If you always wanted to know where the perfect and delicious food called chocolate came from and what the process of preparing it is, we are here to tell.
It all actually starts with the cocoa trees, which can be found in areas characterized by tropical, hot and humid weather. The tree usually grows in shade and at relatively low temperatures, thanks to its height of no more than 5 meters. What is special about the cacao tree is that its pods grow directly on its trunk and central branches.
In the past, cocoa trees were most common in southern and central America. On the cocoa trees grow the cocoa pods, which are picked while they are ripe and reach a yellow or orange tint. Once harvested, open the cocoa pods and separate the cocoa beans from the pulp that covered them. In fact, there is evidence that as early as the Mayan period, cocoa beans were used to make drinks.
Once the cocoa beans have been separated, they undergo a process of sorting and placed in piles in favor of fermentation of several days. Once fermented, they are dried and transferred to the factory, where the cocoa beans go into the ovens that heat them while grinding. The purpose of the roasting is to separate the cocoa into its two components, the cocoa butter and the cocoa powder, from which a wide variety of chocolate products can be produced.
The process that the machine does is called conching, in which the beans are ground to the thinnest possible level. At this stage, add the additional ingredients to the process, milk, sugar and more, and continue until the chocolate is created.
In the last and most familiar stage, which is the tempering stage, heat the chocolate mixture to a high temperature of 50 degrees, and cool it on the fly, so that it slowly reaches the desired temperature, and back again. The tempering phase is especially important in order to create a texture that is easy to use, that does not melt easily by hand, as well as a smooth, shiny surface and a larger lifestyle, so that it does not spoil quickly.
After all these steps, the chocolate is finally ready to enter a mold that suits the good form in which it will be marketed and reach the consumer.