Conching

Conching is a step in chocolate manufacturing in which a surface-scraping mixer and agitator called a conche, named for its resemblance to a conch shell, works chocolate for an extended period to evenly distribute cocoa butter, polish the chocolate's particles and develop its flavor through frictional heat, the release of volatile compounds and acids, and oxidation. Traditional conching could run as long as seventy-eight hours, though modern industrial equipment can complete the process in under twelve hours, with the exact duration depending heavily on batch size and equipment. The Swiss chocolatier Rodolphe Lindt invented the conche in Bern in 1879, reportedly after a mixer was left running over a weekend and produced chocolate with unexpectedly superior texture and shine, an innovation that made mass-produced chocolate bars practical, and manufacturers still keep the details of their own conching process proprietary.