Student Article
How Chocolate Is Made: From Bean to Bar
Ferment (verb): To change the flavor of food using bacteria or yeast.
Microbial (adjective): Related to microorganisms like bacteria.
Husk (noun): The dry outer covering of a seed, nut, or fruit — often something that's removed and not eaten.
Crystallize (verb): To form crystals or a solid structure.
Chocolate is made from the beans of the Theobroma cacao tree, a small evergreen tree native to the rainforests of Central and South America. The tree produces elongated pods that can be yellow, orange, or purple. Inside these pods are cacao beans covered in a sweet, white pulp. From pod to packaging, here is the process that chocolate follows!
Growing
The cacao tree grows flowers that develop into pods. The pods take about five or six months to mature and ripen.
Splitting
The pods are harvested by hand and split open to reveal 20 to 60 beans arranged in a sweet, white pulp. The beans are bitter, while the pulp is sweet and fruity.
Fermenting
The beans and pulp are scooped out of the pods and left to ferment. This process involves microbial succession, where yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic bacteria react to develop the flavor of the beans.
Drying
The beans are dried in the Sun to remove moisture. This process continues to develop the flavor. Quick drying results in a more bitter taste, while careful drying reduces acidity.
Roasting
The beans are roasted to enhance their flavor and kill any microorganisms. Roasting also helps remove lingering acidic flavors.
Cracking
The roasted beans are cracked open to separate the husks from the beans.
Winnowing
The lighter husks are removed from the heavier beans, called nibs. This can be done by hand or with a winnower machine.
Grinding
The nibs are ground up, and sugar is added to make the chocolate sweet. This step was introduced in the 16th Century after cacao beans arrived in Spain.
Tempering
The chocolate is slowly heated and cooled to allow the fats to crystallize uniformly. This gives the chocolate a smooth and glossy finish and a satisfying snap.
Molding
The chocolate mixture is poured into molds to cool and harden. Once solidified, the chocolate is packaged and shipped to distribution centers, ready for consumption.
© Holly Spanner / Our Media
Ferment (verb): To change the flavor of food using bacteria or yeast.
Microbial (adjective): Related to microorganisms like bacteria.
Husk (noun): The dry outer covering of a seed, nut, or fruit — often something that's removed and not eaten.
Crystallize (verb): To form crystals or a solid structure.