It’s heating up on Earth!
As seasons change, so does the weather - and despite being in the Northern Hemisphere, us chocolate makers are at the mercy of the harsh Sun.
Back in June we attempted to restrict our shipping to states that we're under 80 degrees, thinking that the mighty sun can't reach us everywhere!
That is until we've received a number of emails from our customers with a common theme; ‘My chocolate has a residue on it?’, ’My chocolate has a strange texture, can I still eat it?’
The chocolate had bloomed even to those states that hadn't reached peak summer heat!
So, in July we shut down our startup entirely in order to prevent bloomed and melted bars from arriving at your doorsteps.
We strive to keep our customers happy and we certainly don’t want you to be surprised, so we’re here to tell you what was happening to our chocolate and why we shut down until this upcoming Fall!
What Is a Bloomed Chocolate?
A bloomed piece of chocolate may appears to have a strange texture or residue on its surface. Texturally this can be chalky and can often make the chocolate look unappetizing.
Why Does Chocolate Bloom?
Essentially, chocolate bloom happens when your chocolate is exposed to rapid temperature changes. For example: from the warehouse to the carrier, in the plane and eventually sitting in front of your house or apartment.
This can also happen if you keep your chocolate in your pantry and it's a particularly warm day outside.
The Two Types Of Chocolate Bloom
Fat Bloom
Fat bloom happens when the cocoa butter in the chocolate melts, which causes the chocolate to crystallize and in turn, form a pale white coating on the surface of the bar. You’ll know if your chocolate has fat blooming if you spot this color change.
Sugar Bloom
Similarly, to fat bloom, sugar bloom also has a white surface texture but another characteristic to look out for, is a grainy texture.
This process will usually happen due to temperature shock and if you store your chocolate in a humid atmosphere.
Can I Eat Bloomed Chocolate?
While the overall appearance might be affected, you can still eat bloomed chocolate. The taste, texture and smell will remain intact and surely that’s what counts, right?
We personally would never turn our back on a bar of chocolate, bloomed or not. And as we all know, it’s what on the inside that counts, plus there’ll be less waste for the environment so it’s another win for us and the planet!
How To Repair Bloomed Chocolate
Unfortunately, even the Guardians of the Galaxy can’t erase the blooming, but we do recommend you still eat it.
However, if you’re not sold - we’d recommend breaking up the bars and baking with them!
What To Do If I Receive Bloomed Chocolate?
Your first mission is to EAT it as it is still absolutely fine to do so. Then if you’re still not happy, you can reach out to us at greetings@nebulasnacks.com.
You can also contact us on any of our social media handles @NebulaSnacks - including TikTok, Instagram or Facebook.