
10 Essential Reasons Why We Roast Cocoa Beans
An essential part of the artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate-making endeavour is roasting the cocoa beans. For the cocoa farmer, the journey begins with the cultivation of cocoa plants,…

What is Winnowing Chocolate?
Most everyone loves chocolate but know little about winnowing chocolate. Whether you prefer dark, light, bittersweet or unsweetened, this confectionary is a favourite fare for many.
In…

What is Grinding and Conching Cocoa Beans
Grinding and conching cocoa beans are two portions of the bean-to-bar artisanal chocolate-making process, a popular trend that has captured the imaginations of entrepreneurs and the…

What Does Bean to Bar Mean?
A growing number of consumers today buy artisanal chocolate, known as "bean to bar chocolate" whenever possible.
Experienced chocolatiers consider this label to be an indication…

How Do You Know When Cocoa is Ripe to Harvest?
Let's talk a little bit about harvesting cocoa. A lot of people are interested in the idea of sustainable home food production. Not only is it a lot healthier, but it also tends to…

How to Temper Chocolate for Molds
Like magic, the alchemy of chocolate turns a gooey mass of brown paste into heaven. It’s the height of accomplishment to pop out a perfectly snappy, shiny molded chocolate bar and…

How to Make Chocolate Molds
Have you ever wished you could make your very own chocolate molds? Surprisingly, you can, and it's pretty easy too. With very little equipment and a few basic steps, you can create…

How Do You Ferment Cocoa Beans?
Why do we ferment cocoa beans? When you are preparing to bake, do you ever stop to consider how the cocoa you are using got into your pantry? The process of producing cocoa is a multi-step…

Growing Cocoa Trees (Theobroma cacao) in Thailand
Growing cocoa trees could be a good way to expand income or save money on chocolate. A good investment for farmers as demand currently outstrips supply, however growing cocoa trees…

2 Methods for Drying Cocoa Beans
In this blog post we will discuss what drying cocoa beans means and the processes used. Making anything with chocolate is fun and tasty. There is a process to get the cocoa you bake…

Chocolate Gift Wrapping Ideas
When it comes to chocolate gifts, there is a strong symbolic meaning behind the giving such as a blissful life, love, passion, and caring. It is a simple yet passionate gift that everyone…