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Post by Sebastian on Sept 2, 2013 6:26:57 GMT -5
It is possible, but it's a very difficult process to do so in a way that's repeatable and doesn't encourage mold growth. There's actually a patent application that wil lbe going in shortly regarding it (if it's not been submitted already), called micro-fermentation
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Post by max3732 on Sept 2, 2013 16:42:30 GMT -5
If it's possible I'm willing to try. Should I follow the instructions from the PDF on making chocolate at home that was previously posted or is there anything I can do with such a small amount?
Maybe this is naive of me, but could I freeze the pod immediately after taking it from the tree to preserve it until the other pod is ripe?
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 2, 2013 19:38:33 GMT -5
well, your options are, from what i understand you are doing, to try to ferment the single pod you have now, or as you say freeze the current ripe pod until such time as your other pod is ripe. I do think it will be as difficult for you on your first attempt to successfully ferment either 1 or 2 pods - but this site is all about doing the difficult
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Post by max3732 on Sept 3, 2013 20:29:56 GMT -5
well, your options are, from what i understand you are doing, to try to ferment the single pod you have now, or as you say freeze the current ripe pod until such time as your other pod is ripe. I do think it will be as difficult for you on your first attempt to successfully ferment either 1 or 2 pods - but this site is all about doing the difficult As you said, this site is all about doing the difficult. If I wanted easy I'd buy a chocolate bar from the store So will freezing work? I'm concerned about the pulp. Is this process from that pdf posted in the 2nd page called "Making Chocolate from Scratch" my best bet?
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 4, 2013 5:48:50 GMT -5
I think it's a great place to start!
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Post by max3732 on Sept 12, 2013 11:22:45 GMT -5
I was waiting for the other pod to ripen, but I'm afraid of waiting too long so I'm going to try fermenting the single pod soon. I also bought the 2lb sampler of unroasted beans from chocolate alchemy I'll mix with my home grown ones if the fermentation is successful.
What kind of yeast would be best? I see they used "active dry yeast", but I thought that "instant yeast" might make more sense since it doesn't have to bloom first. It called for 1/4 tsp of yeast for 2-3 lbs. I'm thinking maybe 1/8 tsp since I'll have far less.
Any other tips to maximize my chances of success (and minimize mold growth) before I cut the pod off the tree and try this?
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 12, 2013 16:30:08 GMT -5
doesn't matter which yeast you choose - as long as it's a viable strain. follow the hawaii instructions as a primer, temperature control will be very helpful for you with such a low mass.
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Post by max3732 on Sept 19, 2013 22:03:08 GMT -5
This was after 3 days of fermenting This was today after 6 days of fermenting. I put the beans on a rack outside, but shortly after it was threatening rain so I brought them back inside to ferment another day. First thing tomorrow I was going to put them on the rack outside to dry in the sun. I didn't see any mold, but as you can see in the pictures there are some dark spots. Since there is no mold does it mean the fermentation was successful? If it was successful how long can they be stored before after drying tomorrow?
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 20, 2013 14:00:21 GMT -5
well that depends entirely on how you define success it's incredibly difficult to tell from a picture of a dozen beans alone to what extent fermentation occurred - although it's obvious that some did. Did you smell it along the way, if so, what did it smell like? Did it progress from sort of a sweet melon type odor to one of vinegar? ultimately, success will need to be gauged by how it tastes once converted to chocolate. if you're very brave, you can try opening one up and tasting it once it's dried (disclaimer: that may also make you very sick, and i do not recommend it. do as i say, not as i do . Drying in the sun, given good weather, will likely take a few days at minimum.
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Post by max3732 on Sept 21, 2013 12:34:51 GMT -5
I didn't smell them when I first put them in, but it definitely smelled like vinegar when I opened it up after 3 and after 6 days.
Is there any harm in leaving them in the sun too long? They feel pretty dry now. Should they start to smell like chocolate when they've dried enough? They still smell like vinegar
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Post by Sebastian on Sept 21, 2013 19:12:46 GMT -5
They won't smell like chocolate until you roast them, i'm afraid. Not much harm at your scale in leaving them drying for long - if you can 'bend' the beans (try to snap them in half, if they bend..) then they're still too wet. Not a foolproof test, but pretty darn good. Leaving them in the sun longer, once they've dried to < 8% moisture, isn't going to do a whole lot for you flavor wise. if you've still got a lot of acetic acid present, you'll want to modify your fermentation, or work on removing it via conching. You can also add a bit of bicarbonate to it if you'd like during conching.
let me know how it tastes once you make chocolate!
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Post by sharkman on Dec 11, 2013 4:07:44 GMT -5
Aloha everyone! Its been awhile since I have joined in on this site. Brings back memories of checking this site out for many years. been bussy with my coffee and cacao business ,these past few years. Planted lots of cacao trees;5ooo or so. Cracked 4ooo pods this past weekend. Fermenting all the time.Every 3 weeks. My hobby has become a job. Still love most of it. Tired of fixing broken machinery and figuring out what to do with all of these pods. Thanks to everyone who has helped me on my journey; especially the alchemist who has made the journey more of a reality. Keep on grinding everyone! Aloha Sharkman
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Post by adriana on Jun 20, 2016 12:25:43 GMT -5
Hello! I'm trying to fermentate some cocoa beans but every time it gets mold like this: imgur.com/ZxejnbBWhat am I doing wrong?
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Post by Sebastian on Jun 21, 2016 15:50:30 GMT -5
Describe exactly what you're doing please? Amounts, durations, temperatures, if you're doing anything to them, etc.
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Post by adriana on Jun 21, 2016 22:13:03 GMT -5
At first, I took the cocoa juice squeezing it with my hands (clean, of course), then I left the seeds to rest near the sink in a bowl with the top covered in cloth with just enough left for ventilation. In 3 days I took that picture, I didn't measure the temperature, should I? Temperatures here vary between 20 and 30 Celcius. The amount I didn't weighted also, but it was the exact amount shown in the picture.
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