Almost 4,000 years ago, the Mayans discovered cocoa. It was so valued by the Mayans that it was used as currency, but they also enjoyed cocoa as a drink. It was a bitter beverage then, but over the centuries, the uses for cocoa changed and it became the essential ingredient in today’s chocolate.
FUN FACT: 75% of the world’s cocoa crop comes from Africa.
LIFE OF A POD
Because cocoa is an environmentally sensitive plant, it grows best in regions around the equator. The cocoa that is used to make chocolate actually comes from cocoa nibs, the heart of the cocoa bean. How exactly do these nibs become chocolate?
1. Pods from cocoa trees are handpicked and opened so that the cocoa beans can be harvested.
2. The beans are then sorted, washed and shelled to reach the cocoa nib.
3. The nibs are then roasted and ground very fine to become a liquid called cocoa liquor. 4. Cocoa liquor is then made into cocoa powder or cocoa butter.
IT’S ALL IN THE MIX
These ingredients can be combined to make different types of chocolate:
These ingredients are mixed together and blended in a process called conching. Other ingredients can be mixed in at this time such as soya lecithin to help emulsify the ingredients and vanilla to add flavour. The ingredients are blended for anywhere between 4 to 12 hours. The longer the conching, the smoother and less gritty the chocolate is!
THE GOOD STUFF
The higher the chocolate price, the better quality the chocolate is. That means more of the good stuff—cocoa content. In Canada, chocolate can’t be called chocolate unless it has a certain amount of cocoa content:
Milk Chocolate must have no less than 25% cocoa solids, of which, at least 18% is cocoa butter
Dark Chocolate must have no less than 35% cocoa solids, of which, at less 15% is cocoa butter
White chocolate must be made with at least 20% cocoa butter
Products described as “chocolaty” or “chocolate flavoured” don’t meet the standard for chocolate. They may contain more sugar and different kinds of oils or PGPR (Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate).
DID YOU KNOW?
– Real white chocolate is not pure white in colour.Real white chocolate is made with cocoa butter, which gives the chocolate a creamy or buttery off-white look.
– Easter is a popular time for chocolate. THE ALLAN CANDY COMPANY® distributed over 18 million milk chocolate LILLIPUT® eggs this Easter!
– Chocolate tasters are paid to look, smell and taste chocolate and give their opinion to companies.Now that’s a sweet job!