Growing Chocolate Bars
All about growing Chocolate pods and the processing method
- Cocoa trees grew originally in the Amazon rain forests, under the shade of the big trees, where there is all year rainfall and high temperatures, humidity and moist soil.
- Cocoa trees are now grown all over Central America but predominantly now in North Africa. Where 2/3 of the worlds production grows.
- But it is said the original Amazon Variety produces the best tasting Chocolate.
- Trees are pruned at 20 ft but can grow over double that. This is so the pods can be harvested of ladders.
- The Cocoa pods grow directly on to the trunk and the thicker branches.
- The tree blossoms in pink and only a few of these actually grow in to the pods.
- Pods are the size of a coconut but Almond shaped and come in a variety of colours.
- 2 Million tons of Coco Beans are produced worldwide every year.
- The production method is the same as the Aztecs, the pods are split open and the beans removed manually
- Up to 45 beans are contained inside the pod, set in a white gooey inner.
- The beans and gooey inner are then left to ferment in casks lined with banana leaves for up to 9 days.
- The beans are then spread out on the ground and left to sundry for a week.
- They are then Graded, Bagged and Shipped.
- The western processing plants roast, shell and then grind them down to produce a liquid chocolate.
- This contains 54% Cocoa Butter which is then transformed to chocolate by further processing, depending on the Chocolate Manufacturer.
And that is growing a Chocolate Bar.