Cocoa Beans and its Types

 Hello readers. Hope you have had an amazing weekend.

 Have you ever wondered how Chocolate is made? Believe me or not, but it is an interesting process. Lets first look at the initial stages of chocolate making,

 The cocoa bean or simply cocoa, also called cacao is the dried and fully fermented seed of Theobroma Cocoa, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted.

 

 

There are three varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. Forastero is the most widely used, comprising 80–90% of the world production of cocoa. Criollo represents only 5% of all cocoa beans grown and is the rarest and most expensive cocoa on the market, and is native to Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern tier of South American states. Trinitario is a mix-breed of Criollo and Forastero, originated in Trinidad. 

A cocoa pod is about 17 to 20 cm (6.7 to 7.9 inch) long and has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 inch) thick, filled with sweet, gooey pulp with a lemony taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a lilac to maroonish purple color. During harvest, the pods are opened, the seeds are kept, and the empty pods are discarded and the pulp is converted into juice. The seeds are placed where they can ferment. Due to heat buildup in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in color, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily by winnowing after roasting. White seeds are found in some rare types, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value.

This was all about what are cocoa beans, its types and how they are harvested. Stay tuned for my next blog to know the next steps in the process of making chocolate, till then stay content, stay safe and happy reading!