Curious about how chocolate is made? Here’s how.
Chocolate is a favorite treat for many people, and for a good reason. It blends a good flavor with several health benefits to create a treat that is delicious as well as good for you. Even though chocolate can be found in many places, many people don’t know much about it. For example, they may know that they like its taste, but not the differences between milk chocolate and dark chocolate or where they come from. Chocolate is a wonderful treat, and more people should know about its qualities. Here is some information about how chocolate chocolate is made.
Harvesting
Cacao pods are the foundation of chocolate, and many of them are grown in African countries such as Cameroon and Nigeria. They need to grow for about five months before they can be harvested. The harvesting process involves using machetes to cut cacao pods down. Within each pod, there are between thirty and fifty beans. These beans, along with the pulp, are taken out of the pods and put into baskets to ferment.
Fermentation
This process is important because it affects how the chocolate itself will taste. During fermentation, cacao beans are placed in banana or plantain leaves for about five days while microorganisms work to release the flavors. When this process is done, the newly-fermented beans are sent to chocolate makers.
Roasting
After the chocolate makers get the cacao beans, it’s time to roast them. First, the beans are cleaned and placed into large containers. They are then roasted for up to two hours, giving them a great color and flavor. It also makes it easier to separate the outer part of the bean from the inner portion, which will help in the next steps. The leftover pieces of the bean are then smashed into nibs.
Finished Product
These nibs are heated up and made into chocolate liquor (which doesn’t contain alcohol). Different types of chocolate contain varying percentages of chocolate liquor. Milk chocolate has about 10% chocolate liquor, dark chocolate usually has at least 35% and white chocolate doesn’t have any.
PICK YOUR FAVORITE CHOCOLATES FROM A WIDE MENU AT WOCKENFUSS CANDIES!
Wockenfuss has all of your favorite dark, milk, and white chocolates! Whether you prefer truffles, nut bark, or sugar-free chocolates, Wockenfuss has what you and your loved ones will love. Since 1915, Wockenfuss has been a family owned and operated business creating the finest confections in Baltimore, Maryland. With our nine convenient locations throughout Maryland, there is sure to be a Wockenfuss store near you. Come and visit us to see our selection of favorites such as our gourmet truffles, chocolate specialties, and much more!
We’d be happy to help you select the perfect sweet treat, whether for you or as a gift for a loved one or your pup! If you have any questions about our sweet seasonal candies, please contact Wockenfuss Candies by calling us at 1-800-296-4414 or emailing info@Wockenfusscandies.com. When you’re not savoring our sweets, stay satisfied by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest too!