How To Make Chocolate

Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. The seeds of a cacao tree have an intense bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavor.

The beans are dried, cleaned and roasted after fermentation and the shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. These nibs are then ground and liquefied resulting in pure chocolate in fluid form called chocolate liquor. The liquor can be processed into two components: cocoa solid and cocoa butter.

Types of Chocolates

Pure unsweetened chocolate contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Most of the chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining chocolate with sugar.

Milk chocolates are sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder and condensed milk.

White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk but no cocoa solid. It is formed from a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids.

Dark chocolate has recently been promoted for its health benefits including a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals. It is produced by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture.

Chocolate Heath Benefits

Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have physiological effects on the body. Chocolate can lower blood pressure when moderately eaten. Chocolate has become one of the most loved and popular flavors in the world. Gift of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays. Chocolates are also used in cold and hot chocolate beverages to produced chocolate milk and hot chocolate.

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