Glossary

Aftertaste	The flavors lingering on the palate after the chocolate has been consumed. Called the finish in the wine industry, this term is also applied to chocolate. A good aftertaste should leave positive chocolate flavors in the mouth for two minutes or more
Baba	The sweet mucilaginous pulp that fills the Cacao Pod.
Blended Bar	A chocolate bar made of beans representing any combination of bean varieties, growing regions, and harvest years. The opposite of a blended bar is a Single Origin Bar, where all of the beans come from the same area.
Bloom	Cacao butter, the fatty part of chocolate, can solidify into different crystalline forms at different temperatures. This means that untempered chocolate is vulnerable to changes in temperature. Chocolate must be tempered to stabilize it before use, or crystals may form, causing what is called "bloom". This can appear as a white film on the surface of chocolate, and in some cases the chocolate may become soft or crumbly. While bloom is unwanted, it is not harmful and chocolate with bloom is still safe to eat
Cacao	The name of both the tree native to Amazon forests (Theobroma cacao L.) and the unprocessed seeds (beans) from which chocolate is made. Americans refer to the bean as cocoa. The word cacao comes from the Olmec, a highly cultured civilization that preceded the Maya in the southern Gulf of Mexico area from 1,500 and 500 B.C.E. Cacao is divided by quality: either flavor or fine, or special or sweet cacao, and bulk cacao.
Cacao Beans	The “beans” are the seeds from the pod, or fruit, of the Theobroma cacao tree. At the center of the bean is the nib, from which chocolate is made. There are three species of bean—Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario—and many subspecies.
Cacao Butter/ Cocoa Butter	Also called theobroma oil or theobroma cacao, is a pale-yellow, pure edible vegetable fat extracted from the cacao bean. It is used to make chocolate, pharmaceuticals, ointments, and toiletries. Cocoa butter has a mild chocolate flavor and aroma
Cacao Pods	The seed of an evergreen tropical American tree (Theobroma cacao) having leathery, ellipsoid, ten-ribbed fruits borne on the trunks and older branches.
Chocolate Liquor	(1) A misleading but basic term, chocolate liquor is a thick, gritty, dark brown paste—a solid mass that contains no alcohol (the term refers to the “essence”—see below). It only turns liquid when it is heated. It is obtained by grinding the nibs, or meat, of the cacao beans. Chocolate liquor is about half cocoa butter and half cocoa solids (which are what is left when the bean is pulverized and the impurities are removed). While technically not yet chocolate, chocolate liquor is the “essence” of chocolate, the pure ground product of the roasted cacao beans, the base for (and main ingredient in) all chocolate products. (2) From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Standards of Identity: Chocolate liquor is produced by grinding the cacao bean nib (or center) to a smooth, liquid state. In the U.S., chocolate liquor is also called chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, baking chocolate, or bitter chocolate.
Coca Plant	Cacao should not be confused with the coca plant which can be used to create cocaine.
Cocoa Beans	Cocoa is a misspelling of cacao that appeared on a ship’s manifest in the 18th century and led to the replacement of the original word with the erroneous one. The “beans” are the seeds from the pod, or fruit, of the Theobroma cacao tree. At the center of the bean is the nib, from which chocolate is made. There are three species of bean—Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario—and many subspecies.
Cocoa Powder	Made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove three quarters of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed
Conching	After the beans are ground into chocolate liquor or chocolate paste, the paste is refined through uninterrupted stirring, or conching, that smoothes the texture of the chocolate and enhances its flavor. This mechanical rolling and kneading process takes place in huge vats with rotating paddles or blades (the paddles are shaped like conches, giving the process its name).
Couverture	A term used to describe high-quality chocolate – quality determined by bean quality, particle size of ground bean and amount of cacao butter.
Criollo	There are three types of cacao beans used in chocolate. The most prized, rare, and expensive is the Criollo, the bean of the Maya. Only 10% of chocolate is made from the Criollo, which is less bitter and more aromatic than any other bean. Criollo (large size red pods), are very delicate and with an exquisite aroma. It represents about 10% of the world crop and it comes mainly from Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder	Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and is easy to dissolve in liquids.
Enrobing	Covering a chocolate, or the intended center of a chocolate like a ganache interior, with a thin layer of tempered (liquid) chocolate.
Fair Trade Certified	Fair Trade ensures that farmers are paid fair value for their beans. This affords money for adult (instead of child) labor, sound agricultural practices and a minimum standard of living. It is a trademarked term authorized by TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization that audits transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified™ products and the international suppliers from whom they source.
Fermentation	It is during fermentation that the cacao beans start developing their flavors. Fermentation is a natural, post-harvest process that converts the sugars in raw cacao beans to alcohol, kills the germ, and develops the necessary elements that modify the composition of the beans so they will yield the characteristic flavor and aroma of chocolate during roasting. Depending on the country, fermentation takes place in baskets, wooden boxes or cylinders stored away from light. The beans need to be turned to ensure an even fermentation. Depending on the varietal, the fermentation process lasts from three days to seven days
Finish	The taste that remains in the mouth after swallowing. A long finish indicates a chocolate of good quality.
Flavanols	Flavanols are the antioxidants in cacao. There is a perception that the higher the cacao percentage, the higher the flavanol content; but actual levels of flavanol content may fluctuate widely depending upon the species and subspecies of bean, recipe, processing practices, and storage and handling conditions.
Forastero	The Forastero cacao varietal accounts for approximately 75% to 90% of the world cacao yield and is often referred to as “bulk beans.” Forastero trees grow in all chocolate growing regions: Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Pacific Rim. An estimated 70% of the crop comes from West Africa, with Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Cameroon the predominant suppliers. Forastero means “foreign” in Spanish.
