WELCOME

TO THE WORLD OF
CHOCOLATES
INTRODUCTION: PART 1
Cacao and Chocolates
Origin
Growth
Plant
Tree
Fruit
Cacao
Types of Cacao
ORIGIN
- the origins of the world’s most favorite
food in taste and flavor can be traced as far
back as 3000 years ago when it was
discovered in the vocabulary texts of the
OLMECS at the Pacific coast of Guatemala
- after the Olmecs, the Mayans, the Toltecs
and the Aztecs Civilizations came in next
- By the 1500s, the spread of Cacao plant
cultivation started in Europe by CC
 - by 1580, the very first cacao processing
plant was set up in Spain and started
the spread of cacao as chocolates in
Europe
- by 1700, it was during this time that
the Cacao tree got its Botanical name
“Theobroma cacao” which literally
means “Food of the Gods”
- by 1765, Chocolates were launched ; 1st
Cacao milling plant in MA, USA
-by 1800, industrialization started which
led to the factory scale production of
chocolates
- In 1828, Van Houten was the first to
separate chocolates into cocoa powder
and cocoa butter ; a machine press
- by 1850, the chocolate bar was created
- by 1860, chocolates packed in boxes
commercialized by Cadbury
- in 1875, Henri Nestle was the first one to
mix condensed milk with chocolates
 - by 1895, milk chocolate was created
- by 1900, Hershey’s “kisses” was
launched into the market
- by 1940, during the 2nd world war,
Hershey and Ghirardelli supplied
American forces with chocolates as
part of their food nutrition pack.
- It was also by this time that Mars
Inc. introduced the M&Ms.
GROWTH

- Tropical Belt: “generally” at 20

degrees up and down the equatorial
(latitude) plane of the planet
- Climate Change: “reduced” to 10 to
15 degrees up & down the plane
- Philippines: Endemic; widespread
- Mindanao: Primary Source; vast land
plantations; cacao hybrids; primarily
exported to the US for commercialized
production
- Others: Cagayan North; native /grafted;
3 years growing time; twice a year crop
harvesting periods.
- Calabarzon; also rich
PLANT
***Botanical Taxonomic Nomenclature:

- 1700S
“Theobroma cacao”
“Food of the Gods”

Swedish Natural Scientist

Carolus Linaeus
TREE
- wide-branched evergreen
- grows averagely to a height of
7.5 meters or 25 feet
- grafted type: 5 meters ht.
- can accommodate around 200
trees per hectare being inter-cropped
with coconut or banana trees
- going farming; native; grafted types
FRUIT
- commonly known as cacao pod
or “cabosse” in the Americas
- generally ovoid in shape, warty
and leathery in texture
- primarily grows out of the trunk &
twigs from an orchid-like flower
a pod of 6 to 12 inches in length
- 3 to 4 in. diameter; 500 gms wt.
- average 40 seeds/nibs;
almond-like mucilaginous
pulped beans that is fairly
soft & pinkish or purple in
color
- highly similar to santol or
atis fruit when its freshly
opened and when eaten,
it’s sweet and hairy in
texture
TYPES OF CACAO
Criollo (kree-yo-yo)
- the least produced of all the three
common varieties worldwide
- trees are not very disease-resistant
with red or yellow pods and
pointed tips
- beans are considered to have a
finer flavor and is considered
as the “flavor beans”
Forastero
- the most common and robust type
- 95% of the world’s cacao produced
- commonly found in the country
- least prone variety to plant diseases
- considered as the “bulk beans”
- “basic blend” of almost all “artisan
chocolatiers”
Trinitario
- typically a cross-breed of the
criollo and the forastero
- came from the island of Trinidad
- produced more widely than criolllo
- finer flavor than forastero & highly
comparable to criollo and also
considered as a “flavor bean”
Other Types:
- mostly found in the Latin American
countries
- mainly “surrogate” or “substitute”
varieties
Theobroma bicolor,
Theobroma grandiflorum and
Theobroma speciosum
INTRODUCTION: PART 2

