Over the last year or so I had a growing passion for bean to bar chocolate. I think it started when I signed up for monthly Cocoa Runner parcels, exploring all the wonderful single origin bars that are out there in world chocolate. I find it fascinating how the different beans and different processes after to produce such a unique bar compared to everything you can find made in mass batch chocolate manufacturers.
Since then I’ve been wanting to get my hands on some beans and make a bar of my own. My super awesome cousin visited Dandelion Chocolate, in San Francisco who I’ve been a big fan of their chocolate since picking up my first bar from Paul.A.Young. On her return, she came bearing the best gifts ever for me… My very own cocoa beans!!! Beyond excited to get making my very own chocolate bar from scratch.
The beans were already roasted and smelt incredible. I hand peeled all the beans to try to prevent any of the skin getting in the mix. Not doing to lie this part took quite a while but worth the effort!
I then sieved the shelled beans to remove any fine parts, I don’t have a stone grinder so did have to make do with a wet/dry grinder as the blades were lower than on a processor. I pulsed and scraped down the beans in my little grinder until the cocoa butter was released and a paste was forming. I melted the cocoa butter and fine caster sugar over a gentle heat and added to the processor. I pulsed it further until it was a smooth as I could go without burning out the motor, which was actually fairly fine- more Mexican finest than Belgian.
I tipped out the precious liquor joy of my first homemade bean to bar chocolate and allowed to set, trying not to fall into temptation too much by jabbing and tasting it before it was ready.
Ta-Da!!!! Homemade chocolate!! I just need Santa to bring me a table top stone grinder to take it to the next level and grind my remaining bars into beautiful chocolate. The texture had a slight grit to the bar but the flavour was a deep fruity flavour with a hint of orange. Truly happy how well it turned out. I have a long way to go before my bars to be anywhere near the standard of Dandelion but at least it’s a start!
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