Cocoa Processing
- Cocoa beans are roasted in large rotating cylinders
- The inside of the cocoa bean is called the “nib”
- Nibs are ground into a non-alcoholic liquid called “chocolate liquor”.
- Chocolate liquor is the main ingredient in chocolate
- Giant hydraulic presses squeeze the cocoa butter out of the chocolate liquor
- The pressed cake that remains after the cocoa butter is removed can be cooled, pulverized and sifted into cocoa powder.
- Chocolate is made by mixing a variety of ingredients into the chocolate liquor
- These ingredients can be milk, sugar, cocoa butter in various amounts that determine the type and quality of chocolate
- The chocolate mixture is then finely ground between a series of heavy roller – this is “conching”
- This chocolate is poured into slabs to send to chocolate makers around the world
- These chocolate makers must then “temper” the chocolate which is heating, cooling and re-heating the chocolate to acquire the right consistency.
- The chocolate makers then take this chocolate and make a variety of confections.