How to Make Chocolate from Scratch

How to make chocolate from scratch

Step 1: Ferment the cacao beans [00:50]

1. Cut the cacao pods in half to extract the beans.
2. Layer a wooden bucket with banana leaves.
3. Add the fresh cacao beans and cover them.
4. Let them ferment for 5 to 7 days.

Step 2: Dehydrate the beans [01:58]

1. Place the fermented beans on trays.
2. Dry them in a food dehydrator until almost all the moisture is gone.

Step 3: Roast the beans [02:34]

1. Add the dried beans to a roaster machine.
2. Roast them so they are cooked evenly.

Step 4: Remove the shells (Winnowing) [02:56]

1. Pour the roasted beans onto a flat surface.
2. Use a rolling pin to crush the beans and remove the shells.
3. Use a hair dryer to blow away the lightweight shells, leaving behind the cocoa nibs.

Step 5: Blend the nibs [03:56]

1. Blend the cocoa nibs until they turn into a soft and shiny chocolate paste.
2. Separately blend the sugar until it has a powdery texture.

Step 6: Grind in a stone grinder [04:38]

1. Add the chocolate paste to a stone grinder and let it run until it is liquefied and silky smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa butter and continue grinding for 72 hours.

Step 7: Temper and mold [05:34]

1. Pour the chocolate onto a marble surface to temper it (cool to 80-82°F, then heat to 88-90°F).
2. Pour the tempered chocolate into the molds.
3. Tap the molds to remove air bubbles.
4. Let the chocolate rest for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature until it sets.