The cocoa-bean -- the heart of the sweetest delicacy in the world -- is bitter! This is why, up to the 18th century some native tribes ate only the sweetish flesh of the cocoa fruit. They regarded the precious bean as waste or used it, as was the case among the Aztecs, as a form of currency.
The VarietiesThere are two quite different basic classifications of cocoa, under which practically all varieties can be categorised: Criollo and Forastero cocoas. The pure variety of the Criollo tree is found mainly in its native Equador and Venezuela. The seeds are of finer quality than those of the Forastero variety.
They have a particularly fine, mild aroma and are, therefore, used only in the production of high-quality chocolate and for blending. However, Criollo cocoa accounts for only 10% of the world crop. The remaining 90% is harvested from trees of the Forastero family, with its many hybrids and varieties. The main growing area is West Africa. The cocoa tree can flourish only in the hottest regions of the world.
The Harvest immediately after harvesting, the fruit is treated to prevent it from rotting. At fermentation sites either in the plantation or at, collecting points, the fruit is opened.
FermentationThe fermentation process is decisive in the production of high quality raw cocoa. The technique varies depending on the growing region.
Drying
After fermentation, the raw cocoa still contains far too much water; in fact about 60%. Most of this has to be removed.
What could be more natural than to spread the beans out to dry on the sun-soaked ground or on mats? After a week or so, all but a small percentage of the water has evaporated.
Cleaning
Before the real processing begins, the raw cocoa is thoroughly cleaned by passing through sieves, and by brushing. Finally, the last vestiges of wood, jute fibres, sand and even the finest dust are extracted by powerful vacuum equipment.
Roasting
The subsequent roasting process is primarily designed to develop the aroma. The entire roasting process, during which the air in the nearly 10 feet high furnaces reaches a temperature of 130 °C, is carried out automatically.
Waste moisture and acid compounds evaporate during the roasting process, and the beans become a uniform shade of deep-brown. Cocoa roasting is a very important stage of the whole manufacturing process, and the future quality of the chocolate, and its smell and taste depend on it just as much as they do on fermentation. Sometimes different grades of cocoa (or cocoa of one grade, but grown in different countries) are mixed for roasting. The majority of the major chocolate manufacturers keep their methods and conditions of roasting a secret. After roasting, the shells are removed and the cocoa beans are crushed into cocoa nibs.
Crushing and shelling
The roasted beans are now broken into medium sized pieces in the crushing machine.
Blending
Before grinding, the crushed beans are weighed and blended according to special recipes. The secret of every chocolate factory lies in the special mixing ratios which it has developed for different types of cocoa.
Grinding
The crushed cocoa beans, which are still fairly coarse are now pre-ground by special milling equipment and then fed on to rollers where they are ground into a fine paste. The heat generated by the resulting pressure and friction causes the cocoa butter (approximately 50% of the bean) contained in the beans to melt, producing a thick, liquid mixture.
This is dark brown in colour with a characteristic, strong odour. During cooling it gradually sets: this is the cocoa paste.
At this point the production process divides into two paths, but which soon join again. A part of the cocoa paste is taken to large presses, which extract the cocoa butter. The other part passes through various blending and refining processes, during which some of the cocoa butter is added to it. The two paths have rejoined.
Cocoa Butter
The cocoa butter has important functions. It not only forms part of every recipe, but it also later gives the chocolate its fine structure, beautiful lustre and delicate, attractive glaze.
Cocoa Liquor
Roasted and cleaned cocoa-nibs are carefully ground. The finer the cocoa-nibs are ground at this stage, the fuller and finer the taste of the chocolate. The size of the cocoa particles passed through the grinding machinery, should not exceed 75 microns—such cocoa is called coca liquor.
These cakes are crushed again, ground to powder and finely sifted in several stages and we obtain a dark, strongly aromatic powder which is excellent for the preparation of delicious drinks - cocoa. Cocoa paste, cocoa butter, sugar and milk are the four basic ingredients for making chocolate. By blending them in accordance with specific recipes the three types of chocolate are obtained which form the basis of ever product assortment, namely: ( A or B Process)
A-Kneading
In the case of milk chocolate for example, the cocoa paste, cocoa butter, powdered or condensed milk, sugar and flavouring - maybe vanilla - go into the mixer, where they are pulverized and kneaded.