Processing Cacao to Chocolates

Harvesting Winnowing
Fermentation Grinding
Drying Refining
Cleaning Conching
Roasting Tempering
PRELUDE
“If you work with your hands,
you’re a Laborer…
if you work with your hands and
mind, you’re a Craftsman…
but…
if you work with your hands, your
mind and with your heart,
you’re an Artisan”.
HARVESTING
- two harvesting periods mainly before
and after the rainy season
- takes 5-6 months from pollination up
to the period of having a ripe fruit
- harvested manually by hand with
small machete type knives
- split into two and the seeds are then
placed in beds of mesh wires; then
covered with banana leaves
FERMENTATION
- the process by which the seeds’ pulp
are made to sweat by liquefaction
- takes around 6-10 days
- beans start to develop the flavors;
lowers the bitterness of the nibs
- 65% of the weight is lost
- humidity is lowered to 6-8%
- longer you ferment the better the
development of taste and aroma
FERMENTATION PROCESS:
The presence of sugar, low pH (acidity) and
anaerobic (low oxygen content) conditions

+ + + Yeasts (from the air)

Sugars are converted into alcohol & carbon dioxide

+ + + Bacteria

Alcohol via oxidation into lactic and acetic acids

Acetic acid produces heat at 50 dC and

accommodates flavor development
DRYING
- the process is primarily
done to lower down the
humidity or moisture
content to 6% by direct
sunlight
- once dried it is then sorted and jute
sacked for storage
- drying the seeds to 6% also prevents
moisture absorption during storage
CLEANING

- The process by which other foreign

objects or materials are removed
acquired during the previous
procedures that the seeds have
undergone.
- Air suctions, magnetic separators and
brushes are usually utilized.
ROASTING
- humidity is further lowered down to
2-3%, where the aroma, color and
taste are developed and enriched
- during this stage the shell/skin/husk
of the seeds are loosened and
cracked open before winnowing
- better to roast the beans at low tempe-
rature for longer periods of time but
avoid over roasting
WINNOWING
- this process serves to separate the beans
into the desired inner portion of the
bean (nib) and the outer part (skin
or shell)
- manually, the beans are exposed to
strong air currents using fans to
remove the unwanted materials
- standard winnowing machines makes
use of the combined action of air
aspiration and sieving
GRINDING
- the nibs are ground initially into a dark
brown fluid paste, which is called the
chocolate liquor and with further
grinding, will be able to achieve its
desired particle size
- once solidified, it is the “Unsweetened”
or “Pure” Chocolates – “tablea”
- the liquor (no alcohol content) has 2
parts; cocoa mass & cocoa butter
REFINING

- this step further reduces the particle

size to about 25-30 microns (about
0.001 of an inch). In some cases,
extra cocoa butter is added to the
mixture still retaining the viscosity
of the chocolate liquor/paste.
CONCHING
- the pre-final step in determining the
ultimate flavor and texture of the
chocolate
- further reduces the humidity (liquid
content)
- removes the undesired volatiles (like
acids)
- reduces the viscosity of the chocolate
liquor/paste
CONCHING
- completes the equal dispersion of the
cocoa solids with the cocoa butter
and promotes the full developments
of the cacao flavors
- for commercial manufacturers, this
only lasts or done in a few hours
- for artisans makers, last for 3 to 7 days
non-stop with a controlled speed
and temperature
TEMPERING
- definitely the most important of all the
process involve the processing of
chocolates
- prevents the cocoa butter from
appearing on the surface which is
commonly known as “blooming”
- blooming is the appearance of white
coloration on the surface of the
chocolate block; fatty cocoa butter
INTRODUCTION: PART 3
Type of Chocolates

