THE STORY OF

eople have been enjoying family farms in tropical countries and dry them, at which point they are chocolate for more than 4,000 around the world. called cocoa beans. When they arrive at Pyears, starting with the Olmecs, Cocoa beans are actually the seeds of the chocolate factory, the cocoa beans Mayans, and Aztecs of Central America. the fruit of the cacao tree. They grow in a are processed to create a substance Today, the cocoa beans used to produce football-shaped fruit called a pod. Cacao called , which is the chocolate are grown on millions of farmers remove the seeds, then ferment starting point for all forms of chocolate.

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of the cacao, a tree that is native to with an alkaline solution to neutralize acidity. This : This Tempering: The process of contains nothing but chocolate liquor. Latin American tropical forests. It is now grown process darkens the color of the cocoa and produces preparing chocolate that involves commercially around the world in tropical rainforests a milder chocolate flavor. heating, cooling, and reheating within 20o latitude of the Equator. Bittersweet Chocolate: The that is used to prepare chocolate darkest of eating chocolate, bittersweet has : Chocolate that for coating and dipping. It affects the highest percentage of chocolate liquor and : The of the ; contains at least 10% chocolate liquor the way the cocoa butter crystals may contain extra cocoa butter. Both bittersweet this is not a dairy product. by weight, and at least 12% milk solids. form, and it determines how hard, and semisweet chocolate must contain at least 35% This is the most common type of shiny, and glossy the chocolate liquor, but bittersweet usually contains at Cocoa Powder: The that eating chocolate. chocolate will be. least 50% cacao. Often referred to as . remain when most of the cocoa butter is pressed out of the chocolate liquor. Cocoa Nib: The center (meat) power may be natural or Dutch-processed. of the cocoa bean. : Cacao Content: Cacao Chocolate that contains at least content refers to the amount When ground until it 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk of the chocolate product that : A process of kneading the chocolate liquefies, the nib becomes solids, and no more than 55% is made up, by weight, of the paste that affects the final flavor and texture. chocolate liquor. . It contains no cocoa ingredients derived from the powder or chocolate liquor. cocoa bean—both the chocolate Dark Chocolate: Chocolate that contains : liquor and any extra cocoa butter. chocolate liquor, extra cocoa butter, sugar, an Chocolate grown without agricultural emulsifier, and vanilla or other flavorings. Dark chemicals that meets U.S. Department Learn more about chocolate may contain milk fat to soften the of Agriculture organic requirements. Chocolate Liquor: texture, but it does not generally have a chocolate at The center (nib) of the cocoa bean www.thestoryofchocolate.com. that has been ground until it milky flavor. Semisweet Chocolate: Like bittersweet liquefies. It contains no alcohol. chocolate, semisweet chocolate must contain at Dutch Process (or least 35% chocolate liquor. Generally, semisweet A treatment chocolate contains 35% to 45% chocolate liquor. Cocoa Beans: These Dutched): begin as seeds from the pod used during the making of cocoa Like bittersweet chocolate, often referred to as powder in which nibs are treated dark chocolate.

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