Installation for preparing a chocolate paste

Installation for continuously preparing a chocolate paste comprising means for grinding (11, 12, 13, 14), mixing and refining ingredients comprising at least particles of cocoa and sugar, means for fluidification by dispersion of said particles of cocoa and sugar in a continuous fatty phase and means for degasifying, by evaporation of water and of undesirable volatile compounds, a portion of said installation being constituted by a screw conveyor comprising a long sleeve (2) surrounding at least two screws (3) with parallel axes, means (20) for driving said screws in rotation at an adjustable speed about their axes and means (4) for regulating the temperature of the material entrained in said screws, wherein said screw conveyor (2) constitutes means for dry-conching the refined paste placed, in a continuous production circuit, downstream of refining means (14) and upstream of means (5) for liquefaction by incorporation of additives whose nature and proportions correspond to a predetermined recipe, said screw conveyor (2) being fed continuously a predetermined flow rate of paste refined to the degree of particle size necessary for the finished product and comprising, upstream to downstream, a zone (A) of supply and preliminary kneading provided with means (41) for heating the paste and at least one treatment zone (B) provided with means (31) for rolling and shearing whose effectiveness increases progressively, and means (4) for regulating the temperature, each treatment zone (B) being followed by a degasifying zone (C), said liquefaction means being constituted by a final treatment zone (50) of said screw conveyor placed downstream of the last degasifying zone (C') and at the entrance of which said sleeve (2) is provided with at least one orifice (28) for the introduction of liquefaction additives.