MAKING BEAN TO BAR CHOCOLATES
1. Exploring
The first step of the whole process is to explore the cocoa planting countries to find the proper origins for making craft chocolate. In some cases, we do it by ourselves and we are working with trusted producers.
2. Sourcing
Make a deal with the farmer, supplier, who can guarantee the superior quality with the proper pre‑ and post‑harvest methods. We are working with specialty cacao, directly sourced from its origins, while taking care of flavour, farmers and the future.
3. Harvesting
Cocoa grows all year round and usually there are two harvesting periods. After opening the cocoa fruit, we can find about 30‑40 beans in a white, slippery, wet pulp. There is a great taste of the pulp around the beans, it has some fruity, slightly sour flavour with some sweetness. Each pod is hand‑picked with a machete and opened with it.
4. Fermenting
After the cocoa beans are removed from the fruit, undamaged beans have to be selected one by one before the fermentation process starts, which is one of the most important steps to allow the cocoa beans to develop its flavours. Cocoa beans are put in wooden crates and are covered with banana leaves and are left to ferment. The process lasts usually for 5‑7 days meanwhile cocoa beans are rotated every 2‑3 days. During the cocoa fermentation the temperature can climb to 46‑48 Celsius. During the process the colour of the beans change from a whitish‑yellow to a dark brown, it is ready for drying.
5. Drying
The beans after the fermentation process are dried in direct sunlight. Humidity has to be reduced in the beans to around 6‑7%. As sudden tropical rain could damage the drying beans, drying usually takes place on rollable wooden boards, which can be easily moved under the hood. During the drying process, cocoa beans have to be rotated for homogeneous dehydrating. After this process cocoa beans are collected from the farmers and are controlled on quality꞉ the beans are analysed by way of cutting test, moisture measurement, and a taste evaluation. Then beans are put in juta bags for transportation.
6. Transporting
The cacao beans are ready to be carried by boat, some cocoa beans are transported by sailboats to achieve a zero‑carbon footprint.
7. Handsorting
As cocoa beans arrive at the manufacturing facility, they have to be carefully cleaned, foreign materials are separated and checked and reconfirmed the origin and quality. All beans are sorted by hand one by one, damaged beans are also separated, only the best ones can participate in our game.
8. Roasting
This process has an essential influence on the development of the aroma and influences the sensory profile. Each cocoa variety needs individual roasting temperature and time. To deliver the best possible flavour, perfect balance of the temperature and time need to be found. We believe that low temperature roasting can preserve the essential aromas of the bean, that is the reason why we apply a special, two‑step roasting method with slow heat up (extra drying) and low‑level temperature roasting. After the roasting process beans have to be cooled down immediately.
9. Cracking
After a cooling down stage the cocoa beans are still warm and we put them in a cracker machine where they are broken up by rollers.
10. Winnowing
Then broken bean pieces are separated from the skin with the help of an air stream system. Small cocoa nibs are ready to take them into the melanger.
11. Melanging
During the grinding process – due to the heat –, the cocoa butter melts and forms a brown mass, which is called cocoa liquor or cocoa mass.
Once the cocoa liquor is approved, unrefined cane sugar is added, continuously mixed to get the right texture, that can be 4 days altogether. Then grinding is done to deliver the optimum fineness. After refining, the chocolate is conched, which is another mixing and heating process but this time without forced pressure. After several hours of conching, cocoa butter can be added to achieve the requested viscosity.
12. Sieving
As chocolate is finished in the melanger, it has to be moulded for maturing. During the moulding process chocolate is poured to 5 kg blocks through a sieve in order to avoid any unrefined particles
13. Maturing
The freshly prepared chocolate couverture is carefully moulded into blocks and placed under vacuum. The chocolate undergoes a maturation process lasting at least 1‑3 months in our artisanal workshop. This period allows for the harmonious arrangement of molecules and the development of rich, complex chocolate aromas.
14. Tempering
As a final process of creating the fine chocolate is the so‑called tempering process, where crystal structure has to be formed. The chocolate has to be shiny and crack as a straight line when braking. These results can be achieved by orienting the chocolate to certain temperature intervals, while continuous movement and time interval is needed to fulfil. Cocoa solids have to be heated up about 45 Celsius, cooling down to 28 Celsius and then reheat to 31 Celsius. These numbers are reference values; these can vary depending on the chocolate.
15. Moulding
After the maturation period, the properly tempered chocolate is poured into the carefully designed chocolate mould.
16. Cooling
Perfectly tempered chocolate needs at least 60 minutes to set in the refrigerator and shrink a little bit so that we can easily remove the solidified chocolate from the mould.
17. Packaging
After removing the chocolate from the refrigerator, we need to wait approximately 30 minutes for it to reach room temperature. Once it has warmed up, we can place it in the final packaging box.
18. Enjoy!
I truly hope you will take much delight in my fine delicacies!
