Introduction
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were created in the 1920s by a man
named Harry Burnett Reese. He had many odd jobs during his twenties and thirties (to support his 16 children!), and eventually ended up working at the Hershey chocolate factory in Pennsylvania.
While he was working there, he starting making his own candy creations and selling them. His most popular was the peanut butter cups, and in 1957 he opened his own manufacturing plant, and his candy has been sold ever since! I chose Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups because it is my favorite candy, and I could eat it all day! My life is greatly affected by Reese’s because it brightens my day (and makes me a little hyper). Reese’s is composed of a soft peanut butter filling, and coated with milk chocolate. There are many different kinds of Reese’s, and all are delicious!
Composition of ...
Milk Chocolate:
Sugar- C12H22O11
Milk- H2O (plus fat globules)
Cocoa- C7H8N4O2
Soy Lecithin- C40H80NO8P
Vanillin- C8H8O3
Peanuts Butter Filling:
Peanut- C57H104O6
Sugar- C12H22O11
Dextrose- C6H12O6
Salt- NaCl
Main Chemicals, Compounds, Components
Cocoa → C7H8N4O2
Peanut → C57H104O6
Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate, which provides the outer coating of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and peanuts are the main ingredient found in the creamy peanut butter filling.
Cocoa is a bean that is grown in a pod. When the bean is ripe, the pod is crushed, and the bean is left to dry. The product is roasted, crushed, milled, and then mixed with other substances to create different types of chocolate. Peanuts are grown in small, bushy plants. Once they are harvested, they are left to dry for several days before being packaged.
Chemistry's Role
Milk chocolate is artificially produced by harvesting cocoa beans and allowing them to dry in the sun for seven or more days. The beans are then roasted and liquefied to form cocoa liquor. The cocoa liquor is blended with cocoa butter, sugar, vanillin, and lecithin to create milk chocolate.
Peanuts are naturally grown in the ground, but the process of producing peanut butter is artificial. Similar to cocoa beans, the peanuts are harvested, dried, and roasted. The peanuts are then ground with salt, sweetener, and stabilizer to create peanut butter.
Background Research
There are over 45 different Reese’s, including as Fast Break, Crunchy Cookie Cup, Half Pound Cup, No Bake Bars, and Honey Roasted. Originally, Reese’s were manufactured at the H. B. Reese Candy Co., but shortly after Reese’s death, the company was sold to The Hershey Company. Reese’s are now manufactured in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Peanut Butter Cups are made by putting melted chocolate in the bottom of a muffin tin (making sure to pull the chocolate up the sides with a spoon). They are left to harden and then the peanut butter filling is added. Another layer of chocolate is added to the top, and once it is dry, it is ready to eat!
Resources
http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/reeses-peanut-butter-cups.jpg
picture of Reese’s
http://www.quitehealthy.com/nutrition-facts/reeses/191502.html
food label picture and nutrition facts
https://www.thehersheycompany.com/brands/hersheys-kisses/milk-chocolate.aspx
ingredients in milk chocolate
http://www.howstuffworks.com/how-chocolate-is-made7.htm
how milk chocolate is made
http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/reese.html
history of Henry Burnett Reese
http://www.aphrodite-chocolates.co.uk/how_chocolate_made.htm
how chocolate is made
http://www.ilri.org/InfoServ/Webpub/fulldocs/ilca_manual4/Milkchemistry.htm
milk
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2204112
cocoa
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_chemical_formula_for_soy_lecithin
soy lecithin
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=chemical+formula+for+vanillin&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
vanillin
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2136085
peanuts
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=chemical+formula+for+dextrose&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
dextrose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reese's_Peanut_Butter_Cups
Reese’s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hershey_Company
Hershey Company
http://www.aphrodite-chocolates.co.uk/how_chocolate_made.htm
How Milk Chocolate Is Made
http://peanutbutterlovers.com/pb-lovers/pb101/how-its-made/
How Peanut Butter Is Made
About the Author
Kelsea Jorden is a senior at Billings Senior High School. After graduating, she will attend Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, where she will earn a degree in Music Education. Kelsea loves to sing, play the piano, knit, run, and collect spoons. She has three piano students, and she also takes voice and piano lessons. Kelsea is currently training for a half marathon this summer.