Most of people love chocolate but do we know how it is made? Do we know how from a small cocoa bean we end up with a rich in flavor dessert or beverage? I made a small research and I am giving you in brief the transformation of a cocoa bean to chocolate.
Cocoa tree thrives in areas around 20 degrees south and north of equator. It needs shady and humid environment and it produces cocoa beans and flowers throughout the year. The cocoa seed is like a big bean similar in shape of a melon.
The ripen beans are cut from the tree with big sharp knives. Each bean when cut in half has about 20 to 50 cocoa seeds in a white sweet and sour pulp. All these seeds are gathered, covered and left for a few days. During this procedure and because of certain chemical reactions the cocoa seeds take they chocolatey color. Following, the seeds are parched either by leaving them under the hot sun or by blowing them with hot air.
After the dehydration, the seeds are packed in large sacks and are sent to chocolate producers all over the world. Two handfuls of these cocoa seeds will give half kilo / 1 pound of chocolate.
When the seeds arrive at the factory, they are cleaned and classified. Just like the coffee seeds are roasted to extract their best perfume, the same happens with chocolate seeds as well. After that stage, they break and open wide. The little, dark brown particles that are nested in the core of the seeds are the basis for all types of chocolate and cocoa.
In special grinders, nibs are ground to a very fine, liquid mass, the cocoa liquor. This is one of the main ingredients of chocolate. Cocoa liquor can be further processed into two different components: cocoa butter and cocoa powder. However, it can also be used directly as an ingredient in chocolate.
Depending on the kind of chocolate, different ingredients are used:
Dark chocolate: Cocoa liquor + cocoa butter + sugar
Milk chocolate: Cocoa liquor + cocoa butter + sugar + milk powder
White chocolate: Cocoa butter + sugar + milk powder
The ingredients are first measured very precisely according to the recipe. These ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous chocolate dough. This mixture is then refined between rollers to form a fine chocolate powder in which the particles are so small that the human tongue can no longer distinguish them. This gives the finished chocolate an extremely smooth texture and a homogeneous flavor.
The chocolate powder is put into large tanks called conches. It is kneaded for several hours until the aromas have fully developed. Contact with air, heat and friction result in several different physical and chemical processes:
The cocoa butter present in the cocoa liquor melts. This also occurs with the milk fat from the milk powder used for milk and white chocolate. These fats are spread through all the minuscule particles in the chocolate mixture. Moisture present in the mixture evaporates.
The volatile acids disappear partially or totally, depending on the conching time, and this affects the flavor of the chocolate. Moisture present in the mixture evaporates.
The volatile acids disappear partially or totally, depending on the conching time, and this affects the flavor of the chocolate. A caramelization process also takes place, depending on the heat and the conching time. This also affects the flavor of the chocolate and is particularly important for milk and white chocolate.
This is how chocolate ends up in our homes and gives pleasure to our palette. Speaking of pleasure this cheesecake is simply magnificent!
- 400 gr. / 14 oz. chocolate cookies
- 125 gr. / 4.5 oz. butter, melted
- 200 gr. / 7 oz. white chocolate
- 750 gr. / 27 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 100 gr. / ½ cup caster sugar
- 300 ml / 10 fl oz. heavy cream or sour cream or crème fraiche
- 200 gr. / 7 oz. milk chocolate
- 200 gr / 7 oz. + 200 gr. / 7 oz. dark chocolate 60% cocoa
- Chocolate cookies for garnishing
- Grease and line the base and side of a 28 cm / 11 in. springform pan.
- Place the biscuits in your food processor and process until finely crushed.
- Transfer to a bowl and add the butter.
- Mix until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
- With your fingers spread and press the mixture firmly over the base and side of the pan.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- Melt all three chocolates separately in three different bowls and set aside.
- From the dark chocolate melt the first 200 gr. / 7 oz.
- In your stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add the cream or sour cream or crème fraiche and beat until smooth.
- Divide the cream cheese batter in three.
- Add one-third of the cream cheese mixture to the white chocolate and stir to combine.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Place in the freezer for 15 minutes or until the surface is set.
- Take the cheesecake out of the freezer.
