fats in the fillings getting to the surface generally through beingstored at to high a temperature.

Butteroil is sprayed onto biscuits like cheese crackers to give a sheen to the surface. It is a milkfat so can be used as a high or low meltingf raction process depending on whatyou are to use it for - all to do with the fat content.

Trivia bit - Guylian is named after the founder husband and wife - Guy and Lilian - that wins a pint in the pub by the way....

[Alibobs]

Thanks Nickmo - this makes sense to me

I had no idea about the origin of the name - will drop that into conversation when appropriate!!

[nickmo]

http://www.tcnj.edu/~hofmann/Humor/Misc/chatroom.htm shows you why I know about Guylian

Happy truffling!

[heathfield]

Could it also be that most loose chocolates have the final coating poured over them, giving a more matt finish, while Guylian seashells are produced in a mould, and probably a highly polished one?

[happy_face]

I think they also taste slightly different so I'm kinda with your friend on this one