Unsweetened & Sweetened: dark,

bittersweet; semi-sweet and sweet
Milk; white; couverture and
compounded chocolates
Cocoa Powder: natural or dutched
and Cocoa Butter
TYPES OF CHOCOLATES
Unsweetened:
- sometimes called as bitter chocolate,
baking chocolate or pure chocolate
- 100% Cacao Content = 50% cocoa
butter + 50% cacao mass
- no sweeteners, flavors or emulsifiers
- not palatable on its own when eaten
due to its bitterness and acidity
- this is the chocolate base of all
chocolate confections
Sweetened:
Dark: has at least 10% sugar; as binder;
35-99% cacao content
Bittersweet: has at least 20% sugar ; 52 to
62 % cacao content
Semi-sweet: has at least 30% sugar; 63 to
72% Cacao Content
Milk:
- 36 to 46% Cacao Content
- contains at least 10% unsweetened
chocolate, 12% milk solids & 3.39%
milk fat
- made from real chocolate and whole
milk, thus it tastes creamy, sweet &
smooth with a less pronounced
chocolate flavor
White Chocolate:
- technically speaking, this is “NOT” a
chocolate, since it does not contain
any cocoa solids/liquor at all
- this only contains sugar, cocoa butter,
milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier) and
vanilla extract
- there are times that vegetable fats are
already added, as per manufacturer
Couverture Chocolates:
- a French word meaning “covering” are
usually used by professionals to coat
candies and use to glaze cakes.
- it contains no less than 35 to 40%
cocoa butter which has the highest
content compared to the others
- more deep color and glossy shine
- gives that “melt in your mouth” feeling
- have to be tempered before usage
Compound Chocolates:
- chocolates that contains no cocoa
butter at all
- uses vegetable fats; a mixture tropical
and or hydrogenated fats
- ideally recommended for use in
tropical countries
- it doesn’t readily melt in room
temperature unlike the couverture
chocolates
Cocoa Powder:
- the product when the cocoa or
chocolate liquor has undergone
hydraulic pressing thus squeezing out
the cocoa butter content and only
leaving the cocoa mass or solids and
is now also called the “pressed cake”
- cake undergoes pulverization through
several grit sizes of “drum rollers”
- this is now the “Natural” cocoa powder
The Dutch processed cocoa is the natural
cocoa powder treated with an alkali
agent (thus called alkalized) to
neutralize some of the harsh acidic
compounds of the original cocoa
and also enhances the color to give
a dark and stronger flavor than the
milder flavor of the natural cocoa.
Cocoa Butter:
- also called the Theobroma oil
- a pale-yellow or ivory-cream colored
oily liquid
- a pure edible vegetable fat extracted
from the cocoa liquor
- has a soft, sweet cocoa aroma and is
one of the most stable fats known
- used in the cosmetic industry
FLOW CHART
Processed Cacao Nibs: Chocolate Paste/Liquor