- Add the second ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture to the milk chocolate and stir to combine.
- Pour over the white-chocolate mixture and smooth the surface.
- Return to the freezer for further 15 minutes.
- Take the cheesecake out of the freezer.
- Add the remaining ⅓ cream cheese mixture to the dark chocolate and stir to combine.
- Pour over the milk chocolate mixture and smooth the surface.
- Place in the fridge for 3 hours or until set.
- Take it out of the fridge, melt the rest 200 gr. / 7 oz. of the dark chocolate and pour it over the cheesecake.
- Return to fridge for another couple of hours.
- Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
- Top with chocolate cookies and serve.
- 400 γρ. σοκολατένια μπισκότα
- 125 γρ. βούτυρο λιωμένο
- 200 γρ. λευκή σοκολάτα
- 750 γρ. τυρί κρέμα
- 100 γρ. ζάχαρη άχνη
- 300 ml κρέμα γάλακτος ή κρεμ φρες
- 200 γρ. σοκολάτα γάλακτος
- 200 γρ. + 200 γρ. σκούρα σοκολάτα 60% κακάο
- Μπισκότα σοκολάτας για το γαρνίρισμα
- Βουτυρώστε και καλύψτε τη βάση και τα πλευρά μιας φόρμας με αποσπώμενα πλαϊνά 28 cm.
- Τοποθετήστε τα μπισκότα στο πολυμίξερ και τρίψτε τα.
- Βάλτε τα σε ένα μπολ και προσθέστε το βούτυρο.
- Αναμίξτε μέχρι να ομογενοποιηθούν.
- Αδειάστε το μείγμα στη φόρμα.
- Με τα δάχτυλά σας απλώστε και πιέστε το μείγμα σταθερά πάνω από την βάση και τα πλευρά του τηγανιού.
- Βάλτε το στο ψυγείο για 30 λεπτά να κρυώσει.
- Λιώστε και τις τρεις σοκολάτες χωριστά σε τρία διαφορετικά μπολ και αφήστε τις στην άκρη.
- Από τη μαύρη σοκολάτα λιώστε τα πρώτα 200 γρ.
- Στο μίξερ χτυπάμε το τυρί κρέμα με τη ζάχαρη μέχρι να γίνει λείο.
- Προσθέτουμε την κρέμα ή την κρεμ φρες και κτυπάμε μέχρι να γίνει λείο.
- Χωρίζουμε το μείγμα του τυριού κρέμας στα τρία.
- Προσθέστε το ένα τρίτο του μίγματος τυρί κρέμα στη λευκή σοκολάτα και ανακατεύουμε.
- Ρίξτε το στο ταψί και λειάνετε την επιφάνεια.
- Τοποθετήστε το στην κατάψυξη για 15 λεπτά ή μέχρι η επιφάνεια έχει σταθεροποιηθεί.
- Βγάλτε το κέικ από τον καταψύκτη.
- Προσθέστε το δεύτερο ⅓ του μίγματος του τυριού κρέμας στη σοκολάτα γάλακτος και ανακατέψτε.
- Ρίξτε το πάνω από τη λευκή σοκολάτα και λειάνετε την επιφάνεια.
- Επιστροφή στην κατάψυξη για άλλα 15 λεπτά.
- Βγάλτε το κέικ από τον καταψύκτη.
- Προσθέστε και το τελευταίο ⅓ του τυριού κρέμας στη μαύρη σοκολάτα και ανακατέψτε.
- Ρίξτε το και αυτό πάνω από τη σοκολάτα γάλακτος και λειάνετε την επιφάνεια.
- Βάλτε το στο ψυγείο για 3 ώρες ή μέχρι να πήξει.
- Λιώστε τα τελευταία 200 γρ. της μαύρης σοκολάτας και περιχύστε το τσιζκέικ.
- Βάλτε ξανά στο ψυγείο για κανένα δίωρο ή μέχρι να σφίξει η σοκολάτα.
- Μεταφέρετε το cheesecake σε ένα πιάτο σερβιρίσματος.
- Στολίστε με μπισκότα σοκολάτας και σερβίρετε.
