How chocolate is made?

Process of making chocolate is a complex one. It begins when cocoa beans are delivered to the chocolate factory. They are cleaned and sorted therre and after it is done the beans go to the roasting plant. The process of bean roasting is very important for the future taste of the chocolate, with both time and temperature playing a crucial role. Then the clean nibs are separated from the shell. After the roasted nibs have been cleaned, but before they are ground, different varieties of cocoa beans are selected and blended. This process determines the flavour, composition and aroma of the final chocolate product. The blend is ground into a semi-liquid mass, called the chocolate liquor, which is pressed to separate the cocoa butter from the cocoa cakes. Cocoa butter is an essential ingredient of chocolate fillings, while the cocoa cakes are pulverised into cocoa powder. The chocolate is then conched what makes it milder, less bitter, giving it a better flavour and aroma.  After conching the chocolate is properly cooled what provides a high quality product with  the appropriate shine, structure and hardness. The production cycle ends when forming the chocolate into bars or single chocolates.

Chocolate the ages ago...

The history of chocolate goes back over 3 000 years, to the dawn of the New World. The ancient civilisations of the Olmecs, the Mayas and the Aztecs all appreciated its great flavour.

The cocoa tree

Contrary to poopular belief, the first people to cultivate the cocoa tree were the Olmecs, not the Aztecs. Beans of the tree called cacahuaquchtl by the Mayas and xocolatl by the Aztecs were very precious those days. They were believed to have divine power and were the symbol of life and fertility. In Mayan culture, drinking the beverage prepared from cooca beans was a sacred ritual and constituted an important element of religious ceremonies. During a wedding, the bride and groom exchanged cocoa beans when taking their marital vows.

Food of the gods

The historic writings of the Mayas, which have survived to this day, indicate that the cocoa beverage was considered to be the food of the gods. This tradition is reflected in the name given to the cocoa by the botanist, Linnaeus, over 200 years ago. The botanical name of the cocoa tree is Theobroma cacao, from the Greek words theos - god and broma - beverage.

Spanish conquistadors

Hernán Cortés was the first European who appreciated the taste of the chocolate. However, it was Christopher Columbus who reached Guanaja Island in 1502, was treated to cocoa beverage by Aztecs and brought only a handful of beans back to Europe. He did not expected that they will become so popular. It was Cortés who quickly realised that the establishing cocoa plantations will bring him great profits.

European chapter

It was Cortés who brought chocolate to Europe. At first it was known only in Spanish monasteries but soon it has become more common. In 1580 the first chocolate works opened in Spain. In 1657 the first chocolate houses opened in London. In the 17th century cocoa beans were grown in Netherlands and sonn also in Portugal. In 1750 chocolate was brought to Switzerland where the first milk chocolate was produced. Italian have added almonds and hazelnuts. In 1819 the first chocolate bar was made. Packagings for assorted chocolates were developed 50 years later in Belgium. In the 20th century chocolate was introduced into astronauts' diet. During the Operation Desert Storm the chocolate which could stand the temperature of over 50ºC was used.