Post by elchapin on Sept 11, 2007 18:47:35 GMT -5
Hello all;
I am a volunteer working with various cocoa bean famers in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, who are also producing their own chocolate.
The process at the moment is very basic, and results in a 50-50 mix of ground cocoa beans and sugar, for consumption in hot chocolate drinks (the traditional way of consumption in Guatemala, and the Mayan world).
Together with the community we are trying to improve the recipe for chocolate to consume, without investing in a lot of new machinery (I am interested in the Santha Concher, but first we need to overcome problems such as lack of electricity, and where the micro-loan will come from).
Anyway, my question is pretty much tips that people have to improve a basic "eating" chocolate recipe from raw or toasted cocoa beans.
Our current process:
I would be interested in any tips as to what we can do with our basic tools to improve the smoothness and "edibility" of the chocolate.
Some ideas that have been running through my head:
I am a volunteer working with various cocoa bean famers in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, who are also producing their own chocolate.
The process at the moment is very basic, and results in a 50-50 mix of ground cocoa beans and sugar, for consumption in hot chocolate drinks (the traditional way of consumption in Guatemala, and the Mayan world).
Together with the community we are trying to improve the recipe for chocolate to consume, without investing in a lot of new machinery (I am interested in the Santha Concher, but first we need to overcome problems such as lack of electricity, and where the micro-loan will come from).
Anyway, my question is pretty much tips that people have to improve a basic "eating" chocolate recipe from raw or toasted cocoa beans.
Our current process:
- Toast on a "comal" (thin open-fire hotplate).
- Shell beans
- Grind in a hand-grinder (the same as used for coffee/corn); this produces the liquid state of the beans.
- Add sugar and mix by hand
- Grind again
- Add any flavours (honey, lemon, coffee, cardomon, etc.)
- Form into balls, etc. for consumption
I would be interested in any tips as to what we can do with our basic tools to improve the smoothness and "edibility" of the chocolate.
Some ideas that have been running through my head:
- Would an industrial grinder (I work in a community that produces peanut butter that uses one of these) make the resulting "paste" any smoother or with less grit?
- Should we be seperating the cocoa butter and cocoa mass, and (I know I should read the alchemy website again...) how could this be done?
- What could we potentially add to the mix to make better chocolate? (Ideally, we would like to use things in the community- there is no milk, lectin, cocoa butter etc., but these products are probably available in Guatemala City, and trying those could be a start.)