Godiva Chocolate School

homework was never this good...

All fine chocolate begins with Theobroma Cacao (Thu-ee-O-bro-ma Ka-ka-ow), which means "food of the gods" in Latin.

Three Key Conditions:

• Average temperature of 77 degrees
• High Rainfall
• High Humidity

Over 70% of fine cocoa is grown in Africa and South America. Best grown within 15-20 degrees of the equator.

What makes cocoa pods important?

• Cocoa Pods are rare plants whose fruits grow directly on the trunk
• They are harvested by hand and typically grow 6 to 10 inches in length
• Each pod contain 30-40 seeds, enclosed in a white pulpy substance. The pulp contains special enzymes that are critical to the fermentation of the cocoa seeds inside.

Five Key Steps in Making Chocolate:

• Fermenting and Drying

  This process takes 2-8 days in wooden crates and then is dried in the sun. The chemical changes cause the white pulp to disintegrate and the process produces the signature chocolate aroma and flavor.

• Cleaning

  Separates the cocoa beans from any other material

• Sorting and Roasting

  The cocoa beans are sorted by size and quality. They are then roasted for 10-35 minutes. The exact roasting time is a heavily guarded secret!

• Winnowing

  This process separates the cocoa particles from the hard shell. The shells are recycled and used as mulch for both cocoa trees and gardens (and are available at many garden and landscape stores)

  Cocoa particles are known as "Cocoa Nibs"

• Grinding

  Cocoa Nibs are ground into a concentrated liquid called Cocoa Liqueur

  Unlike our Godiva Liquor, Cocoa Liquor does not contain alcohol

Once the Cocoa Liquor is passed through the Cocoa Press, two important products from Cocoa Liquor: Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder

• Cocoa Butter is naturally occurring lipids (or fats) from the cocoa bean
• Cocoa Powder is the left over after the cocoa butter is extracted

Once this is done, it goes through a Conching (Konk-ing) process. The term "conching" comes from the shape of the original machine (which looked like a large, exotic sea shell). This machine mixes the cocoa butter and cocoa powder back together. Milk, sugar and minor ingredients are added and mixes together,

Tempering Chocolate

• Tempering chocolate is carefully heating and cooling the chocolate while continuously stirring
• Allows the chocolate to crystallize properly and prevents the separation of sugars and lipids (fats) (knows as "bloom")
• Properly tempered chocolate is smooth and glossy

How Godiva is Made