Hydraulic Press

Cocoa Butter Cocoa Powder

Dutched Pulverized; Natural

Couverture Compound
CHOCOLATES
INTRODUCTION: PART 4

Other Facets of Chocolates

Choosing the Right Chocolates
Appearance, Aroma
Snap, Texture
Flavor and Aftertaste
Commercial & Artisan Chocolates
Storing Chocolates
CHOOSING THE CHOCOLATE
Key factors involved:
Appearance:
- have a smooth, velvety, no lumps,
evenly colored, unblemished
and glossy or lustrous look
- surface should not be dull or have
grayish-white streaks or dots
which are signs of “blooming”
- has not been properly tempered
Aroma:
- the chocolate should have a rich
and flavorful smell with no
chemical or musty smell, no
burnt or harsh scents at all.
- chocolate tend to absorb the odors
of their “neighboring” items
like herbs and spices, so wrap
and store them in cool dry
place separate from the others
Snap:
- the chocolate should break firmly,
cleanly in one cracking motion
and must not crumble, bend or
even splinter
- and as previously pointed out, this
is the outcome of a good
tempered chocolate.
Texture:
- the chocolate should be smooth,
velvety, creamy, not grainy and
greasy on the palate.
- when being eaten, it should melt
almost immediately
- to feel the texture, don’t chew it
while it is in your mouth and
just let it melt throughout
Flavor:
- the main flavor to be felt must be
that of the chocolate and not of
the individual ingredients that was
used like vanilla, nuts and spices
or anything that has been
absorbed during storage
- it must have a rich, harmonious, well-
balanced and pleasing flavor.
- it should not be too bitter nor sweet.
Aftertaste:
- the taste should have a “lingering”
and “pleasing” chocolaty effect
making you to crave for more.
- no bitter nor burnt aftertaste
- no aftertaste of even the other
food items that has been stored
together with it; must be stored
separately
COMMERCIAL & ARTISAN CHOCOLATES
Have you ever imagined “how come some
chocolates are cheap while the others
are quite expensive?”
Have you ever asked what chocolates are
“commercially” produced which one
are professionally or are being made
by “Artisans”?
Here are some points to answer these
questions…
First and foremost is the source of the
cacao beans where they procure it.
- most commercial brands from the
United States gets their cacao supplies
mostly from the Asian countries
- almost all European (artisan brands)
get theirs from the African countries
where you can have a wide variety of
cacao types (mostly criollo & trinitario)
Secondly, the way they process the cacao
into chocolates
- all cacao processed into chocolates
undergo the same procedure
- conching; commercial ones are
processed in shorter 2-3 days time
while it takes a week or more for the
artisan brand makers continuously
- commercial ones are keen only on
the taste but the Artisan are keen on
both the taste and texture
Thirdly is that some commercialized
brands substitutes some ingredients
- like cocoa butter for hydrogenated
fats or vanilla with “vanillin”
- the artisan would always use the
best there is in spite of it being
grown “naturally”, “organically” or
even produced through a “fair-
trade” manner
Another distinction would be the way they
blend their chocolates available worldwide
- the blends that they make are highly
reliant or dependent from their
origins because of their individual
taste from where come from.
- mostly artisan blends are made from
purely African sources; barely Asian
- the commercial types are almost
purely Asian in origin
STORING CHOCOLATES
- the proper way to store your stock of
chocolates should it be in bars or in
powder form, is to place them in a
cool, dry and odor-free place and
away from direct heat and sunlight
- use containers with air-tightly sealed
lids to avoid moisture absorption
- foil wrappers must not be used as
