Armed on their daily forays with a sharpened knife blade attached to a
long pole, cacao workers will carefully sever a ripe pod from the stem,
mindful not to damage the tiny blossoms and growing fruit around it. The
pods are then split open and the seeds removed from the surrounding thick,
white, viscous pulp. Depending on the varietal, this is not necessarily an
easy or foolproof task. The pods of the Forastero variety are extremely
thick-skinned, and it takes a sure hand to slice them open without
damaging the beans. Once the beans are removed from most of the pulp, they
are typically brought to a central location where they are weighed and the
grower is paid. Despite the difficulty of growing and tending cacao trees,
prices to the growers remain low, in part because it takes about 400 beans
to make 1 pound of chocolate.
The beans still retain some of the fruit pulp at this point. They are
sorted and any foreign matter, pieces of pod, etc. are removed before the
sticky mass is heaped into wooden bins and covered with plantain leaves to
begin the process of fermentation. Rich with sugar, yeast attacks the pulp
and begins fermentation quickly in the heat. As the yeast eat the sugar,
turning it to acetic acid (vinegar), the temperature increases and the pH
levels plummet. This softens the hulls of the beans, letting the acid
penetrate the interior. The pulp eventually turns liquid, leaving the
darkened beans free. Some of the naturally astringent or bitter flavor
components in the beans can now pass out of the skin of the beans while
enzymes mellow other flavors. The time required for successful
fermentation varies based on varietal. Criollo is quick, needing as little
as 2 days, whereas Forastero needs almost a week to complete the
transformation.
One of the unfortunate by-products of multi-varietal farming is that
beans from the different genetic strains are not always separated during
fermentation. The result is often over-fermented Criollo and Trinitario
beans (with off-flavors) or under-fermented Forastero beans that remain
acidic. However, in more homogeneous regions like Ghana, the naturally
high acidity and astringency of Forastero beans can be offset by the
careful processing of experienced farmers.
Once the fermentation process is complete. The beans are spread on large
wooden trays and rolled into the sun to dry or scattered on the cement
platform of a drying patio. Workers frequently turn the beans with wooden
rakes and wheel the trays into sheds or cover the beans at night to
protect them from moisture. Chemical activity diminishes as the moisture
dries out. After about 5 or 6 days the beans have shrunken and become
hard. The process to this point is one of the primary determinants of
flavor.
Cacao is usually grown in Third World countries, typically with little or
no chocolate manufacturing, so most dried beans are exported. This step is
often handled by brokers in New York, London or Amsterdam, with base
pricing set by the commodities futures markets in New York and London.
Once a price is agreed to, beans are shipped in ventilated storage
containers to manufacturers around the world. When the beans arrive at
their destination, they are sampled and checked for flaws and defects.
They are also put through a rigorous "blind" tasting protocol.
Once they meet the necessary criteria, they are accepted and ready to be
processed.
 
The type of bean influences the temperature and duration of roasting.
Delicate Criollo is roasted at relatively low temperatures for a short
period of time, while Forastero beans require a longer time.
The beans are then crushed just enough to release them from the hulls. The
resultant bean fragments are called "nibs" and sometimes blended
back into chocolate at later stages to add a crunchy texture and richer
flavor. Usually though, the nibs are crushed in high-speed mills and
ground into "cacao liquor" (cacao butter and cacao solids). Some
of the "liquor" may be further broken down into its components
by hydraulic presses. Unfortunately, most large manufacturers
"deodorize" cocoa butter, further stripping it of flavor and
character.
Cacao butter is unique among fats in that it melts right at body
temperature. The amount of cacao butter naturally occurring in the
"liquor" depends on origin, and the time and conditions
surrounding harvest. Chocolate manufacturers often add additional cacao
butter to their chocolate during conching to reduce viscosity. The cacao
content of chocolate is designated by the percent of cacao solids and
cacao butter.
Once the cacao particles are combined with other ingredients like sugar
and vanilla, the mixture is broken down into a powder, then conveyed to
the conch (named for the shell shape of early machines). This powerful
machine kneads the powder till a chemical transformation occurs, rounding
out the flavors further. The length of time in the conch varies by
manufacturer, and ranges from as little as four hours to seventy-two hours
or longer for premium chocolate. It is at this point that lecithin may be
added as an emulsifier.
The conched chocolate is then piped into a tempering machine. The purpose
is to realign the cacao butter crystals after all the prior manipulation.
Tempered chocolate has a hard appearance, reflective shine and smart snap
when broken. The chocolate is now ready to be molded into confections, or
shipped as couverture to chocolatiers throughout the world.
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