World Chocolate Day 2026
World Chocolate Day is here again!
Last year on the Bunches Journal, we delved into the history of this wonderful day and even better bean! Why not read about the origins of this celebration?
This year, we thought we would have a look at how chocolate is made.
It’s well known-that chocolate originates from the cocoa bean, but how does this little seed become the delicious chocolate we know and love? Let’s have a look at the process below:
The cocoa beans grow on the cocoa tree, which bears flowers that become berries called pods. After about 6 months, the pods are ripe enough to harvest.
The pods are harvested by hand and split open to get the beans.
The pulp and the beans are scooped out of the pods and separated. Careful fermentation of the beans develops the flavour.
The beans are dried, traditionally by the sun. The drying process further develops the flavour.
Roasting continues to enhance the flavour, whilst simultaneously sterilising the beans by killing bacteria on the outer shell. Roasting also helps to get rid of some of any lingering acidic flavours.
The roasted beans are cracked by a cacao crusher, separating the husks from the beans.
The beans are the winnowed, which removes the lighter husks and dust particles, leaving the heavier beans (called nibs).
The nibs are ground into a paste, and sugar is added to make them sweeter (as cacao nibs naturally have a strong, quite bitter flavour).
Tempering the chocolate (a process of slowly heating and cooling the chocolate) results in the chocolate breaking with a snap and makes the chocolate look smooth and shiny.
The mixture is poured into a mould where it cools and sets.
It is then packaged and sent to shops.
We buy and eat the chocolate!
This process has been developed over centuries, and results in the wonderful sweet treat we all enjoy!
Why not celebrate with one of our delicious Chocolate hampers to celebrate this fantastic day?