Rolling
Depending on the design of the rolling mills, three or five vertically mounted steel rollers rotate in opposite directions. Under heavy pressure they pulverise the tiny particles of cocoa and sugar down to a size of approx. 30 microns. (One micron is a thousandth part of a millimetre.)
B-Pressing
The cocoa liquor contains 54% cocoa butter, the very valuable substance essential for the production of real chocolate. Cocoa liquor is heated up to 95−105 °C and is then pressed. As a result, cocoa butter is separated from the solids, which are subsequently used for the production of cocoa powder.
Mixing and grinding
Cocoa liquor, sugar and part of the cocoa butter are mixed in specified proportions. After mixing the mass is ground. This stage is very important for the production of chocolate: the finer the crushing, the more delicate the taste. Please note that the overall content of natural cocoa-products in such a mix largely determines not only the quality, but also the cost of the chocolate. This especially concerns the contents of cocoa-butter, an extremely valuable and expensive product. But in various cheap substitutes cocoa-butter is almost invariably absent. It is the reason for the so-called “attractive” prices, which are used by not too scrupulous manufacturers to please not very experienced clients.
Conching
But still the chocolate paste is not smooth enough to satisfy our palates. But within two or three days all that will have been put right. For during this period the chocolate paste will be refined to such an extent in the conches that it will flatter even the most discriminating palate.
Conches (from the Spanish word "concha", meaning a shell) is the name given to the troughs in which 100 to 1000 kilograms of chocolate paste at a time can be heated up to 80 °C and, while being constantly stirred, is given a velvet smoothness by the addition of certain amounts of cocoa butter. A kind of aeration of the liquid chocolate paste then takes place in the conches: its bitter taste gradually disappears and the flavour is fully developed. The chocolate no longer seems sandy, but dissolves meltingly on the tongue. It has attained the outstanding purity which gives it its reputationCocoa PowderAfter the cocoa butter has left the press, cocoa cakes are left which still contain a 10 to 20% proportion of fat depending on the intensity of compression.
After mixing and grinding the chocolate mass is subjected to conching: intensive mixing at high temperature. Conching is a very long (up to 24 hours) process and, as a result, the superfluous moisture and the residual tannins are evaporated from the chocolate mass, and the cocoa solids are rounded off. The consistency of the chocolate becomes more homogeneous, and the taste—gentler, the well-known “melt in the mouth” effect. After processing the chocolate mass, the rest of the components are added according to the recipe: cocoa butter and lecithin—for mass attenuation and optimized moulding; natural flavoring agent (vanilla)—for a subtler and more delicate aroma.
Tempering
Tempering is a key part of chocolate production. It is a long and complex process, which requires great experience and skill. After conching, the hot chocolate mass should be cooled, but it requires several stages to do this, because of the cocoa-butter contents. The problem is that cocoa-butter is a polymorphic fat, which crystallizes and congeals while cooling, but can take on different consistencies according to cooling conditions. Tempering is necessary for the cocoa butter to obtain the most stable consistency. For this purpose, the hot chocolate is at first cooled down to 28 °С, and then reheated to 32 °С. If the process is upset at any one of the tempering stages, this will be reflected in the appearance and consistency of the chocolate. For example, a characteristic white bloom can appear on its surface. Such a “bloom” is the result of incorrect tempering. Moreover, the “bloom” does not appear at once, but some time later. Also, the chocolate can become hard-grained and crumbly due to incorrect cooling. In this case, its taste properties will be retained, but its appearance for marketing purposes will be hopelessly damaged.
Moulding
After tempering, the chocolate is poured into heated moulds. At this stage, if the recipe requires it, various additives (for example, nuts) are put into the chocolate. After that, the chocolate is put into coolers. The chocolate solidifies and a beautiful shine appears on its surface. Then the moulds with the solid chocolate are upturned and shaken on to the conveyor.
Packaging and labelling
The last stage in the manufacture of chocolate is its packaging and labeling. And if the chocolate is made by the VK company, it will have the precise packaging you, the customer, have ordered.
Conditions and length of storage
Chocolate should be transported and stored at 18±3 °С, with a relative humidity of less than 75%. If these conditions are not observed, the chocolate can bloom and lose its marketable appearance.
