Archive for January, 2011
Batch Notes: Roast Date 01.11.11
I selected one of my favorite beans for this batch. Not just because of it’s outstanding quality, but also the access I have to the cooperative to be able to purchase directly from them. I’ve posted a short clip below from a documentary film about the La Red Cooperative in the Dominican Republic. It provides a great look into the lives of the farmers.
Now on to the batch notes:
- Cut Test: Beans well fermented with few under-fermented*
- Sort: Aroma is good, very little debris or foreign material, low concentration of beans stuck together. Went smoothly.
- Roast: Beans in at 1336, 350F. Out at 1405, 325F (259F)
- Winnow: No issues with winnowing, good separation with minimal nib loss.
- Conche/Refine: No issues, fine texture achieved with good viscosity.
- Batch Complete: 01/13 at 1200.
- Tasting: Texture is ideal, very smooth on the palate. Flavor profile is signature for this bean source. Good chocolate flavor with complex hints of tropical fruit and citrus. Leaves a lasting impression on the palate that will have you wanting more when it’s gone. By far the best I’ve achieved with this bean. Very pleased!
- *Some under-fermented beans are preferred as too many over-fermented beans results in undesirable flavors.
Below is a short version of the documentary film ‘Chocolate Country’ about the La Red Cooperative from whom I purchased the beans for this batch.
Chocolate Making: Bean-to-Nib Stage
One necessary requirement for making chocolate the way that I do, is patience. This is a trait that most would not associate with me. I’m all about efficient use of time, do it right and do it fast. Artisan chocolate can not be done that way. It has taught me to slow down in a sense. Although there are brief moments of chaos that do require that quick and efficient use of time, for the most part, you do what the chocolate tells you to. In this post, I will break down what I call the bean-to-nib stage, which consists of a cut test, hand sorting, roasting, and finally winnowing the roasted cocoa beans.
As I prepare to make a batch of chocolate, the first thing I do is take a sample from the bag of beans that I’ll be roasting and perform a cut test. This tool slices the cocoa beans in half for viewing and from this I can gauge the quality of fermentation, check for any mold or insect damage, and get an idea on how best to roast this batch. After my analysis, I proceed to hand sorting the beans for roasting.
Now that I have selected the best beans to go in to your chocolate, I prepare the roaster and load them in. Roasting the cocoa beans is the first step in my process that develops the resulting flavor of the chocolate, good or bad. It’s a step that can not be done by a set of rules or strict guidelines. They are simply ready when they are. After many attempts you begin to get a feel for it that is guided more by your senses than your notebook. They generally roast for 20 to 30 minutes at around 300-350 F. Once they are done, they are dumped from the roaster to quickly cool in the tray, and then the chaos begins.
Roasted cocoa beans do go stale so that is why I say “the chaos begins”. I move quickly from this point to get the beans to the conche for grinding. However, first their shells must be removed. That is done through a process called “winnowing”. In short, the beans are broken into pieces called “nibs”, they are then screened by size and the lighter shells are vacuumed away leaving just the nibs. I’ve included a short video here to show the winnower in action.
The winnowing process can take close to an hour from start to finish, but the resulting nibs are still bursting with chocolate aroma and flavor as I quickly whisk them away to the refiner/conche. It is in this machine that they will be heated and ground to a chocolate paste. After that….well, that’s for another post.
Quick Note & BMC Update
On or around Nov. 16th of last year I announced our new Fresh Chocolate Bar concept and the response was amazing. The launch was quickly followed by the holiday rush and I think I just stopped spinning sometime last week. So with the new year, comes new things from BMC. Here’s a quick list:
New Chocolate Maker’s Club-(I know, cheesy name, perhaps a naming contest is in order?) Click here for more details. In short, you secure you’re supply of three fresh chocolate bars each month and get a bunch of savings to boot.
Preserved Bars- If you were wishing for just one more bite of that bar from a previous batch, your wish has been granted. Being that I err on the side of caution with each batch there are always a few extras. So, I decided to vacuum seal them and store them at ideal conditions to preserve them for you. Quantities are very limited, and once these are gone the flavor of that batch will remain merely a distant memory to your palate.
Bulk Chocolate- I was asked quite frequently if we sold our drinking chocolate in bulk, so now we do! You can buy a one pound bag of it in chunks and use for baking, drinking, cooking or just eat it. If you’re a club member, you get 10% off and we ship it free.
First Batch of 2011- Now that the dust has settled and I’ve wrapped up my year end duties for Uncle Sam, it’s time to get back to making chocolate! Click here to get the details on this batch and order yours. If you’re a club member, you’re already in…unless three bars won’t do.
Valentine’s Day- The next biggest chocolate day on the calendar. I’ll admit, I’ve never been much for the holiday as I believe you should say it year around. Boy was I ever wrong! Apparently you should say it year around, and, put an exclamation point on it each February 14th. Well, what could be better than fresh chocolate bars straight from the Chocolate Maker? I’m working on a special bar for the occassion. Stay tuned for more. If you’re a club member, you may be getting one from a sample batch in the mail real soon. I need some tasters!
Chocolate Maker’s Market- We held our first Chocolate Maker’s Holiday Market just before Christmas and the turnout was great. Sarah and I, along with our son Trent, really enjoyed meeting everyone who came out. We had so much fun that we’re planning to do them more often. If you’re not on our email list, please sign up, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay informed.
Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
David Mason
Founder & Chocolate Maker