Chocolate: Notes from Powerpoint

Powerpoint by Chef Webb

image:http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/gifs/cocao_trin.jpg

-Theobroma Cacao- refers to the tree the cocao pods grow on
-Theobroma means food of the gods
-tree in evergreen family
-grown in regions that border the equator- with high temps, high humidity, high rain fall

Areas of Production

image:http://www.chocosuisse.ch/web/chocosuisse/en/documentation/facts_figures/mainColumnParagraphs/09/image/11_kakaoernte2009.jpg

-Africa: Ivory Coast, South America, Southeast Asia, parts of Central America, West Indies Islands
-Ivory Coast produces 70% world’s crop
-child slave labor in cocoa industry- controversial
-fair trade and organic chocolate companies work directly with farmers

3 Botanical Categories
Criollo: most rare cacao, delicate tree, susceptible to disease and environment

Criollo pod

image:http://www.thenibble.com/zine/archives/images/criollo_cacao_pods-280.jpg

-cacao produced from it has complex flavor profile, delicious, rich
-most expensive on market
-yields about 5% annually
-not up front chocolate flavor

Forastero: hearty tree, in Africa, largest group, 70% all cacao

Forestero pod

image:

-when taste- front note is chocolate, not very complex, flavors don’t endure

Trinitario: hybrid of criollo and forastero, originated in Trinidad- forastero was introduced to criollo crop

image:http://www.gardenislandchocolate.com/images/cacao%20album/images/trinitario_jpg.jpg
-varied profile, coplex flavors of criollo, stability of forastero
-yields about 10% annually

Chocolate Manufacturing/ Processing

image:http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/draft/images/choc_manu_chart.gif

Fermentation:

Extract seeds from cacao pods

image:http://great-hikes.com/blog/images2/GardenIslandChocolate1.jpg

Heap (Africa) vs. Box (Asia)
Heap- pile seeds on banana leaves, leave 5-6 days, yeast feeds on the pulp, begins to break down in a couple days

Heap fermentation

image:http://www.internationalcocoaorganisation.net/graphics/ferment.jpg

-lactic and acetic acids created- seep into seeds- begin to flavor
-ethanol created too

Box- Indonesia- tiered system, crates with holes in them, pour seeds into the next box each day, have more oxygen flow, more fermentation takes place, more flavor development

Box fermentation

image:http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19073/19073-h/images/image028.jpg

-get precursors of flavor after seeds have fermented

Drying:
-want to stop fermentation
-reduce moisture content in seeds
-if too much water could mold or disease set up
-natural drying- spread out in sun
-mechanical- dry at varied temps- range depends on kind of cacao used- criollo more delicate- use lower drying temperature

Processing:

Raw un-roasted beans

image:http://www.chocolatereview.com.au/img/manufacturing/cocoa_beans.jpg

-once dry the beans are sent to manufacturers where they roast them according to their specifications
-can roast whole bean or take out nib and roast that alone
-roasting different part of flavor development
-Maillard browning
-nutty, caramel notes from roasting

Raw cocoa bean tasted winey, alcoholy

Cracking bean:
-winnowing, when shell separated from bean

Cocoa Nibs

image:http://www.amanochocolate.com/images/cocoa_nibs.jpg

-nib: meaty part of bean, 56% cocoa butter, 41% solids, 5% water
-nib passes through rollers- ground
-can produce cocoa powder, pressed further to get cocoa powder
-natural (acidic) and Dutch (treated with alkaline)
-cant use powders interchangeably, would add baking soda if using natural or brown sugar- molasses is acidic

Chocolate liquor
-cocoa solids and cocoa butter= 100% unsweetened chocolate= cocoa mass= cocoa paste

Processed extracted cocoa butter

image:http://venezuelan-black.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cocoa20butter_full1.jpg

Mixing:
-add sugar and flavors- vanilla
-lecithin- added to increase flowability of chocolate

image:http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/deicon/chocolate.gif

Refining:
-grounded further

Conching:

Modern conche machine

image:http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5472299/391393_Full.jpg

-heated rollers, mix is agitated for several hours up to several days
-mellows chocolate flavor
-reduces bitterness
-reduces acidity
-increases/ improves mouth feel
-smoother

Then tempered, put in molds, cooled

Couverture:
-high % cocoa butter allows us to temper it
-increase flowabilty
-fat content 31-38%
-means to coat/ to cover
-percentages on box means amount of chocolate liquor/ cocoa mass: to sugar