News
Tasting the Sweet Science of Chocolate
Chemistry students enjoyed a sweet upgrade when Sarah (Levy) Imberman ’99 and Alexa Sindelar visited Chemistry of Cooking class.
President of Sarah’s Foods Sarah (Levy) Imberman ’99 and her Chief Operating Officer Alexa Sindelar returned to Gigi Mathews’ Chemistry of Cooking class to share their expertise.
Before the visit, the class studied the science of cocoa butter. Mathews explained that triacylglycerol molecules that compose cocoa butter act like Lincoln Logs: The more neatly they interlock, the stronger and more stable the chocolate becomes.
To achieve this, the chocolate undergoes a process called tempering. When completely correctly, the chocolate gets that professional “personality”:
- A glossy, mirror-like shine
- A crisp, satisfying “snap” when broken
- A smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture
Under the guidance of these pros, students became master chocolatiers for the class. The mission? Achieve the perfect crystalline structure using a precise temperature dance:
- Melt: Heat high-quality cacao to 122–131°F.
- Cool: Lower the temp to 82–84°F by adding more chocolate.
- The Secret Weapon: Add a 1% dusting of Mycryo™ Cocoa Butter to jumpstart the perfect molecular chain reaction.
- Reheat: Bring it all back to a working temp of 88–90°F.
Armed with hot plates, heating pads and digital thermometers, groups carefully managed their mixtures to ensure the molecules behaved.
Once the chocolate reached its peak tempered state, students used Imberman’s signature “dunk, pump and slide” technique. They coated marshmallows, graham crackers and strawberries in glossy goodness, filling the room with a decadent aroma. Students added flair to their creations in the form of sprinkles, nonpareils and freeform chocolate piping.
The result? A delicious lesson in how chemistry makes life (and dessert) much more stable.
Parker offers huge thanks to Imberman and Sindelar for bringing their expertise back to campus for the fourth time in four years!
Enjoy photos from this class here.
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.