Production of chocolate

Although it is not intended to describe in detail the many specialized techniques used in chocolate making, certain steps in the process are critical in determining both quality and cost of the finished goods.

Whole beans are roasted for a few minutes in order first to develop their flavor and second to loosen the shells form the nibs.

After passing though cracking rolls, the nib and shell are separated in a winnower.

The nib is then ground; the heat produced in the process is sufficient to melt the cocoa butter and this results in cocoa “liquor” in which fine cocoa particles are dispersed in a continuous fat phase.

Some of the liquor will go straight to chocolate making. The rest will go though hydraulic presses that reduce the butter content of the cocoa from its level of about 50% to a level of 20% or lower.

The press-cake will subsequently be pulverized for cocoa powder, and the expressed cocoa butter go to chocolate making.
Production of chocolate