Panning Chocolate aka Candying Chocolate
Panning is a process that involves coating food items, such as fruits, nuts, or cereals, with multi thin layers of chocolate and finished with a sugar syrup to create a sweet and crunchy outer layer and protect them from heat. The process of panning has been used for centuries by the ancient Greeks to create a sweet treat. In this blog, we will present the basic process of panning and provide some tips for achieving great results.
The basic process of panning involves five main steps: preparing the food item, coating the product with chocolate, making the sugar syrup, coating the product again with the syrup, and finish it with glaze.
Step 1: Preparing the Product
The first step in panning is to prepare the product. This typically involves cleaning and cutting the food into small, uniform pieces. Popular choices for panning include citrus and orange peels, candied ginger, puff rice, and nuts. For fruits, it's important to remove any seeds, stems, or pith that could affect the taste or texture of the final product.
Step 2: Chocolate Coating
The second step is to temper the chocolate, and then add it in the tumbler to coat evenly each product. Layer by layer until the desired size is obtained.
Step 3: Making the Sugar Syrup
The third step is making the clear or colored sugar syrup. The syrup is typically made by heating sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens. The temperature and consistency of the syrup will vary depending on the recipe, but most candied fruits and nuts use a syrup that is about 230-240Β°F (110-115Β°C) and has a thick, syrupy consistency.
Step 4: Coating the Product with the Syrup
The fourth step is to use the syrup as you used the chocolate: layer by layer in the tumbler.
Step 5: Glazing and Polishing
The fifth step is to add a small amount of glaze into the tumbler to coat evenly each product to make them shine. Depending on the recipe the whole process can take from 30 minutes to several hours.
Tips for Great Panning Results
While the basic process of panning is simple, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you achieve great results:
1. Use High-Quality Ingredients
The final product will only be as good as the ingredients you use, so make sure to choose fresh, high-quality fruits and nuts. At Manufacture Cluizel, we choose calibrated fruits, nuts, and cereals. We also use premium chocolate: dark 63%, milk 39% and white 36%.
2. Don't Overcook the Syrup
Overcooking the syrup can cause it to crystallize, which will result in a grainy coating on your food.
3. Be Patient
Panning is a slow process, and it's important to take your time and let the food absorb the syrup fully. Rushing the process can result in a sticky or uneven coating.
4. Store Properly
Candied fruits and nuts should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for several weeks or even months if stored properly.
In conclusion, panning is a fun and rewarding process that can be used to combine chocolate with many products. By following the basic steps and using a few simple tips, you can achieve great results.