The world of chocolate is changing.
Prices have gone up, production costs have gone up, harvests have struggled. There's talk of lab-made chocolate with millions being invested in the new technology. Cocoa-free chocolate alternatives made of carob, sunflower seeds, or even legumes have been gaining traction with most notable examples being Caroboo's carob and coconut bars and Candy Kittens' Treets range that uses the sunflower-based ChocoViva chocolate substitute.
It's an exciting time in the chocolate world with so much innovation pumping out alternatives suitable for those with allergies, dietary requirements, or for those just looking for something different. But what about regular, old-fashioned chocolate?
The Cacao Tree
Making chocolate is quite a long-winded process. It all starts with the cacao tree. Cacao trees are tropical evergreens grown throughout the equatorial belt in South America, West Africa, the Caribbean, and South East Asia. They need year round warmth and plenty of rain to thrive.
Cacao trees reach maturity after around four years, reaching heights between 6 and 12 feet. Their fruits - cacao pods - grow directly from their trunk and limbs in striking clusters. Each tree can produce up to 70 pods a year.
The Cacao Pod
Cacao pods range in colour from vibrant yellow to deep purple and ripen in around 6 months. Inside each pod are rows of oval seeds, each covered and held together in a sticky white pulp. Each pod contains between 20 and 60 such seeds.
Once the pods are harvested, it's time to bring out the chocolatey flavour. The first step is fermentation.
Fermentation
The fresh seeds/beans are quite bitter. To remove this bitter flavour the wet, pulpy beans are placed into piles, wooden boxes, or baskets before being covered and left for up to seven days.
Throughout the fermentation process, microorganisms begin to break down the white pulp turning its sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Air is introduced part way through the process which causes the the beans to begin to heat up, raising the temperature of the mass to around 40°C or higher. This kills the germ of the bean (the part that allows it to grow).
After the pods have fermented they are dried (often in the sun) before being roasted.
Roasting
The dried beans are collected, with twigs, stones, and other contaminants removed. These beans are then roasted to remove the remaining water content, kill off any fungi or bacteria, and create the final flavour profile.
The method for roasting varies from producer to producer, with some craft chocolatiers varying their roast from harvest to harvest. Some roast in a drum, some in ovens. Temperatures range from 80°C to 150°C and times from as little as 15 minutes to as much as 35 minutes.
Once the beans are roasted and cooled, it's time to crack the husks away from the inner nibs and begin grinding.
Grinding
The goal with grinding cocoa nibs is to make an ultra fine powder and, ultimately, chocolate. This is achieved by grinding the nibs in a machine until they release their cocoa butter. This cocoa butter can either be removed or kept to make the chocolate.
During this process the friction can also help remove remaining acidic notes, creating a smoother flavour. At this stage additional ingredients can also be added in to affect the taste and texture of the chocolate.
Once the chosen flavour is achieved and the entire mix is smooth, it's time to temper the chocolate.
Tempering
Tempering is simply the process of controlling the temperature of the chocolate through a series of heating and cooling in order to stabilise the cocoa butter crystals, giving the chocolate a satisfying snap, glossy finish, and delightful mouth feel.
