From tree to chocolate

The cocoa tree only thrives in tropical countries, because it needs a lot of water and a constant temperature. To simplify the harvest the growers reduce its height to a few metres, although it can easily reach 15 metres. At the age of eight years the tree is ready for harvest. Every crop ( two times a year ) yields an average of 1/2 to 2 kilograms of beans.

After two or three years the tree is in full bloom and is adorned with thousands of flowers. Only one in five hundred flowers becomes a fruit. These fruits are ripe after four months. Every fruit contains 30 to 40 seeds, the real cocoa beans. The fruit harvest is cured or fermented in a pulpy state from three up to nine days, during which the heat kills the seeds and turns them brown. The enzymes activated by fermentation impart the substances that will give the beans their characteristic chocolate flavour later during roasting.

The next step in the manufacturing process is the drying of the beans. This is done in the sun or by hot air. In the drying process the beans lose all of the moisture and half of their weight. When they are dry the beans are ready for transport after which they are carefully stored in a dry place. Now the manufacturing process can be continued.

First the beans are being cleaned. This is done in machines in order to remove dried cocoa pulp and the remains of the outer skin. Then they are carefully weighed and blended according to the company's demands. These formulas are based on experience and specific wishes. The beans are then roasted in large rotating cylinders in order to get that typical flavour. This roasting takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the kind of beans and the required final result. During the roasting process the humidity of the beans is diminished and they get a warm brown colour and their typical aroma.

After being roasted the beans are quickly cooled and the remaining hull removed. This is done in gigantic machines in which the beans have to pass millcones so as to make them smaller. By means of several different sieves the hull is separated from the 'flesh' or the kernel. These kernels, which contain about 53 % of cocoa butter, are crushed between large millstones or heavy steel plates. This process causes considerable warmth so the cocoa butter melts and cocoa pulp is got. This pulp is poured into moulds and left to harden. What we have now is the unsweetened pure chocolate. Up to this point the making of chocolate and of chocolate powder is identical.

To make cocoa powder the cocoa butter is extracted by means of an enormous hydraulic press. The remaining paste is cooled, ground, sieved and packed. Cocoa powder contains 10% or more of cocoa butter. To make chocolate cocoa butter is added because of the flavour, and this contrary to the making of cocoa powder. Dark chocolate consists of a harmonious mixture of cocoa pulp, cocoa butter and sugar; milk powder is added to this substance in order to get milk chocolate. White chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder.

Each mixture, no matter which ingredients have been used, goes through several rollers. When this is done a smooth paste remains and now the next step is conching. 'Conching' is the process through which flavours are being developed. It is a kneading process which can take either a few hours or up to several days, the longer it takes the more expensive the process gets. . At regular times during this kneading cocoa butter is added in order to check texture, melting temperature and flavour.

One of the main objectives of this kneading process is to minimize the crystals in the mixture. A short time of kneading results in a gritty finished product, while a longer kneading results in a product that provides a smooth and delicate sensation when being tasted. After this process the mixture is heated, cooled and heated once more. Finally the chocolate is poured into moulds and cooled. There are several different shapes according to its final destination, ranging from the individual bar for the consumer to the large blocks for the chocolatier.

Chocolate can easily be preserved, best in a cool, dry place. Chocolate is very sensitive to odours, so it should not be stored with strongly smelling products. As for filled chocolate, like pralines for example, the preservation time will be shorter due to the delicate, often perishable fillings. But a true lover of fine chocolates will not keep them stored for a long time .

Belgian Chocolate may rightfully be called the best in the world, and there are several reasons to support this.
First of all, the manufactures in Belgium make use of harvests from different places in the world to ensure the right blend. At least 4 different origins are blended in order to get a rich bouquet of flavours . This is contrary to countries such as Great Britain and Germany, which only use beans of one and the same origin, more in particular beans growing in their former colonies. Moreover, a great deal of attention is given to the roasting and grinding. Belgium and Switzerland grind up to twelve micron to give a finer texture to the chocolate, whereas the neighbouring countries only grind up to twenty-four micron

Last but not least, we should not forget the expert knowledge and the passion with which people are being trained to become professional chocolate confectioners.