Refiners & Conching Machines
Details that make (all) the difference
Our refiners allow you to create chocolates and pastes from absolute scratch, with incredible textures, reducing costs, and giving you the power to craft your own signature recipes. You can produce your own chocolate from any variety of cocoa or make pastes from pistachio, hazelnut, peanut, macadamia, and more.
Our machinery for refining & conching
SferaOne
The Sfera One is a compact 25kg/batch ball mill with all onboard systems for the production of incredible chocolates, pastes, and fillings.
Frequently asked questions
The chocolate world is filled with many open questions and few absolute answers. With this spirit in mind, here are the main questions that may arise about melangers and the artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate.
How long does refining take to make good chocolate?The complete process usually takes 24 to 96 hours, potentially even longer. Since the melanger performs both refining and conching simultaneously, the batch production time varies based on several factors:
Formulation used
Whether the pre-refining technique is employed
Variety and quality of the cocoa
Roasting of the almonds
Chocolate maker’s preferences
As a rule of thumb, starting with a formulation with proper pre-refining, 9 to 10 hours are needed. This time can increase or decrease depending on the desired texture and the level of pre-refining performed.
Pneumatic System: Ensures precision and homogeneous distribution of pressure on both stones. This is crucial for some chocolate makers as it can improve consistency over time. Additionally, it’s possible to lift the stones during operation to facilitate cleaning or interrupt refining. Requires an air compressor.
Spring System: A classic approach, performing just as well as pneumatic pressure, with the exception of the ability to lift the stones and precisely know the pressure applied to each stone. It brings convenience by not requiring an air compressor.
Yes. Since the melanger refines pastes below 20 microns, it is perfect for producing gelato pastes. You can achieve the same results as imported pastes, reducing costs without compromising quality.
If you are interested in starting your own chocolate production but don’t know where to begin, we recommend reading our special series on the subject. It’s a great starting point in the bean-to-bar universe. Just click on the links below and embark on your adventure!
– What is bean-to-bar chocolate
– What are cocoa nibs
– How to make cocoa nibs
– How to make chocolate from cocoa nibs
– The ultimate guide on how to temper chocolate