Milk Chocolate

Method

1. Melt the cocoa butter in a microwave for about 1 minute.
2. Put a small amount of melted cocoa butter into the melanger and run it for 4-5 minutes to lubricate the machine.
3. Use a hair dryer to heat the melanger both inside and outside.
4. Grind the cocoa nibs into a fine powder using a dry mill (operate intermittently to avoid forming a solid ball).
5. Heat the ground nibs in the microwave for about 1 minute.
6. Add the heated nibs little by little into the melanger; they will quickly become liquid and combine with the cocoa butter.
7. Keep the melanger warm with the hair dryer throughout the process.
8. Let the mixture run for about 30 minutes until everything is liquid and well mixed.
9. Add the remaining cocoa butter.
10. Add the sugar little by little, listening to the sound; once the crackling sound stops, add more sugar until fully incorporated.
11. Cover the melanger and let it run for at least 12 hours.
12. After 12 hours, add the milk powder very slowly and in small portions, waiting for each addition to be fully absorbed before adding more, to prevent a solid block from forming.
13. Monitor the temperature: it must never exceed 50°C (if it reaches 48-49°C, stop the machine and let it cool for 10-15 minutes) and never drop below 40°C. Maintain between 40-48°C.
14. Continue conching for a total minimum of 24 hours (maximum 48 hours).
15. In the last 3 hours of conching, add the vanilla bean pulp (scraped from the pods).
16. Pour the finished chocolate into a mold.
17. Let the chocolate set for 3-4 days at 8-10°C, covered.
18. After setting, proceed with tempering (refer to the separate tempering video).