Oompa Loompa doompadee doo, I am going to share some knowledge with you!
Oompa Loompa doompadee dee, learn how chocolate is made with me!
If you’re a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you may already have an idea of how chocolate is made. Unfortunately, not all chocolate companies have a team of Oompa Loompas creating waterfalls of chocolate and bars with golden tickets.
In reality, chocolate goes through a fascinating journey that starts in tropical rainforests and ends as the bars and truffles we all love. Here is a step-by-step look at how chocolate is made.
Growing Cacao
Chocolate comes from a tree. The Theobroma cacao tree is the plant that gives us cacao pods, which are the starting point of all chocolate.
Cacao grows in hot, humid regions known as the Cacao Belt, which stretches around 20 degrees north and south of the equator. These trees thrive in tropical rainforests with stable warm temperatures, wet weather and plenty of humidity.
Although cacao originally comes from South America, around 70% of the world’s cacao is now grown in Africa.
If you’re keen to see a cacao tree in the UK, some botanic gardens and tropical glasshouses offer the chance to see one up close.
Harvesting
The fruit of the cacao tree grows from tiny white and pink flowers that appear on the trunk and lower branches. Once pollinated, these flowers develop into pods that begin green and ripen into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red. Some can grow to around the size of a rugby ball.
Twice a year, farmers harvest the ripe pods by carefully cutting them from the tree with a machete. Each pod contains large beans covered in a layer of soft, white pulp.
This sweet pulp can be eaten straight from the pod and has a fresh, fruity flavour. Sometimes it is used to make juice or vinegar, but more often it stays on the beans for the next stage of the chocolate-making process.
Fermenting
Fermentation is the first big step in creating the familiar chocolate flavour. Fresh cacao beans are naturally very bitter and acidic, so this stage helps mellow those strong flavours.
The beans and pulp are scooped from the pods and placed either in wooden crates or in heaps on the ground. They are then covered with banana leaves and left to ferment for anywhere from two to ten days.
During this process, the sugary pulp begins to break down and ferment. The beans need to be stirred regularly so the fermentation happens evenly throughout the batch.
As the sugars in the pulp turn to alcohol and then acids, liquid drips out of the crate or pools around the beans. This process plays a huge part in developing the flavour that will later become chocolate.
Drying
After fermentation, the beans still contain too much moisture to be stored or transported safely. They need to be dried out.
This is often done by spreading the beans in a single layer on the ground or on raised drying tables. The beans are turned regularly, often with a rake, to make sure they dry evenly.
After nearly a week of drying, the beans reach a low enough moisture level to prevent mould. At this point, they are packed into sacks ready for transport.
Transporting
Cacao usually has a long journey ahead of it. Most beans travel from small farms in rainforest regions near the equator to chocolate factories in Europe or North America.
Farmers often sell their dried beans to local traders, who then sell them on to larger merchants. From there, the sacks are transported to the coast, packed into shipping containers and sent across the sea.
After arriving in the destination country, the beans are distributed to warehouses and chocolate factories ready for the next stages of production.
Some chocolate makers work more directly with farmer cooperatives. This shorter supply chain is often called direct trade and can mean farmers are paid more fairly for their beans. It can also help preserve the unique flavours of a particular region, much like wine.
Roasting
Once the beans arrive at the factory, they are sorted and cleaned to remove dust, leaves, stones and anything else that may have ended up in the sack.
The beans are then gently roasted at a low temperature. Roasting is important because it helps reduce bacteria, loosens the outer shells and develops a richer, deeper flavour.
This flavour development happens through what is known as the Maillard reaction, the same process that makes baked bread, roasted coffee and grilled food smell and taste so good.
From this stage onwards, cacao beans are more commonly referred to as cocoa beans.
Winnowing
After roasting, the beans are cracked open. Inside each shell is the edible part of the bean, which often breaks into small pieces known as nibs.
Cacao nibs are the core ingredient used to make chocolate, but they need to be separated from the papery outer shells, also called husks.
This separation is done using a process called winnowing. Because nibs are heavier than shells, air can be used to blow the lighter husks away while the heavier nibs fall into a collecting bowl.
Once winnowing is complete, the chocolate maker is left with clean cacao nibs ready for grinding.
Grinding
Grinding turns cacao nibs into a thick, rich paste. Historically, this was done by hand using a stone tool called a metate, and that traditional method is still used in some places today.
Modern chocolate makers usually use electric stone grinders or larger industrial machines. These grind the nibs into such tiny particles that the final chocolate feels smooth on the tongue.
As the nibs are ground, they release their natural fat, known as cocoa butter, and transform into a thick liquid called cocoa mass or cacao liquor.
Adding Ingredients
At this stage, the basic chocolate mixture can be turned into different types of chocolate by adding ingredients.
For dark chocolate, the mixture is usually made from cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar.
For milk chocolate, milk powder is added along with sugar. Milk powder is used instead of liquid milk because chocolate is fat-based and water would cause problems with the texture.
White chocolate is slightly different because it contains cocoa butter but no cocoa mass. It is usually made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder.
Some chocolate makers also add emulsifiers such as soy or sunflower lecithin to help the ingredients combine more smoothly and stay workable for longer.
