Processing Chocolate
Food Technology | Processing Chocolate | The processes to make chocolate |
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Chocolate can be made in many different forms (candy bars, cocoa, cakes, cookies, coating for other candies and fruits) and is probably America's most popular candy. Chocolate is neatly wrapped as the result of a long, delicate and complicated refining process that begins with the theobroma cacao tree. Any delicious bar of fine chocolate begins with the cacao tree.
The secret behind cocoa has been dated back to the ancient Maya period. To the people of Mesoamerica, chocolate was a privileged treat, in comparison to how we see it today. The beverage served high importance during royal and religious events, as the meaning behind its name indicates; during that period of time, the seeds from the cacao pods where they get transformed into a paste to create a chocolate drink. The paste is often mixed with chili peppers, water, and cornmeal, producing a spicy chocolate beverage” (Grivettiand Shapiro, 2009). “When the Aztecs took over part of Mesoamerica, not only were cacao seeds used to produce a favorable beverage, but they were also used as a form of currency exchange. The seeds had a high value as they were used as money to exchange goods amongst individuals. As the popularity of the chocolate drink grew, the consuming population expanded to primary rulers, priests, honored merchants and even decorated soldiers” (Grivetti and Shapiro, 2009).Cocoa made its way to Europe from Central America through the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500s. After the realization of the value of cocoa beans, the Spanish people began to import the beans and initiated the addition of sugar to the beverage as a means of avoiding the bitter taste. Spain was able to maintain the drink a secret from the rest of Europe for one hundred years. Once the secret got out, the beverage was only consumed by the royal families as it was with the Mayans and the Aztecs - and wealthy people due to the expensive
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Chocolate can be made in many different forms (candy bars, cocoa, cakes, cookies, coating for other candies and fruits) and is probably America's most popular candy. Chocolate is neatly wrapped as the result of a long, delicate and complicated refining process that begins with the theobroma cacao tree. Any delicious bar of fine chocolate begins with the cacao tree.
The secret behind cocoa has been dated back to the ancient Maya period. To the people of Mesoamerica, chocolate was a privileged treat, in comparison to how we see it today. The beverage served high importance during royal and religious events, as the meaning behind its name indicates; during that period of time, the seeds from the cacao pods where they get transformed into a paste to create a chocolate drink. The paste is often mixed with chili peppers, water, and cornmeal, producing a spicy chocolate beverage” (Grivettiand Shapiro, 2009). “When the Aztecs took over part of Mesoamerica, not only were cacao seeds used to produce a favorable beverage, but they were also used as a form of currency exchange. The seeds had a high value as they were used as money to exchange goods amongst individuals. As the popularity of the chocolate drink grew, the consuming population expanded to primary rulers, priests, honored merchants and even decorated soldiers” (Grivetti and Shapiro, 2009).Cocoa made its way to Europe from Central America through the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500s. After the realization of the value of cocoa beans, the Spanish people began to import the beans and initiated the addition of sugar to the beverage as a means of avoiding the bitter taste. Spain was able to maintain the drink a secret from the rest of Europe for one hundred years. Once the secret got out, the beverage was only consumed by the royal families as it was with the Mayans and the Aztecs - and wealthy people due to the expensive