How Chocolate is Made | Mackie’s of Scotland
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HOW WE MAKE

CHOCOLATE

on the farm
We’ve been making all our chocolate here on the farm, in a converted tractor shed, since 2014
there are 1,000 bars in the cooling tunnel
OUR CHOCOLATE FACTORY
The old tractor shed is now filled with specialist chocolate making machinery (also from Scotland!) so that we can make small batches of chocolate from raw cocoa liquor to chocolate bar.
melted cocao liquor
the ingredients
We make Mackie’s Dark chocolate by adding sugar to the melted cocoa liquor and we carefully select our favourite type of milk chocolate, which contains cocoa butter and milk powders, to melt and make the base mix for our milk chocolate range.
refining and conching
Refining and Conching is done in the same machine - the Conche. It’s a long and noisy process. Refining is a grinding process, to reduce the particle size – to our target of under 20 microns – to create a lovely smooth texture of chocolate. Conching – using pressure, agitation and heat, is a mix of science and magic - which removes the unwanted bitter tastes and aromas. The resultant difference in taste, smell and texture is dramatic!
tempering
Tempering describes the process of taking the molten chocolate carefully through some precisely controlled temperatures which perfects the structure of the chocolate – again there’s a mix of science and magic involved here! Well-tempered chocolate captures the “right” type of crystals – to give a smooth and glossy finish and a good, clean SNAP when you break off a piece.
FLAVOURING FUN
We already make many of our own sauces and flavour ingredients and we love to experiment with new ideas! We make small batches of different types of flavours like fruit compotes, caramel sauces or white chocolate to add to our chocolate or ice cream. We add our chosen flavour ingredients to the molten chocolate.
MOULD and WRAP
We pour the warm chocolate mix into our moulds – to decorate the bar with cows and MACKIE’S lettering - which then travel slowly through the cooling tunnel, before popping out at the end to be wrapped and hand-packed into cases.
There is a creamy richness to this dark chocolate and it melts nicely on the tongue. It has a pleasing snap to it and a good, bitter roasting flavour which is pleasant and easy to eat.
Great Taste Awards on Mackie’s Dark Chocolate

Certification

Our source of milk chocolate is certified by Cocoa Horizons, an impact-driven program focused on cocoa farmer prosperity which helps to build self-sustaining farming communities that protect nature and children.

Our dark chocolate cocoa mass is Rainforest Alliance & UTZ Certified, which requires good agricultural practices and farm management, safe and healthy working conditions, as well as addressing child labour, forced labour and the protection of the environment.