How is Chocolate Made

How is Chocolate made? It all starts with the cacao bean or seed, which originates  from a fruit bearing tree called cocoa or cacao (you pronounce it as cackow).

The latin name is Theobroma cacao: Theobroma means "food of the gods.

The cocoa bean in its raw state is bitter.

One characteristic of  the cocoa plant is that it grows its fruit on the trunk.

image by sarahemcc
Cocoa plant grows its fruit on the trunk

In the wild the tree grows up to 15 meters (50ft)  high but under cultivation it is restricted to a maximum height of 8 meters (26ft).

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Cocoa plantation

It is common for the tree trunk to split into five main branches, from which other branches will grow un an upwards manner and at an angle sto spread out like a fan.

The shiny evergreen leaves are oval shaped and measure up to 30 cm (1 ft) in length.

It starts with the harvesting of the pods which are cut off the tree using machetes or sharp knives which have been secured on sticks.  

The main harvesting period is October to March, when about 80 percent of the world cocoa crop is harvested.

The process of harvesting has to be done with great care.   It is still a labor intensive process as it is all done by hand, just as it was done by the Aztecs.

Care is taken to make sure that the remaining flowers and unripe pods are not damaged.  The cuts on the trees are then sealed so that new flowers can grow.

The timing of the harvest varies depending  on the color of the pod.

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Green pods generally turn yellow

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Red pods are harvested when they turn red

Dark violet pods scarcely change color and it harder to determine when to harvest.

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"Baby" cocoa pod

The pods are then opened and the seeds are removed by hand with some pulp intact.  

They are then left in a pile for about three days, which will kill the seed so that it will not grow, this starts the process of fermentation.

In a tropical climate, the fermenation process occurs naturally, by the micro-organisms present on the pods.

The beans have to be removed quickly from the pods as they are prone to spoilage and will germinate due to the warm climate.

The beans are removed from the pod while still at the planation.  The pods are split in half with a machete or wooden stick.

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How is Chocolate Made
Cocoa pod

image by colonos
How is Chocolate Made
Inside of the pod

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How is Chocolate Made
Unprocessed coca bean

In the fermentation process enzymes are released which break down the compounds of simple sugars and acids.

During the process the enzymes act on the sugars to produce alcohol in a similar way to beer and wine making.

You can not get drunk on the cocoa bean, because the alcohol converts to acidic acid.

During the fermentation process some of the bitterness of the bean has been removed, but it still can not be eaten.

There are two types of fermentation:

Heap.  In heap fermentation (used mostly in West Africa) up to 2500kg of beans are placed in heaps with what remains of the white sticky pulp.  The heaps are covered with banana leaves and left for 5 - 6 days.  Sometimes the beans are turned over halfway through.

Box.  In box fermentation (used mostly in Asia)  the beans are placed into big wooden boxes with holes in the bottom so the liquid from the beans and pulp can drain away.  The beans are covered with banana leaves.

The beans are transferred from one box to another to ensure proper air circulation and drainage.

How is chocolate made
Box Fermenation

After the fermentation process the beans are dried.  If the beans are not dried properly they can go moldy.  If this happens whole batches of chocolate can be ruined.

The beans ideally should be dried to about seven to eight percent of their original moisture.  If they are dried out too much they become difficult to handle.

The beans are usually dried on mat, trays or tables in the sun.  At night they have to be protected when it rains.

The beans are dried in the sun for about on week and raked over.  During this time, the flavor of the cocoa bean develops and the character of each variety becomes apparent.

The beans dry quickly and do not stick together if they have been washed after fermentation.

Once the beans have been dried they are ready for transport to market, at this stage it is refered to raw cocoa.

image by andi
How is chocolate made.
Drying Cocoa Beans

It is important that the beans do not get wet during storage. If they do become wet they go moldy.  

The beans are usually packed in jute sacks which provide the air circulation that they need.

The beans have to be stored separately from other strong smells so that they don't take on extra flavors.

The coffee bean is then shipped by sea to chocolate factories all over the world for further processing.

Once the beans have reached the factory the first step is to clean them.  

They are shaken, sieved and brushed to remove unwanted items such as stones and other debris.

The beans are roasted for about 15 - 20 minutes to bring out the aroma.  This brings out the smells and also changes the taste.  

Roasting also loosens the out husks so that this can be removed at the next stage.

When the beans are crushed the husks fall off.  Currents of air are used to remove the husks as they are lighter than the bean.  

At this stage the beans are blended to the required mix.

The beans are then ground into a paste.  The grinding action makes the cocoa butter in the beans melt, and the result is a thick brown liquid, which will become thick when cooled.

Half of the cocoa paste  is put aside and will be used later. The other half is squeezed by hydraulic presses until cocoa butter is extracted.  

The cocoa butter when filtered and purified makes the chocolate smooth and shiny.

The different ingredients are kneaded together (whether it be for plain, milk or white chocolate) in larger mixers, then put through rollers.

At this stage the chocolate is still a little gritty and bitter.  It needs one more stage.

Conching is where the chocolate paste is heated and then slapped  to and fro by rollers of about seventy two hours.

The end result being a mellow smooth chocolate.

This is the final stage.  The chocolate paste is heated to 50C (122F) and then cooled to 30C (86F).

This produces a thicker and a consistency correct for filling moulds.

It also helps the chocolate to keep it shine and stops it developing a dull grey bloom.


The chocolate paste can now be used to make various chocolate products.