Conching
Conching is a process where the liquid chocolate is mixed, stirred and aerated for many hours or even several days.
This stage helps improve texture and flavour. It reduces unwanted moisture, softens bitter notes and spreads the cocoa butter more evenly through the chocolate. The result is a smoother, creamier mouthfeel.
The process gets its name from the original machine shape, which looked a little like a conch shell.
Tempering
Tempering is one of the most important stages in chocolate making. It involves carefully heating, cooling and reheating the chocolate to control the type of cocoa butter crystals that form.
Well-tempered chocolate looks shiny, snaps cleanly when broken and melts beautifully in the mouth rather than too quickly in your hand.
Untempered chocolate, on the other hand, tends to look dull, crumble more easily and melt too fast.
- Shiny: dull
- Hard snap: crumbles
- Less melty: melts in your hand
Although the exact temperatures vary depending on the type of chocolate, the pattern is always the same: heat, cool, then gently warm again.
Adding Flavours And Inclusions
Once the chocolate has been tempered, extra flavours and inclusions can be added.
This is where chocolate makers can get creative. Nuts, dried fruit, spices, biscuit pieces, caramel and other ingredients can all be mixed in to add flavour, crunch or chewiness.
Some chocolatiers also experiment with more unusual flavour combinations to create something a little unexpected.
Moulding
To shape the chocolate, the tempered mixture is poured into moulds.
For chocolate bars, the liquid chocolate is poured into bar-shaped moulds and then tapped or vibrated to remove any air bubbles.
For truffle shells, the moulds are filled and then turned upside down so the excess chocolate runs out. This leaves behind a thin chocolate shell that can later be filled.
The chocolate is then left to set until it is firm enough to remove from the mould.
Finished Bars And Truffles
If every stage has been done well, the finished chocolate should be smooth, shiny and satisfying to snap.
From a cacao pod growing in a tropical rainforest to a beautifully finished bar or truffle, chocolate goes through a long and fascinating journey before it reaches your hands.
Most importantly, it should taste amazing.
Chocolate Making FAQs
What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?
Cacao usually refers to the raw bean and products made from it before roasting. Cocoa is the term more often used after the beans have been roasted and processed.
How many cacao beans are in one pod?
A cacao pod usually contains around 30 to 50 beans, although the number can vary depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Where does chocolate come from?
Chocolate comes from cacao beans, which grow inside large pods on the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). These trees grow in tropical regions close to the equator. The beans are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted and processed before they eventually become chocolate.
What does a cacao pod look like?
A cacao pod is a thick, football-shaped fruit that grows directly on the trunk and lower branches of the cacao tree. Pods start green and change colour as they ripen, often becoming yellow, orange or red. Each pod contains around 30 to 50 cacao beans surrounded by sweet white pulp.
What do cacao beans taste like?
Fresh cacao beans taste very different from chocolate. They are naturally bitter and slightly acidic. The sweet white pulp around the beans tastes fruity and tropical, but the beans themselves only develop the familiar chocolate flavour after fermentation and roasting.
How many cacao pods are needed to make chocolate?
It usually takes about 8 to 10 cacao pods to produce enough beans to make one standard chocolate bar. This can vary depending on the size of the pods and the chocolate recipe used.
Can you eat cacao beans?
Yes, cacao beans can be eaten. When they are roasted and broken into small pieces they are called cacao nibs. These nibs have an intense chocolate flavour but are much more bitter than chocolate because they do not contain added sugar.
Can you make chocolate from a cacao bean at home?
Yes, it is possible to make chocolate at home from cacao beans, but it takes several steps. The beans must be roasted, cracked, winnowed to remove the shells and then ground into a paste. Sugar and sometimes cocoa butter are then added before the chocolate is refined and tempered.
Many home chocolate makers start with cacao nibs instead of whole beans because this skips several early steps in the process.
Can you buy cacao beans?
Yes, whole cacao beans can be purchased online or from speciality food suppliers. However, they usually need to be roasted and processed before they can be turned into chocolate. Some people prefer to buy cacao nibs or cocoa mass instead, as these are easier to work with at home.
What are cacao nibs?
Cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed cacao beans that have had the outer shell removed. They are the purest edible form of chocolate before sugar or other ingredients are added. Nibs are often used in baking, smoothies or sprinkled on desserts.
What is cocoa butter?
Cocoa butter is the natural fat found inside cacao beans. During chocolate making, some of this fat is extracted and used to give chocolate its smooth texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality. Cocoa butter is also used in cosmetics and skincare products.
Why is chocolate tempered?
Tempering controls the structure of the cocoa butter crystals in chocolate. When chocolate is tempered correctly, it becomes shiny, snaps cleanly when broken and melts smoothly in the mouth instead of in your hands.
Why is fermentation important in chocolate making?
Fermentation is essential for developing chocolate flavour. Raw cacao beans are extremely bitter, but fermentation triggers chemical reactions that reduce bitterness and begin forming the complex flavours we associate with chocolate.
How long does it take to make chocolate from bean to bar?
The full process from harvesting cacao pods to finished chocolate can take several weeks. Fermentation takes up to 10 days, drying takes about a week, and the later steps of roasting, grinding, conching and tempering add more time before the chocolate is ready.
