tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913275796633375635.post4801754608038127489..comments2023-07-31T08:30:51.085-07:00Comments on Island Farm: Organic Farming on the Caribbean: cacaoAncelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02187869622200533544noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913275796633375635.post-90752683190527400432009-09-02T06:41:49.327-07:002009-09-02T06:41:49.327-07:00Hi Trish,
There are several ways, but all begin w...Hi Trish,<br /><br />There are several ways, but all begin with grounding the roasted beans into a paste, then adding sweeteners and sometimes flavourings. We do it 2 ways here on the farm:<br />- mix the paste with a little coconut milk and cook over low/medium heat stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add more coconut milk and repeat. Add some sugar to taste. The idea is to keep adding the milk until you get to a consistency you like but keep it as dry as possible. It's very simple but hard to describe. Best seen.<br />- over heat mix cacao paste with dark sugar to taste. If desired, add nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, lime peel, orange peel, black pepper, or vanilla. Nutmeg and black pepper are my favourites.<br /><br />With both methods, allow to cool a little, roll into sausages, cut and put in the fridge / freezer to firm up. Wrap in wax paper.<br /><br />The more 'western' method is to add the cacao paste to sugar and put it in a conching machine for at least 24 hours. This produces that smooth chocolate we're used to buying elsewhere. The two methods above will produce a thick, grainy, dark, quite heavy chocolate. But it's very real and fresh and rich and excellent! Thanks for asking,<br />AncelAncelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02187869622200533544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913275796633375635.post-2319170635236504702009-09-01T20:20:25.341-07:002009-09-01T20:20:25.341-07:00After you shell the cacao, how would the beans bec...After you shell the cacao, how would the beans become chocolate?trishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11180731886451637593noreply@blogger.com