Let’s explore the long and exciting cacao journey, from the very beginning.
Great Ingredients Begin Before Harvest
Did you know that although cacao trees produce thousands of flowers each year, only a small percentage develops into a mature pod? It takes about 5 to 6 months for the pod to mature, and as this happens the size and color changes. Experts know exactly when the right time to harvest is, according to each variety. Pods that are picked too early end up with underdeveloped beans that lack the sugars needed for a good fermentation, and overripe pods can spoil and develop defects.
Everything that follows depends on getting this very important first step right.
The First Ingredient: Cacao Pulp
This one is often overlooked, even though it’s the first thing you see when opening a ripe cacao pod. Every bean is surrounded by a sweet, sticky white mucilage called cacao pulp. It tastes nothing like chocolate; it has a tropical flavor similar to lychee or citrus.
This pulp is the natural sugar source needed for fermentation. Today, however, manufacturers are starting to use it as a premium ingredient in its own right.
Cacao pulp can be used in juices, smoothies, jams, cocktails, sorbets, frozen desserts, confectionery, and fermented beverages, giving makers an opportunity to use more of the fruit while introducing consumers to an entirely new version of cacao.
Fermented and Dried Cacao Beans
If you were to eat a raw cacao bean, you would not like it at all. Fresh cacao beans are naturally bitter and taste nothing like chocolate. They must undergo fermentation in order to develop the characteristics we relate to chocolate.
Naturally occurring yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria convert the sugars in the pulp into compounds that trigger biochemical reactions inside the beans. This process takes several days. With proper fermentation the bitterness decreases, astringency softens, and hundreds of flavor precursors begin to develop.
The cacao beans are then dried until they reach approximately 6–8% moisture, allowing them to be stored and transported safely without worrying about mold growth.
The beans are later roasted to create the familiar chocolate aromas made possible through Maillard reactions. Careful roasting requires knowledge on the bean’s origin, variety, and intended goals.
Cacao Nibs
After roasting, the beans’ outer shell is removed. This process is called winnowing. The edible interior of the bean breaks up into small pieces. These are cacao nibs.
Because they consist of only cacao solids and cacao butter, they deliver a strong, authentic cacao aroma and delicious crunchy texture. Cacao nibs are used for making chocolate, brewing, snack foods, premium toppings, and more.
Cacao Liquor
If you grind the nibs into a paste, you get cacao liquor. It’s also known as cacao mass, or simply cacao paste. When the nibs are milled, the friction helps to melt the fat, creating a smooth chocolate texture.
Cacao liquor is most commonly used for chocolate making, fillings in baked goods, coatings, fondues, frozen desserts, and so much more. It is also the base for making the next 2 ingredients: cacao butter and cacao powder.
Cacao Butter
Cacao liquor enters a hydraulic press, where its fat is extracted, or separated, from the cacao solids. This extracted fat is cacao butter.
Cacao butter can remain in its natural form, preserving its rich chocolate aroma. Or, it can undergo a deodorization process. At CocoaSupply, we deodorize cacao butter simply by using counter-current steam. This removes most of its aroma without any chemicals or bleaching agents involved.
Natural cacao butter is generally preferred when making chocolate, and deodorized is used when you want the benefits of cacao butter (texture, signature mouthfeel, and oxidative stability), without the distinctive chocolate odor. Some examples are plant-based ice creams and personal care products.
Four Types of Cacao Powder
After the fat is extracted from cacao liquor, the remaining compact solid material (known as a press cake) is dropped and milled into cacao powder.
Different amounts of cacao butter remain in the press cake depending on pressing times. We offer 2 options: 10-12% or 20-22%. Lower-fat (10/12%) is more commonly used. Higher fat (20-22%) is usually saved for richer, creamier recipes.
From there, cacao powder can remain in its natural form, preserving its natural acidity, or undergo a mild alkalinization process. For our alkalized powders (also known as Dutch-processed), we use less than 2% potassium carbonate (a salt) to improve solubility, darken the color slightly, and produce a smoother flavor.
These 2 variables produce 4 types of cacao powders:
10-12% Natural
20-22% Natural
10-12% Alkalized
20-22% Alkalized
Each type offers different characteristics, making them suitable for a wide variety of applications.
One Fruit. Endless Possibilities.
What begins as a single flower ends up becoming a tropical fruit that is hand-picked and processed to deliver an extensive portfolio of premium ingredients.
The cacao fruit is without a doubt one of the world’s most versatile crops.
FAQs About Cacao Products
What is the difference between cacao liquor and chocolate?
Although they may look similar, cacao liquor is simply 100% ground cacao beans containing both cacao solids and cacao butter. Chocolate, on the other hand, is made by combining cacao liquor with varying amounts of cacao butter, sugar, milk (in some varieties), and other ingredients depending on the final product.
Can the same cacao bean produce both natural and alkalized cacao powder?
Yes. The difference is not the bean itself but what happens after pressing. Once cacao powder is produced, it may either remain natural or undergo a mild alkalization process to modify its color, flavor, and dispersibility.
Why is cacao butter naturally solid at room temperature?
Cacao butter has a unique fatty acid composition that allows it to remain solid at room temperature while melting close to body temperature. This distinctive melting behavior contributes to its signature mouthfeel and makes it so valuable.
Can the flavor of cacao still change after fermentation?
Yes. Roasting has a significant influence on the final flavor profile. By adjusting roasting time and temperature, manufacturers can highlight different flavor characteristics while preserving or modifying the complexity developed during fermentation.