How does one make chocolate?!
How does one make chocolate?
Answers:
The first step in producing a premium quality chocolate is the blending of cocoa beans (actually seeds). Cocoa beans very greatly in quality, and it goes without saying that only the highest quality beans can be used to produce a premium quality chocolate. Furthermore, there are many varieties of beans. Some are grown in Africa, others in the Caribbean, and others in South America. Each variety of bean has its own strengths -- some beans have a more intense flavor, others have a longer lasting taste, and another bean may have a special aroma. Lastly, the beans are similar to wine grapes, in that their flavor is effected by weather. Subtle variations of the blending process can allow the production of a consistent tasting product year after year.
After blending, the cocoa beans are roasted. It is the process of roasting the cocoa beans that brings out the chocolate flavor and aroma (I can tell you from personal experience that this process also produces one of the most lovely aromas my nose has ever smelled).
Next the cocoa beans are shelled, and the pieces of seeds (called nibs) are then ground until a chocolate liquor is produced. Extra cocoa butter is then added (when producing cocoa or sweet ground chocolate it is removed). The extra cocoa butter increases the delicacy of the chocolate, and is largely responsible for its flavor. Depending on the type of chocolate being produced, additional ingredients such as sugar, vanilla, and possibly dry milk powder are added to the chocolate liquor.
The next step is a process called conching. Conching is a process of continually folding the chocolate liquor upon itself in a kind of wave motion. This breaks down all the small particles in the chocolate, and results in a smooth texture that literally melts in your mouth. Ghirardelli conches their chocolate for about 14 hours. This long conching process produces an extremely fine chocolate -- a shorter conching process produces a gritty chocolate, and a longer conching process would break down the chocolate and produce an oily chocolate.
The mixture is then "tempered," by slowly cooling the chocolate liquor to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit while the mixture is continually kept moving. This last process produces the chocolate crispness, and sheen. The chocolate is then molded into bars, packaged, and sent to the customers.
The secret to premium quality chocolate has three components:
1. A quality blend of only the finest cocoa beans.
2. The liberal addition of extra cocoa butter.
3. A long conching process.
Ghirardelli excels in all three areas. If you purchase inexpensive chocolate, you can be sure of at least one and probably several of the following:
* The manufacture used inferior beans -- quality beans are expensive.
* The chocolate has a low cocoa butter content, that may have been supplemented with animal or vegetable fat -- cocoa butter is expensive.
* The conching process lasted only a couple hours -- tying up equipment for 14 hours is expensive.
To understand how much a difference in quality makes, purchase some Ghirardelli chocolate, and a real cheap chocolate bar. Open the Ghirardelli chocolate, and notice the aromatics. Brake off a small piece and let it melt in your mouth. Rub the chocolate up against the roof of your mouth and feel its smooth texture. Close your eyes and savor the fine sweet flavor, and notice how long that flavor seems to last. Repeat the process with the cheap chocolate, and you will quickly notice the lack of flavor, smell, and a gritty texture.
If you produce any of the recipes found on this Web site that uses chocolate or cocoa, then keep in mind that quality ingredients are the key to success, and there is no higher quality chocolate than the chocolate produced by Ghirardelli.
Source(s):
http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/middlebo...
Chocolate from scratch would be tough to do from home...it involves cocoa beans, sugar and all sorts of heating processes and other ingredients.
Cocoa is a bean grown in South America. From the bean I assume you add a liquid, most notably milk and and heat until smooth. I bet you could find a good recipe online somewhere.
Make chocolate, or, make chocolate candy??? Candy...you can buy some Wiltons candy making chocolate pieces, molds etc. and follow the instructions. (available at craft stores) Using cocoa beans to make chocolate I don't know if you can do that.
Go to canada and plant a palm tree then wait for the chocolate to grow. Then pick and serve.
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake With Glossy Chocolate Icing:
1? hours 30 min prep
1 layer cake
Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Glossy chocolate Icing
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.
2. Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.
3. Whisk dry cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
4. Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
5. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.
6. Divide batter between the two pans (about 3 cups each), then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (35- 40 min).
7. Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack.
8. Leave upside down until completely cooled before frosting them.
9. To make icing, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
10. Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt- the mixture will be thick/grainy.
11. Combine cream, sour cream and coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth.
12. Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth.
13. Cook until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch.
14. DO NOT BOIL.
15. Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla.
16. Cool at room temperature until spreadable (up to three hours).
17. If it isn't getting thick enough to be spreadable, put in the refrigerator until thick enough to spread.
18. If it gets too thick to spread easily, warm gently in the microwave until it's just right (20 seconds or so, repeat if necessary).
19. Stir well, and ice cake, frosting first layer, then placing second layer on top, and icing the top and then the sides.
If you mean making a plain chocolate bar or chocolate chips:
cocoa
coconut oil
sugar
Just experiment with the quantities until you get the texture and sweetness that you like
Grocery store has "baking choc." or Bitter Chocolate....start there, recipes on it!