Chocolate’s journey from tropical cocoa pods to the silky bars you love is a fascinating blend of nature, science, and craftsmanship. Whether it’s a mass-market treat or a small-batch bean-to-bar creation, every chocolate follows a similar path. Here’s a step-by-step guide to how chocolate is made.
1. Harvesting Cocoa Pods
Cocoa trees thrive in equatorial regions. Once pods ripen—turning yellow, orange, or red—they’re hand-harvested using machetes.
– Farmers cut pods from the trees, taking care not to damage the delicate bark.
– Each pod contains 20–50 bitter cocoa beans surrounded by a sweet pulp.
2. Fermentation
Freshly harvested beans and pulp are scooped into wooden boxes or banana-leaf heaps for fermentation, lasting 5–7 days.
– Natural yeasts and bacteria feed on the pulp, generating heat and complex flavour precursors.
– Proper fermentation develops the bean’s characteristic chocolate aroma and reduces bitterness.
3. Drying
After fermentation, beans still contain high moisture. Drying reduces moisture to around 7%.
– Beans are spread on large mats or raised beds under the sun.
– Regular turning ensures even drying and prevents mould growth.
– Once dry, beans are bagged and shipped to chocolate makers worldwide.
4. Roasting
Roasting brings out deeper flavours and kills lingering microbes. Temperatures range from 120–150 °C, depending on bean origin and desired profile.
– Light roasts highlight fruity or floral notes; darker roasts yield nutty, caramelized tones.
– Roast duration (15–30 minutes) is carefully timed to avoid burning.
5. Winnowing
Roasted beans are cracked and winnowed to separate the brittle shell from the inner nib.
– Cracked pieces pass through a winnowing machine, which blows away husks.
– The remaining nibs—pure cocoa solids—are ready for grinding.
6. Grinding & Conching
Grinding
Nibs are ground into a thick paste called cocoa liquor (or cocoa mass), containing both solids and cocoa butter.
Conching
The cocoa liquor is then conched—mechanically kneaded for hours to days.
– Conching smooths texture, disperses sugar and milk solids (for milk chocolate), and refines flavour.
– Longer conch times produce a silkier mouthfeel and reduce acidic or astringent notes.
7. Tempering
Tempering aligns the cocoa butter crystals for glossy finish and satisfying snap.
– Chocolate is gently heated, cooled, then gently reheated to precise temperatures.
– Proper tempering prevents white streaks (bloom) and ensures bars set evenly.
8. Moulding & Cooling
Tempered chocolate is poured into moulds—bars, praline shapes or decorative pieces.
– Moulds vibrate or tap to release air bubbles and settle the chocolate.
– Coolers set the bars at 10–15 °C, solidifying them in 10–15 minutes.
9. Packaging
Once fully set and demoulded, bars are wrapped in foil or compostable film, then boxed with branding and origin details.
– Sustainable packaging options (recyclable paper, biodegradable films) are increasingly popular.
– Labels highlight key info: cocoa percentage, origin, certifications (organic, fair trade).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “bean-to-bar” chocolate?
Bean-to-bar makers control every production step—from sourcing beans to packaging—ensuring transparency and unique flavour profiles.
Why does roasting time vary?
Roast time and temperature are tailored to each bean’s origin and moisture content, unlocking optimal flavours without burning.
How does conching affect taste?
Longer conching refines texture and mellows acid notes, resulting in smoother, richer chocolate.
From the sun-baked farms to the final wrapper, every stage of chocolate making shapes aroma, texture and taste. Next time you unwrap a bar, you’ll taste the craftsmanship in each bite.
Explore our Chocolate Shop and discover your next favourite.