How Chocolate is Prepared

How Chocolate is Prepared

After taking a glimpse at the history of chocolate, we can now turn our attention to chocolate preparation. The process is laborious and takes many pains to finally turn into your favorite bar of eating chocolate. The origin of cocoa beans is very important as regional cocoa beans have their own distinct taste. The end product is what makes it a deciding factor for selection of cocoa bean. Bean segregation starts as the very first step in chocolate making.

It is important to note that manufacturing of chocolate is specific to every cocoa variety of plant. However, there are a few generalized processes that are followed in chocolate preparation. Following are the common processes every chocolate manufacturer undertakes,

Cleaning and Blending

Even before the blending process begins, coffee beans are stored carefully to avoid any odd mangling of flavours. The area for coffee storage is generally away and secluded as coffee beans are sensitive to aromas. After segregation, a machine cleans the cocoa beans by filtering cocoa pulp, pod and other dirt particles.

The most primary factor that determines the taste is the selection of coffee beans. After thorough cleaning, the beans are weighed and blended as per the company regulations. Generally, the blending is done based upon experience and the desirable chocolate product. The next process brings out the rich chocolaty aroma, which is so popular worldwide.

Roasting

Appropriate roasting gives a rich flavour to the coffee beans. Roasting is normally a half to 2 hour long process. The beans are roasted in large revolving cylinders. The temperature varies depending upon the desired chocolate. The beans are roasted at 250 degrees F and even higher sometimes. At this stage, the beans lose all its moisture and turn a dark and rich brown. The lingering aroma of roasted cocoa beans can be compared to a few fine aromas in the world. The beans are cooled and their shells are removed using cracker and fanners, a machine that winnows the beans while they pass through the cones, cracking them. A chain of mechanical sieves segregates the pieces while the fans blow away the unwanted shells. The roasted nibs contain 53 percent cocoa butter, which is then conveyed to mills, where they are crushed using large grinding stones along with the help of heavy steel discs. This process leads to liquefied form of cocoa butter, popular as chocolate liquor. For bitter chocolate, the liquid is poured into moulds to solidify the cakes.

Most chocolate manufacturers follow the same process till this point. There are different by-products of cocoa like cocoa butter, vegetable fat that determine the flavour. Depending upon the desired chocolate product, the process takes different forms. Generally it is the proportion of chocolate liquor that varies in different varieties of chocolates in addition to flavours and ingredients.

Preparation of Cocoa Powder

Chocolate liquor is pumped into a massive hydraulic press and pressure is applied. This results in fat drainage in the form of yellow liquid. The fats are collected for use in chocolate manufacturing. Cocoa butter is so important in the chocolate production that it can be easily said that no chocolate would taste the way it does, without it.

The pressed cakes after removing the cocoa butter are cooled and pulverised and then sifted to cocoa powder. The "Dutch" process of manufacturing treats the cocoa with an alkali to develop a slightly distinct flavor. It gives the cocoa a darker appearance, a mark of Dutch processing.

Eating Chocolate

Eating chocolate is made by adding cocoa butter. Dark and bitter sweet, all chocolates preparations use cocoa butter that enhances the flavor while making the chocolate more flowing. Sweet chocolate makes use of sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter and a little vanilla. The contents are melted and mixed using a machine till the dough gains the desired consistency. Milk chocolate is also mixed like sweet chocolate while using less unsweetened chocolate and by adding milk to concoction.

The mixture goes through a series of heavy rollers set one atop the other. Under the grinding that takes place here, the mixture is refined to a smooth paste ready for "conching." Conching is a process involving kneading of chocolate for flavor. The process has derived the name from shell-shaped containers. The conches are equipped with heavy rollers that knead the chocolate mass. The process may take a few hours or days. Under regulated speeds, these rollers generate different degrees of shake-ups and aeration essential for developing and modifying the chocolate flavours.

After the emulsifying, the mixture goes through a tempering interval heating, cooling and reheating process. The last it is put into moulds to be customized into specific shape. The moulds are made of unique shapes and sizes. The history and process of chocolate making often lead people to cherishing the valuable delicacy more than ever before.

After the emulsifying, the mixture goes through a tempering interval heating, cooling and reheating process. The last it is put into moulds to be customized into specific shape. The moulds are made of unique shapes and sizes. The history and process of chocolate making often lead people to cherishing the valuable delicacy more than ever before.