Chocolate is the most widely-consumed sweet treat in the world.
The sweet and tasty chocolate that we all love and appreciate, actually comes from the cocoa bean. The process of making chocolate is more complex than one would think and it involves a lot of processes and procedures. It begins with harvesting the cocoa pod, mainly from tropical areas near the Equator. It continues with scooping out the cocoa seeds, fermenting and drying them.
Afterwards, the beans are shipped to factories all over the world, where manufacturers inspect and clean them, then roast and grind them into a dense liquid called chocolate liquor. More pressing, rolling, mixing with sugar and other ingredients, and heating and cooling finally yields this delicious treat.
But what’s in chocolate anyway?
Chocolate is considered a natural product made out of these main ingredients, depending of each recipe and mostly your preference J:
- Chocolate Liquor/Mass: Cocoa beans with their shells removed that have been fermented, roasted and ground until they liquefy. This liquid is made up of cocoa butter and cocoa solids; both are naturally present in the bean.
- Cocoa Butter: Natural fat from the cocoa bean; extra cocoa butter enhances chocolate’s flavor and mouthfeel.
- Sugar: To hide the natural bitterness of the cocoa liquor
- Lecithin: An emulsifier, often made from soy, that makes the ingredients blend together.
- Vanilla or vanillin and other flavors.
The above ingredients are the classical recipe for dark chocolate. If you prefer something more sweet and smooth, you can opt for milk chocolate, where milk butter or powder is added within the recipe. Or go for white chocolate, where the cocoa liquor is completely replaced by milk butter or milk. Thus, the intense dark brown color is switched to a wonderful white from the cocoa butter and milk elements.
Mozart Koogles uses the classic recipe of dark chocolate: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar & lecithin. The minimum amount of cocoa used in the dark chocolate pralines is 45%.
Did you know that chocolate has so many benefits, but only very few are communicated?
By eating a few pieces of chocolate, cortisol, a stress hormone, is often inhibited from being released. Instead of depending on medicines, consumers also included items on their regular diet that alleviate a health problem. Chocolate is expected to continue to boost the sales of chocolate over the coming years, helping to relax the mind and to induce happiness.
Ever thought who eats the most chocolate in the world?
Switzerland is out in front with annual per capita consumption amounting to an impressive 8.8 kilograms. Neighboring Austria and Germany are also high up on the list with 8.1 and 7.9 kilograms respectively.
Source: https://candyusa.com/story-of-chocolate/what-is-chocolate/
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/12/2047602/0/en/The-Global-Chocolate-Market-size-is-expected-to-reach-171-6-billion-by-2026-rising-at-a-market-growth-of-5-3-CAGR-during-the-forecast-period.htmlfacts/
https://www.statista.com/chart/3668/the-worlds-biggest-chocolate-consumers/
