goods. But its flavor is relatively rough,
bitter, and astringent and acidic. To make it
into something not only edible but deli
cious, manufacturers add a few other ingre
dients: sugar for dark chocolate, sugar and
dry milk solids for milk chocolate, some
vanilla (the whole bean, or an extract, or
artificial vanillin), and a supplement of pure
cocoa butter. And they subject the mixture
to an extended agitation called
conching, a process named after the shell-like shape of
the first machines. Conches rub and smear
the mixture of cocoa liquor, sugar, and milk
solids against a solid surface. The combi
nation of friction and supplemental heat
raises the temperature of the mass to
115–175ºF/45–80ºC (milk chocolate is kept
at 110–135ºF/43–57ºC). Depending on the
machine and manufacturer, conching may
last for 8 to 36 hours.