packaging due to the presence of
some metallic compounds
INTRODUCTION: PART 5
Chemistry of Chocolates
Theobromine
Theobromine & Caffeine
Serotonin
Endorphins
Flavonoids
Minerals
Others
Chemistry of Chocolates
- C 7 H 8 N 4 O2
- 3,7-Dimethyl-Zanthine,2,6-
Dihydroxy-3,7-Dimethyl-
Purine
- Molecular Weight is: 108.17
- Theobromine; is the primary
methylxanthine of T. cacao
Theobromine
- primary psychoactive component of
unprocessed cacao including caffeine
- belongs to a class of alkaloid molecules
known as methylxanthines
- methylxanthines naturally occur in as
many as sixty different plant species
- primary methylxanthine found in
products of the cocoa tree
Theobromine & Caffeine
- a stereo-isomer; with their only difference
on the CH3 (methyl) component for
caffeine and H for theobromine.
Comparative points:
T: Rarely causes allergy, non-addictive with
no withdrawal symptoms upon parting
of its usage
C: Quite a number has been reportedly allergic
and addictive with withdrawal symptoms
from caffeine
T: It is a mild antidepressant with a
gentle, smooth sensual stimulation
and increases the feeling of well-being
and It positively affects the muscular,
cardiovascular, central nervous and the
renal excretory systems
C: It increases emotional stress & alertness
while it stimulates the cardio-vascular
& respiratory systems with an intense
jagged stimulatory effect on the central
nervous & the renal excretory systems
T: gentle, mild effect with a very slow onset
but last long, in fact, 50% of it can be
seen in the blood ONLY after 6-10
hours from the time of intake
C: Intense, strong effect sometime quite
sudden or fast effect in onset; 50%
concentration is already evident as
early as 2-5 hours which rapidly
dissipates sometimes causing some
palpitations
Serotonin
- a monoamine neurotransmitter is also
called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)
- main chemical pre-cursor is tryptophan
- primarily found in the GI tract, blood
platelets and the CNS
- chocolates causes the release of serotonin
from the brain which greatly causes to
the feeling of well-being and happiness
Endorphins
- aka. endogenous morphine are opioid
peptides that function as neuro-
transmitters
- primarily produced by the pituitary and
hypothalamus during exercise, eating
food (like chocolates), excitement,
orgasm, love and pain
- so-called “love chemical” and definitely
becomes an aphrodisiac
Flavonoids
- aka Vitamin P ; causes the permeability of
the vascular capillary walls of the blood
vessels thus lessening the increase of the
blood pressure (cardio-protective) and
due to its vasodilatory effects, it can
also ease migraine attacks
- also found to have anti-inflammatory,
anti-allergic, anti-diarrheal, anti-cancer
and anti- microbial activities too
 - also known for the anti-oxidant properties
which are stronger than those of vitamin
C and E
- as anti-oxidants, cacao beans have 10%
flavanols content
- In cocoa powder, it has twice the amount
of anti-oxidants in red wine and three
times than that found in green tea
- help balance blood pressure and reduces
blood clotting or cholesterol levels
Minerals
- also rich in sulphur which is the “beauty
and healing mineral” by building
strong nails, shiny hair and having
beautiful skin due to cocoa butter
- It also detoxifies the liver, supports the
healthy functions of the pancreas,
promotes blood circulation and
decreases inflammation
- number one source of Mg in any food
which balances the brain’s chemistry,
builds strong bones and promotes
happiness
- the Fatty acids Oleic acid predominantly
seen in Olive oil are also seen in cacao
are polyunsaturated type of (good) fats
- other minerals like calcium, phosphorous
iron and potassium
- vitamins A, B, C, D and E are also present
INTRODUCTION: PART 6

