Starting with hand-harvesting cacao beans and continuing through molding the chocolate into shape, the process of making chocolate is complex and time-consuming. The process of making chocolate includes grinding, fermenting, drying, and roasting the beans to create a liquid paste in between these two stages. This paste is sieved to separate the cocoa butter, which is then blended with other ingredients before being refined and tempered. Molding and packaging are the final steps in the chocolate-making process.
Cacao pods are hand-picked twice a year to protect the delicate bark and flower clusters. To remove ripe pods from the tree, workers typically use a long-handled blade. The pods are then opened with machetes before the seeds and pulp are removed.
Fermentation is an important step in the chocolate-making process that helps to give it its distinct flavor. Seeds are covered in banana leaves and left in the sun in some areas. Enzymes produce the chocolate flavor as the sun heats the pulp surrounding the seeds. After that, the dark brown seeds are dried to remove any remaining moisture.
Some farmers dry their crops in the sun, while others use industrial dryers. During this process, seeds shrink to about half their original size. They’re shipped to buyers in burlap bags for inspection. If the seeds appear to be satisfactory, they are sent to factories to continue the chocolate-making process.
Before being roasted in large ovens, seeds are sorted and cleaned to remove any remaining pulp. The scent and flavor are released when the food is heated. Depending on the type of seeds and where they were grown, the heating process could take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.
Before crushing, brittle shells must be cracked to expose roasted seeds. When seeds are ground, a liquid paste called liquor is produced. Machines separate liquors from cocoa butter, a fatty substance that is the main ingredient in white, dark, and milk chocolates. The rest of the paste is ground into cocoa powder.
To keep the chocolate from melting, the liquor is sweetened with sugar and milk, as well as more cocoa butter. Before conching, the mixture is crumbled by large rollers. Conching refers to the process of grinding the paste in vats to remove any coarse particles, such as sugar grains. This step in the chocolate-making process can take up to six days and ensures a smooth, creamy texture.
Tempering takes time as well. To make the chocolate glossy and melt in the mouth, it is heated and cooled several times. Chocolate is purchased in this state by some factories, such as ice cream makers. Finally, the tempered chocolate is poured into various-sized and-shaped molds.