Few people can resist a thick, delicious square of chocolate. However, it’s a well known fact that the higher quality the chocolate, the better it is! Nearly everyone has encountered the waxy taste of cheap milk chocolate. With gourmet chocolate, this tastebud deterrent is much more easily avoidable. Here is a glimpse into how gourmet chocolate is made in Chicago, and why it’s such a hit.
It All Starts With a Bean
Milk and dark chocolate both come from the prized South American cacao bean. Once these beans are picked, they’re set directly in sunlight, so they can go through the fermentation process. This process is what helps to bring out the rich flavor so many enjoy upon biting into a chocolate bar. This fermentation also prepares the cacao for further use.
Roasted Goodness
Once the beans have finished fermenting and are sent for production, they’re exposed to more heat. The company in charge of processing them will sort through them, then stick them into ovens to roast for several hours. This further brings out the flavor of the chocolate and prepares them for the next step of production.
Extracting Further Flavor
Once the beans have finished roasting, it’s time for them to be picked and pressed. The most important part of the cacao bean is the nib—the main ingredient of most types of chocolate. Chocolate nibs can be melted down into chocolate liqueur, an ingredient you may well recognize from reading the labels on your chocolate.
The Road to Deliciousness
For your standard milk chocolate, the liqueur will be mixed directly with milk. It will then endure several other steps before it is ready to be shipped out to your nearest factories and stores for consumption.
The next time you find yourself in the mood for gourmet chocolate in Chicago, consider making a stop at your nearest confectionary!