Ganache	Refers to a variety of icing, fillings, and glazes. It is typically made from chocolate and cream. Its origins date to around 1850, when it may have been invented in Switzerland or in France
Ghana	The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. A prime growing region for cacao that is bold, assertive, and dark-toned. Most of it is Forastero, but with a low level of bitterness.
Grinding	After the beans leave the roaster, they go to the grinding room for the mechanical process of pulverizing the roasted cacao nibs into the chocolate liquor.
Health Benefits of Chocolate	Chocolate contains a high level of flavonoid. The term flavonoid refers to a class of plant secondary metabolites based around a phenylbenzopyrone structure, specifically epicatechin Catechin. Catechins are bioflavonoids, polyphenols and powerful anti-oxidants, which may have beneficial cardiovascular system. The ingestion of flavonol-rich cacao is associated with acute elevation of circulating nitric oxide, which is a vasodialator. Vasodilation is where blood vessels in the body become wider following the relaxation of the smooth muscle in the vessel walls. Prolonged intake of flavonol-rich cacao has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though it should be noted that this refers to plain cacao and dark chocolate, not milk chocolate.
Lecithin	Lecithin can be extracted from egg yolks or soybeans (when it is called soya lecithin, and is generally the type of lecithin used by most chocolate makers). It is a natural product used as a thinner in chocolate. As an emulsifier, it helps maintain an emulsion (attachment) between the cocoa butter and the sugar. It also increases the chocolate’s fluidity (pliability) through the reduction of viscosity.
Madagascar	An island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. A growing region and cacao often associated with a vibrant and crisp citrus tartness. Grape and pineapple-like tones are common as well.
Mélangeur	A machine used in chocolate manufacture for mixing chocolate liquor with sugar and Cacao Butter.
Metate	A mortar, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds.
Milk Chocolate	Along with white chocolate, the sweetest eating chocolate. Made of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, some form of milk, sugar, and flavorings. Today, fresh, sweetened, condensed or powdered whole milk, depending on the individual manufacturer’s formula and manufacturing methods, is blended with the sugar and added to the chocolate liquor during the crumb or flake process. It is then dried on heated rollers to produce the flavor more typical of European chocolate or mixed with slightly acidified milk to produce the flavor preferred in the U.S.
Molding	In the chocolate-making process, after conching, the chocolate is tempered, poured into the molds, passed through the refrigerated tunnel and then unmolded. This creates the large blocks of couverture from which all chocolates are made, and can also create the producer’s individual chocolate bars. The chocolate bars are left to rest for a few days so their flavors will age and to insure stability. Then the chocolate is packaged.
Mouthfeel	The chemical and physical interaction of a food and the mouth is called Mouthfeel. There are several things that are considered modifiers when testing the mouthfeel of chocolate: The chewiness is the number of chews required at 1 chew per second before the chocolate can be swallowed. Coarseness is the degree of coarseness during chewing, chocolate should be smooth. Graininess is the amount of small grainy particles; only low quality chocolates are grainy. Heaviness is the weight of the chocolate when first placed on the tongue. Moisture absorption is the amount of saliva absorbed. Moisture release is the wetness/juiciness released. Mouthcoating is the amount of fat/oil that coats the mouth after chewing. Smoothness is the absence of particles, lumps, bumps or any other noticible texture in the product. Uniformity is the degree of evenness throughout the sample.
Nibs	After cacao beans are fermented and roasted, the nibs, which are the center of the bean, are ground and become chocolate liquid. The high fat content is what allows them to become a liquid
Roasting	A cooking or heating process using dry heat that fully develops the chocolate flavor of cocoa beans, similar to roasting coffee. Roasting machines have rotating drums to roast evenly, at temperatures between 200° and 300° and for anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours depending on the flavor profile.
Single Origin	Single origin chocolate is so called because the cacao beans used to create it are taken from a single source/origin, in some instances a single estate or plantation but in most instances a single country. It refers to the origination of the cacao beans used to create the chocolate and not the finished chocolate itself. The source and use of certain cacao allows the chocolate maker to create particular flavour profiles.
Snap	Break your piece of chocolate in half and listen to the sound. High quality chocolate produces a sharp, crisp sound and a clean edge. This is called the chocolate's "snap." The higher the cacao quantity and the better the tempering, the louder the "snap" of the chocolate. Professional chocolate tasters can tell a great deal about the quality of chocolate just by this sound
Tempering	A process of delicately heating, cooling and reheating melted chocolate so that it will solidify in a stable crystal form. Proper tempering, when followed by proper cooling, provides shine and good eating properties. The temperatures involved are between 85° Fand 105°F, and need to be precise as different cocoa butters behave differently when they melt. A well - tempered chocolate will break cleanly, and be free of graininess
Terroir	The term was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea, but is also used in chocolate and used to denote the special characteristics that geography bestowed upon them. It is a group of agricultural sites in same region which share the same soil, weather conditions and farming techniques, which each contribute to the unique qualities of the crop. It can be very loosely translated as "a sense of place" which is embodied in certain qualities, and the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the manufacture of the product, as in cacao beans.
Theobroma Cacao	Tree of South American origin of the family Sterculiaceae; source of cacao.
Trinitario	A variety of Cacao Bean. Criollo was the predominant cacao of Central and northern South America. Trinatario, a hybrid of Criollo and Forastero, is used in about 10% of chocolate
Varietal	Of, indicating, or characterizing a variety, especially a biological variety
Viscosity	The material property that measures a fluid's resistance to flowing.
White Chocolate	Cacao butter combined with milk and sugar, often flavored with vanilla.
Winnow	A process of de-shelling the nibs (kernels) after they have been roasted to remove the brittle skins.

Glossary

Sitemap