Contents:
Episode 14: Time Delay Locks / Brownies / Pallet Dispensers / Crystal Chandeliers
Episode 15: Bead Wire / Mini Pepperoni / Irrigation Sprinklers / Leather Gloves
Episode 16: Mouth Blown Window Glass / Water Pumps / Sake / Tweezers
Episode 17: Statue Restoration / Tripods / Polish Sausages / Welding Guns
Episode 18: Champagne / ATMs / Marine Turbochargers
Episode 19: Sharpening Steels / Bladder Pumps / Ironing Boards / Kayak Paddles
Episode 20: Champagne Hoods & Foils / Pneumatic Delivery Systems / Espresso Machines / Pizza Ovens
Episode 21: Stile and Rail Doors / Steam Cleaners / Hand-Held Pizzas / Power Brushes
Episode 22: Industrial Casters / Wedding Cakes / Terahertz Spectrometers / Racing Catamarans
Episode 23: Ceramic Grills / Pneumatic Punching Machines / Water Jet Fountains / Hollow Wooden Surfboards
Episode 24: Vibrating Mining Screens / Whoopie Pies / Wood Utility Poles / Roller Conveyors
Episode 25: Exercise Bikes / Cornish Pasties / Pasta Makers / Slate Products
Episode 26: Channel Signs / Wetsuits / Aluminum Aircraft
Episode 14
Brownies
Chocolate brownies are irresistible. Their origins are uncertain, but they were definitely developed in the United States over a century ago. One story is that a homemaker from Bangor, Maine, made the first brownies accidentally while trying to make a cake. Another story states that they were deliberately invented by the chef at a Chicago hotel.
Neither cake nor cookie, a brownie is something in between, a moist, dense, and chewy square. There's no doubt it brings something special to the table.
To mass-produce brownies, this factory starts with canola oil. They add xanthan gum, a natural preservative that increases moisture retention during baking. They blend these two ingredients in an industrial mixer. Then they add sugar, cocoa, and canola and palm oil shortening. They reactivate the mixer, and it blends the ingredients into a chocolate batter. The next ingredients are whole eggs and corn syrup. The massive mixing arm descends back into the bowl and whips these ingredients into the batter. A worker wheels the bowl to a hopper, which releases a precise amount of flour. The flour thickens the mix. It will give the baked brownies structure. After 25 minutes of mixing, the batter is complete. There's enough batter here to make 6,000 brownies.
They transfer the smooth chocolatey mixture to a machine called a depositor. A sprayer mists the pans with oil to keep the brownies from sticking to them during baking. Then the pans arrive at the depositor. This computerized machine releases the batter into each pan. It has perfect aim every time. Next, the pans enter an 11 ½-foot oven. The brownies rotate through 13 tiers to bake them evenly. After about 20 minutes, the brownies are cooked. They exit the oven and head into a cooling chamber. Like the oven, it's multi-tiered. The pans move through it as fans cool the brownies. The cooling helps solidify the brownies. Then a robot arm with needle-like claws lifts them out of the pans and transfers them to the next conveyor. The robots are gentle, so the cool brownies stay intact during the process. The brownies round a corner and transfer to another conveyor.
At the end of the line, a worker places the brownies in a narrow conveyor system that takes them to the wrapping station. A computer sensor detects their approach and alerts the plastic wrapping system ahead. The plastic unwinds into the wrapping machine as the brownies enter it. Metal wheels with grooves pull the wrapper under the brownies, and then heated wheels melt the seam to close it. A hot jaw then seals and severs the plastic film between the brownies, creating individual packets. A robot opens a box and sets it on a conveyor next to the brownie line. An employee then places eight packets of brownies in each carton. They ride by a rotary device, which automatically folds the ends of the cartons. Then the boxes are glued shut. Finally, they travel through a metal detector. It uses a high-frequency electromagnetic signal to detect any metal fragments in the brownies.
It takes about an hour to make and package brownies at this factory, but only a fraction of that time to enjoy them.
Episode 24
Whoopie Pies
Whoopie pies are not pies at all. This all-American treat is made of vanilla cream frosting sandwiched between two pieces of round chocolate cake. The whoopie pie was invented in New England. And today, it is the official state treat of Maine.
This company adds a modern twist to the classic whoopie pie recipe. In addition to traditional chocolate and vanilla, the company makes four other all-natural flavors. The ingredients are certified vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher and free of many common food allergens.
Workers begin by making the chocolate cakes. The first ingredient is water followed by apple cider vinegar. Then, they add either canola or sunflower oil. They mix the liquid ingredients in a large bowl. Then they add the dry ingredients, starting with tapioca starch, bean flour, and sorghum, a gluten-free grain. Next, they mix in cocoa powder, granulated cane sugar, and light brown sugar. They run the mixer at a very high speed to incorporate air in the batter. This will make the cake lighter and fluffier. After about 4 minutes of mixing, the batter is ready. They test a sample using a viscometer, a device that measures the thickness. If the batter is the right consistency, they pump it through a hopper into a multi-head depositor. Each of its five nozzles shoot one ounce of batter onto a moving baking sheet. A finished sheet contains seven rows of batter. Workers load multiple sheets of batter into an oven. The sheets rotate for 15 minutes at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, evenly baking the cakes. The precise combination of ingredients allows the acids in the apple cider vinegar to react with the cocoa powder. The result is a perfect little chocolate cake that's rich in flavor and moist in texture.
The main ingredient for the filling is shortening. It's made from sustainable palm oil. This means the palm trees were responsibly harvested. They mix the shortening well, incorporating enough air to make it light and fluffy. Then they add powdered cane sugar and organic rice milk as a dairy-free substitute. The rice milk makes the frosting creamy. For vanilla frosting, they simply add pure vanilla extract. This is a batch of raspberry frosting, so they add pure raspberry extract and beet juice for color. When they make mint frosting, they use pure mint extract and alfalfa extract for green color. Lemon frosting is made from pure lemon extract and turmeric for color. They check the shade against a color chart to ensure the correct flavor. The multi-head depositor drops frosting on the baking sheets in the same configuration as the batter.
Then they assemble the final pie. Workers start by placing a piece of cake on top of the frosting. They press down hard enough to spread the frosting just shy of the cake's edge. They cover the top with a sheet of parchment paper, then place a baking sheet on top and flip it over. They remove the top baking sheet and the parchment paper. Then, they carefully place the second cake onto the frosting. Workers roll the trays of whoopie pies into a cooler where the desserts chill for about 15 minutes. This hardens them so they won't get squished during packaging.
Workers place the whoopie pies on a conveyor belt that leads to an automated wrapping machine. It wraps double-printed packaging around each pie and seals them underneath. Then the machine cuts the film between each pie. The next machine packages four sealed whoopie pies per retail box.
There are zero preservatives in these whoopie pies. They're shipped frozen to the grocery store and sold in the freezer section. When it's time for a treat, simply let them thaw to room temperature and enjoy.