Tropicalizing agent, and methods for making and using the same

A tropicalizing agent including a liquid fat component and a plurality of gel beads that include a sugar or polyol in an amount of about 20 to 50 weight percent of the gel beads, an emulsifier component to facilitate uniform gel bead distribution, and the remainder being water present in an amount sufficient to ensure that the sugar or polyol is present in aqueous form. Preferably, the liquid fat component is present in an amount sufficient to disperse the gel beads therein and wherein a majority of the gel beads remain substantially intact for at least about 4 hours after being cooled below about 30° C. Methods of making tropicalizing agents and using the agents to tropicalize chocolate products or analogues thereof, as well as the resultant chocolate or chocolate analogue articles, are also included.