Give any two chocolate makers the same recipe and they are likely to come up with very different products. Part of the reason for this is down to different makers having different interpretations, but by far the biggest factor is the processes and machinery they use.
Very few chocolate makers have access to the same machinery or make chocolate in the same way, so we want to share our own process with you. This is both for complete transparency, and also to provide support material for those attempting to reproduce our open source chocolate recipes.
Sourcing
Sourcing quality cacao is difficult, but is key to producing great chocolate. We try to work directly with farmers, and fine cocoa distributors who understand the product they are working with.
Financially and environmentally, it makes very little sense for us to have beans flown in to Europe directly from origin countries just for us particularly with the very small quantities we work with, so we tend to work with distributors when buy cocoa. This method saves everyone money and means we are still able to have direct contact with farmers and co-operatives while buying their beans from a more local source.
Sorting
Roasting
Breaking & Winnowing
Grinding & Conching
Tempering