Applications & Gadgets for Chocolates

Chocolates: bar, block or slab
Cocoa powder (“pressed cake”)
Kitchen Utensils & Gadgets
Measurements
CHOCOLATE APPLICATIONS
General product classifications of
chocolates:
- bar, block, slab or coins
- powdered
Purposes: stack ability/storage, versatility
of application and longer shelf life
General Applications: bakery, patisserie,
culinary and beverages
KITCHEN UTENSILS & GADGETS
Generally, almost all kitchen utensils
used in baking are also used in cocoa
or chocolates specially in decorating
with a few 1-2 special gadgets.
- tempering machine for couverture
chocolates
- melting machine which is usually
utilized for compound chocolates
MEASUREMENTS
The techniques of measuring either
solids or liquids, dry or wet will not
only be dependent on the measuring
devices but also on how it will be
measured
Ideally, ingredients must be measured
using digitalized electronic scales
since baking is an exact science
Have yourself a varied tabulated guide
on measurements
INTRODUCTION: PART 7
Working Techniques for Chocolates
Melting Chocolates
Direct: Saucepan
Indirect: Double Boiler
Microwave
Tempering Chocolates
Molding Chocolates
Decorating with Chocolates
MELTING CHOCOLATES
Melting Temperatures:
Dark chocolates: 46 to 48 degrees C
Milk chocolates: 40 to 45 degrees C
White chocolate: 37 to 43 degrees C
Precaution:
- while melting the chocolate, NEVER let
any water to come in contact with the
chocolate as this may cause it to stiffen
or harden & it will just be put to waste
MELTING METHODS
Direct: Saucepan
- can be used when you are in a hurry
- melting on direct fire may cause the
chocolate to “burnout” due to the
evaporation of the fat content
- caution is needed so only melt it in
small quantities at low fire
- not recommended as a method due to
the risks involved
Indirect: Double Boiler
- requires two containers; one for the
water and the other for the chocolate
- It would be highly recommended that
the vessel for the chocolate be made
of a heat-proof glass since it retains
heat during melting & while working
- simmering water should not touch the
bottom of the pan only the vapors
Microwave
- may be a good way of melting since it
melts it faster but it has its downside
- chocolates do easily burn
- often check the volume of chocolates,
the temperature, the wattage and the
time duration of exposure
- also be sure of what kind of chocolate
are you going to melt
Melting with Liquids
- alternative but useful common method
- often faster and more convenient
- often speeds up melting time & prevents
common problems; overheating
- should never be melted with very small
amounts of liquid
- cold liquids; never be added to melted
chocolate; cause chocolate to seize
- ensure liquids are warm (not boiling)
when you add them to chocolate
- immersion blender; does an excellent
job of creating a smooth emulsion
without incorporating air bubbles
- food processors, blenders, and electric
mixers can be used at low speeds
- melting chocolate along with liquids
like milk, cream, water, or liqueurs
TEMPERING
This has been partially discussed in part 2, but
some more additional info on this subject
matter has been added here. Here are the
basic facts about the types of chocolates.
The ingredients of dark chocolate are cocoa
liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla; the
milk chocolate, it has the same ingredients,
but with the addition of milk powder. the
white chocolate, it is only cocoa butter,
sugar and milk powder. (flow chart)
 In all of the aforementioned chocolates,
COCOA BUTTER is the essential ingredient
- Tempering is the act of pre-crystallizing
the cocoa butter in these chocolates
MT Dark chocolates: 46 - 48 degrees C
Milk chocolates: 40 - 45 degrees C
White chocolate: 37 - 43 degrees C
- melting the solid chocolates at these
temperatures makes all the 6 types of
crystals in the cocoa butter to disperse
& liquefy; beta crystals stabilized
After melting the chocolates from the
temperatures given above, you have stir
them regularly bringing the temperature
down to the temperatures of…
Dark chocolates: 46-48 to 31- 32 dC
Milk chocolates: 40–45 to 30-31 dC
White chocolate: 37-43 to 28-29 dC
At these temperatures, the chocolates are still
liquid in form & is now ready to work on
- Chocolate does not stay tempered, it
cools down in which it again solidifies
(all of the crystals has formed again)
but can be re-tempered
- Tempering doesn’t impact taste
- You temper chocolate to maximize the
look and feel of the chocolate
- Tempering also determines the final gloss,
hardness, and contraction of the
chocolate (specially during molding)
MOULDING
- different sizes, shapes, designs & medium
like plastic, silicone or polycarbonates
Plastics:
- cheapest and most easily accessible
- very common; non-exclusive usage of the
design
- does not give you a well designed product
- to differentiate you from the others use
flavors or fragrances or colors and a
good packaging material
- not that dependable in terms of its long use
since regular use will cause cracking of
the material and it becomes rigid in
texture due to frequent washing using
corrosive detergents or hard materials
- never pour anything on to the molds with
temperatures higher than 70 dC; may
cause it to warp and be deformed
- hand washing it with warm water and mild
dishwashing soap is ideal
- allow it to dry completely before using and
avoid it from dust exposure
Polycarbonate & Silicone
- molds that are the most dependable ones
because of their easiness of use
- no painted, sprayed or brushed lubricants
used
- durable, flexible, consistent and highly
reproducible products can be made
- 6 to 10 times the cost of the ordinary
plastic molds yet 20 times its durability
and efficiency in usage & maintenance
DECORATING WITH CHOCOLATES
Decorative Techniques:
Chocolate Chunks Drizzling
Chocolate Cups Grating
Chocolate Cutouts Piping
Chocolate Leaves Scrolling
Coating Squiggles
Curling Stenciling
Dipping
Other Decorative Techniques:
Textured Sheets:
has a preformed design texture which
is made of a pliable plastic sheets
where the dipped chocolate product
is placed on its top and let dried and
once it has been removed, the design
has already been marked on the
surface of the chocolate.
INTRODUCTION: PART 8
Storage for Chocolates:

Moisture: The very critical point in

storage. It directly affects the storage
time of the beans. The higher the
moisture, the lesser time for storage
in raw bean form. The moisture
content Once it has been achieved,
then it must be maintained at all
times. Ideal MC is 6-8 dC.
INTRODUCTION: PART 8
Storage for Chocolates:

- It is also required that it must be stored

totally separated from the other food
and beverage ingredients since
chocolates readily absorbs their odors
or fragrances and totally replaces its
own characteristics in terms of its
taste, smell and eventually its texture.
INTRODUCTION: PART 9
Packaging for Chocolates:

- Ideally, the packaging medium that will

be used is something that resist the
absorption of moisture, it does not
deteriorate easily through time, not
easily torn by hand and the medium
once sealed must be able to maintain
itself not to cause leakages.