Paraffin wax is a chemical preservative that is used to make fruits, vegetables, and candy look shiny. It is also used to help slow down moisture loss and spoilage in these fruits and candy. Paraffin wax can be used in a number of applications from commercially produced products to homemade foods. A common use of paraffin wax is using it as a wrapper on hard cheeses. It can be found in jars of home-canned jams and jellies and it can also be used in chocolate. Adding paraffin wax to your melted chocolate can give it a glossy finish when it hardens. It is also used for the chocolate to remain solid at room temperature. There may be instances where you run out of paraffin wax when preparing candy.
The use of paraffin wax in making chocolates is a holdover from the older candy-making techniques. Paraffin wax was used to help the chocolate and other candies set properly. It was and still is a somewhat dangerous practice since paraffin is the same wax that is used in making candles. Although only very small amounts of paraffin are used in making chocolate and other candies it is still a substance that is not approved for human consumption. There are much better alternatives that you can consider for your chocolate. Below are some of the best alternatives that you can use in place of paraffin wax.
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Almond Bark
One of the best substitutes for paraffin wax in chocolate is almond bark. This is somewhat of a misnomer, since no almonds are used in making this product. Almond bark is made of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. It can make a great alternative for chocolate itself, and it can be used to hold confections like gingerbread houses together. Almond bark can make a great substitute for paraffin wax and it can be used as an additive to chocolates as well. Almond bark is also popularly known to be rich with antioxidants just like dark chocolate, omega-3 fatty acids, like that from the hemp seeds, protein, fibre, and healthy fats from the almonds. Almond bark is also rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory benefits.
Compound Coatings
Also another great alternative to paraffin wax in chocolate are compound coatings. Compound coatings are very similar to almond bark. They are formulated by combining cocoa powder with vegetable oil. Take note that just like almond butter, the combination has a low melting temperature. Compound coatings are also receptive to other added flavours. The coatings can also be added to chocolate whenever you are dipping items, garnishing desserts, moulding candies as well as baking. Compound coatings can often be used to fully enrobe foods, but they can be used as standalone pieces or chunks, as binding agent for clusters, or as drizzles in a wide variety of snack products such as snack bars, cereals, trail mixes and other confectionery items.
Homemade Moulding Compound
Another alternative to paraffin wax in chocolate is a homemade moulding compound. You can make this compound by adding two tablespoons of light corn syrup to half a cup of melted chocolate. Since almond bark and compound coatings are both made from vegetable oils, vegetable shortening can be used. You can easily substitute a few tablespoons of the shortening for every half bar of paraffin wax that is required for your chocolate recipe.
Candy Coatings
Also on our list of alternatives for paraffin wax in chocolate is candy coating. It is important to note that candy coating is not really chocolate. It contains no cocoa butter and has little, if any chocolate liquor in it. Instead, this chocolate-flavoured confectionery product contains vegetable fats in place of cocoa butter, meaning that it sets quickly and remains stable at room temperature. Candy coating also comes in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties as well as other flavours, like mint and peanut butter. Candy coating can be used for moulding decorations and novelty chocolates. On the downside the taste of candy coating does not compare to that of real chocolate, so you must not use it if your candy depends on a deep, rich authentic chocolate taste. Otherwise, candy coating can make a great alternative for paraffin wax.
Skip the Paraffin Wax
The final substitute for paraffin wax in chocolate would be to use nothing. Although paraffin wax, almond bark and compound coatings are normally used to help chocolate set properly, you can skip them if you do not have any of the alternatives when preparing your chocolate. These additives are not always required when your chocolate has been tempered properly. If you temper your chocolate properly it will stabilize the chocolate through a careful process of melting and cooling. Make sure that you do this to the chocolate within precise temperature ranges. However, the process of tempering can be difficult requiring great skill, but when done properly, you do not need to add anything to your chocolate.
Tips For Tempering Your Chocolate
You can temper dark, milk and white chocolate but the temperatures you need to achieve your desired results are different. For dark chocolate, melting the chocolate at a temperature of 50 to 55C and the tempered temperature should be 31 – 32C. For milk the melting temperature is 45 to 50C when melting and 30 to 31C for the tempered chocolate. For white chocolate melting should be at 45 to 50C and 29 to 30C for the tempered chocolate. If your chocolate has reached the right temperature and there are still some pieces of unmelted chocolate, it is best to remove them before increasing the temperature. If you leave them, your chocolate will thicken up very quickly and become sticky due to over-crystallisation. Tempering chocolate is an important technique in pastry. It will give you a glossy and crisp finish. Most pastry chefs use this technique to make moulds or chocolate shavings, to coat chocolates as well as to make sculptures. Once you are done with the tempering process it is wise to check if the process has been done correctly before using your chocolate.
