"Chembake" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>Some of the small blocks of chocolate that I have saved in mason jars and
>have not vacuumed have ever-so-slight bloom and they have been in a dry
>room
>between 68-76º.


How did you handle the chocolates. when you place in the jars..? with
bare hands....
Where did you put the chocolates in the jar....in a humid room?

Surface moisture and condensation may allow the formation of sugar
bloom....

>All of the small blocks of chocolate that I have saved in their plastic
>wrapping that has been in a dry room between 68-76º do not have bloom on
>them; however, I don't want to store chocolate in a plastic wrap, period.


So what's wrong with plastics....? they are unbreakable....and
compact...unlike Mason jars...
Are you worried that the chocks will have a taste of plastics?
I stored some dark chocolate chips in a ziplock bag for several months
and I did not see any flavor changes in the chocs.......nor there was a
bloom....meaning the seal was really tight and I pressed it down before
zipping to remove most of the air spaces
I did not see any sugar bloom....this means that lots of moisture
laden air inside the bag can promote sugar bloom...which might one of
the culprit in your Mason jar storage<grin>

>I don't see that vacuuming the chocolate is any problem, but I am
>wondering - . If
I >vacuum it, what is the worse that can happen; any speculation? or
solid
>advice? re my choices.
Vacuuming will remove much of the air and residual moisture and will
help in preventing 'sugar bloom.'

>does it have to breathe or whatever else might be a problem

Chocolates will equilibrate with the available ambient....If there is
enough residual moisture in the given ambient then...it will likely
affect the chocolates gradually
Chocolates are highly absorptive to water due to the presence of
pregelatinized starches in cocoa solids that was formed during the
roasting of cacao beans.in chocolate manufacture.
Now chocolates is an aggregate of cocoa solids,cocoa butter and sugar
with minute amounts of processing agents like Lecithin which create a
water in oil emulsion with the some of the available fat..
..The sugar particles in the chocolate mass are mostly in amorphous form
which are irregular in shape and therefore more soluble in water
than the crystalline form.
Once small amount of moisture seeps in the chocs surface it will
interacts with the sugar and led to the formation of recrystallized
sugar which is called also a sugar bloom in confectionery terminology.

If you store bare chocolate pieces handle it with a gloved hands so
that faint smudge from moist fingers will not occur that can be one
of the initiator to sugar bloom
Also handle chocolates preferably in the dry room....

Thank for your advice. It is greatly appreciated.
Dee