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How Chocolate is Made is-dark-chocolate-good-for-immune-system-1440x810…
How Chocolate is Made
In the Cacao Field
Pods growing on cacao tress
Harvesting the cacao pods by hand
Cut the mature pods from the tree without damaging flower buds, immature pods or the stem area
The pods are broken open to release the cacao beans
The beans are scooped out quickly
The beans heaped in a pile on mats or banana leaves and covered or into a bin or box with lid
Fermentation process happens when the pulp surrounding the cacao bean is converted into alcohol
The beans are mixed gently, which turns alcohol into lactic and acetic acid
Slits or holes in the box resulting fermentation process leaving just beans
Flavor begins to change from mainly bitter to the beginnings of the complex flavor called chocolate
Fermentation process can take up to eight days, depending on the species of cacao bean and the climate temperature of the region
Drying process depends on the climate or size of the plantation
Cocoa beans can be dried out in the sun on trays or mats where the climate permits
Sun-drying happens in smaller plantations in drier environment.
In tropical areas, the beans can be dried in sheds with enough air circulating around the flats of beans
Once the moisture percentage reached 6 to 7 percent, they are sorted and bagged
The bagged cocoa beans then loaded on ships to be delivered to chocolate manufacturers
In the Manufacturing Plant
Cocoa beans go through a very extensive sampling and testing procedure in size and defects
Sample cocoa beans ground into unsweetened chocolate
One the testing is complete and the shipment is accepted by the manufacturer, the beans are thoroughly cleaned
Cocoa beans go into the roaster for anywhere from 10 to 35 minutes
While roasting, the shell of cocoa bean separates from the bean kernel and removed
The beans are cracked passed through serrated cones known as cocoa nibs
When the shell is dry and lightweight, it can be winnowed from the cocoa nib
The first grind of the beans done in a milling or grinding machine
The nibs are ground or crushed to liquefy the cocoa butter and produce chocolate liquor
Use a roll refiner or ball mill to further reduce the particle size of the cocoa mass and distribute the cocoa butter throughout the mass, coating all particles
Rolling process creates heat that melts and distributes the cocoa butter
Manufacturer must decide on the particle size for each chocolates
Different percentages of cocoa butter are removed or added to the chocolate liquor
Some or all ingredients like sugar, lecithin, milk or cream powder or milk crumb are added depending on the chocolate flavor desired
The conch machine knead the chocolate over a period of hours or days depending on the flavor and texture desired by the manufacturer
The conched chocolate mass is tempered
Conched chocolate molded into bulk bars or wafers
