Chapter 11

Dipping into Chocolates—My Second Behind-the-Scenes Tour

I’ve always thought it is a good thing that there are no calories attached to the aroma of candy, because if there were, a visit to Hammond’s on a day that the chocolates are being made would be disastrous to anyone’s waistline. Fortunately, the impact is, instead, merely a sensual experience, a delight to the eye and a mouth-watering moment as the bouquet of the chocolate flavors the air. On the day I arrived for my tour, I thought for a second I might need to hide my hands behind my back to keep from plucking a morsel from a passing tray and popping it into my mouth.

Now that the impressions of my first visit had settled, I began to notice other machinery spotted around the factory floor and marveled at the apparent age of much of the equipment. In chatting with Kammy, the production manager, I was reminded that many of the pieces date to the earliest years of the company and had probably been used by Carl Sr. I knew he had almost always purchased his machinery secondhand, and frequently from Savage Bros., which has continuously manufactured confectionery machinery for over 150 years. I felt somewhat awed since this meant that many of the pieces had been in use for well over 100 years. That is an amazing concept in what has been dubbed a throwaway society and shows that the values Carl instilled in his family and employees thrives to this day. One of these pieces of machinery, the melter, had already been put into service earlier before I had arrived for my tour. First, though, I needed to discover a little bit about the chocolate that smelled so good.

Candy makers can choose to purchase chocolate in several forms: in buttons, bars or delivered as a warm liquid for those that can take truckloads. Hammond’s has always purchased ten-pound bars and melted them in one of the melters I had noticed. Over the years, Hammond’s has consistently used Ambrosia, Guittard and Merckens chocolate, which comes from beans. Candy makers buy from them to make their own products and flavors. The industry has gotten a lot more sophisticated in the flavor profiles it likes, but the dark chocolate has gotten the most attention for its health qualities.

Once the chocolate is delivered, someone breaks up the bars and loads the melter. Next the chocolate is melted, and dairy buckets are filled with the liquid to replenish the levels in the enrober. The chocolate levels get lower as whatever candy centers are being coated pass under the chocolate wall, or waterfall, as some would call it. The tempering at Hammond’s usually takes place in the enrober. This process takes from three to five people, depending on what candy is fed through it.

I had already learned a little bit about the tempering process, which basically entails the proper melting, cooling and distribution of cocoa butter in the chocolate, and I knew from firsthand experience what happens if it isn’t done properly. I had tried many times to achieve professional-looking chocolate-covered strawberries in my own kitchen, and I had never been satisfied since they lacked a pleasing, shiny appearance. Even with that small amount of technical knowledge, I wasn’t prepared for the sight of the chocolate softly whirring in the tempering wheel. The sight was awesome and beautiful and difficult to describe. The candy makers were preparing to make toffee that day with milk chocolate, which, when in the tempering process, becomes a silky, shimmering mass of liquid beauty.

By this time, the women who were making the chocolates that day were lining up the squares of toffee in the feeding area of the enrober, carefully inspecting each one prior to setting it on its way to the pre-bottomer, where the confection receives its first layer of chocolate. As it travels along on a canvas conveyor belt, it rides over a chocolate-coated grate that is propelled by two tempering wheels; then, once that first chocolate is applied, it moves on a canvas belt that propels it through the enrober, which will coat it entirely. As it reappeared, Fee carefully marked it with its proper string before it proceeded to the temperature-controlled tunnel and the takeoff area.

As I watched these proceedings, I was once again impressed with the dexterity and the unhurried, yet precisely timed, steps that were followed. Some of these candies might be destined for a specialty shop on Fifth Avenue in New York City; others might be featured on the newest television food show; still others might grace an elaborate dinner party, but regardless of their destination, all had to fulfill the important requirements for Hammond’s quality. At one point, I noticed that all activity had paused, and looking down the line, I realized that one of the assistants had momentarily left her position in the proceedings. Again, as in all well-choreographed performances, each step has to follow in its well-ordered sequence. The production of chocolate candies that will result in a perfectly shaped confection that glows with a pleasing sheen is no exception. With her return, the process started anew, and soon more toffee was emerging from the cooling tunnel. Yasmen stood ready to nestle the chocolates in their paper cups and skillfully arrange them in boxes. Perhaps one of them might become a birthday or anniversary present or a welcome hostess gift.

The pre-bottomer coats toffee with its first layer of chocolate. Photo by the author.

The toffee passes through the “waterfall” of chocolate in the enrober. Photo by the author.

Chocolates emerge from the temperature-controlled tunnel on their way to packaging. Photo by the author.

Just a few steps away from the enrober, Akuwa was teaching Lily the first steps in the art of truffles. The experienced cook was filling tiny molds that had already been drizzled with dark chocolate as a decorative touch to the exterior of the candy. Gently tilting the pan so that the sides of each cup were properly coated, she then poured out the excess chocolate. While those molds settled, she filled the ones she had previously formed with a ganache center. The pan was then placed on a machine that vibrated the candies to remove any bubbles that might have formed. After that, they were ready for the bottoms to be added to seal the entire confection. Yum.

Saying goodbye, I walked past the cutting machine, where Josie was feeding bright orange ropes into the equipment and bright candies were tumbling into the basket below. What an afternoon I had enjoyed—I hadn’t gained an ounce, but I had gained a new insight into the art of candy making.

On my way to the exit, I paused to wave to a group of children who were on a tour on the other side of the window and turned to see what they were watching with rapt attention. Two of the assistants at a nearby workstation were deftly turning out jewel-toned ribbon candies, using one of the most intricate pieces of equipment in the factory. As in the creation of cut rocks, the first helper was preparing the candy for the machine, in this case stretching and smoothing it into a perfectly flat ribbon that was just the correct width. The second man was feeding the stream of still pliable candy into the ribbon crimper that is composed of a complex series of cogs and gears. Once the ribbon was crimped, the piece was being pushed together and gently guided down a long, narrow slide and allowed to cool. The gas-fired table heaters must be maintained at 160 degrees to keep the candy pliable. It is then cut to precisely the required length to fit the candy box. Ribbon candy is almost as symbolic of the holidays as its hard candy cousin, the candy cane, and admiring the brilliance of the ribbon candy was like finding a rainbow at the end of my second factory tour.