Tag: Chocabulary

A harmless white or gray discoloration on chocolate, due to improper tempering or a change in ambient temperature or humidity. It doesn’t affect flavor.

The technique of melting and reheating chocolate, stabilizing it in a beautiful sheen and clean snap.

With a higher cocoa butter content than typical eating chocolates, couverture (pronounced “koo-vehr-tyoor”, it means “blanket” in French) is solid chocolate, refined so it has an especially silky mouthfeel. It’s meant for melting and tempering so it can be used for dipping or enrobing.

A method of treating the nib or the liquor with an alkali solution after roasting, which will reduce the acidity by increasing the normal pH factor from about 5.0 up to 8.0. The name honors the homeland of its inventor, C.J. Van Houten.

This, the professional term for unsweetened chocolate, consists of roasted cacao nibs ground into a thick paste that may be semi-liquid or solid, depending on the temperature. It contains no alcohol. The word “liquor” refers to its semi-liquid state. The two main components of chocolate liquor are cocoa butter (the fat that causes chocolate to literally melt in your mouth) and nonfat dry cocoa solids.

The seed of the cacao tree, which is only called a cocoa bean once it is removed from the pod in which it grows.

The liquid chocolate produced by grinding the cocoa nibs. It is the basic ingredient in all chocolate products. There is no alcohol in chocolate.

The tropical tree that produces cocoa beans. Theobroma means “food of the gods”.

The leathery oval pod that contains cocoa beans.

Made only with cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. No cocoa is used.

A method of treating the nib or the liquor with an alkali solution after roasting, which will reduce the acidity by increasing the normal pH factor from about 5.0 up to 8.0. The name honors the homeland of its inventor, C.J. Van Houten.

It is a cross between the Criollo and Forastero varieties. Trinitario has a great variety of characteristics but generally possesses good, aromatic flavor. Trinitario trees are particularly suitable for cultivation. A cocoa variety from Trinidad.

The most common grown and used beans. They are most likely native to the Amazon basin. These beans make up about 80 percent of the world’s production and are grown primarily in Africa, Ecuador, and Brazil. This variety grows very quickly and has high productivity and performance.

A premium variety of cocoa beans grown primarily in South and Central America. Considered the rarest and noblest cacao in the world. A cocoa fruit variety which comes from the Amazon having big size beans. The color is light, the shape is round, and the taste is sweet.

A production phase that consists of spreading cocoa beans in a big plot of land so that they ferment and dry.

Part of the process by which chocolate is manufactured. Cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar are blended and placed in large agitators fitted with rotating paddles, called “conches” that stir the mixture under heat. These work the paste for several hours at controlled speed and temperature in order to blend the chocolate correctly. This eliminates any unwanted volatile substances such as the typical acidity of cocoa, and obtaining the ideal amount of fluidity for the processes to follow.

Sugar and cocoa paste are finely ground to obtain a fineness of 20 microns.

A natural and vegetal fat which is found in cocoa seed.

A product made by processing pealed and roasted cocoa beans.

The seed of the cacao tree, which is only called a cocoa bean once it is removed from the pod in which it grows.

The liquid chocolate produced by grinding the cocoa nibs. It is the basic ingredient in all chocolate products. There is no alcohol in chocolate.

The tropical tree that produces cocoa beans. Theobroma means “food of the gods”.

The leathery oval pod that contains cocoa beans.

A chocolate sphere-shaped chocolate product containing dried fruit, comfit fruit, and liqueur.

Cocoa plant fruit