ALL ABOUT CHOCOLATE: The study

A study from February 2013, conducted at the Polytechnic University of Ancona, confirmed that women have an innate love for chocolate, significantly more than men. This could summarize the findings of the study, which examined 100 pregnant women and the reactions of their fetuses when the mothers consumed chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the stronger the fetus's reaction. All fetuses reacted to the chocolate, but the stimulation was more evident in female fetuses.

HISTORY OF COCOA

The cocoa tree, an evergreen reaching up to 10 meters in height, originates from the Amazon region. This area of South America is primarily located in Brazil (around 65% of its territory) but also extends into Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

However, it was the Mayans who began cultivating the plant more intensively around 1000 BC. They lived further north, in areas now located south of Mexico, including the Yucatán Peninsula, Chiapas, and the Pacific coast of Guatemala.

For the Mayans, chocolate was called Kakaw Uhanal, meaning "Food of the Gods," and its consumption was reserved for certain classes of society, such as rulers, nobles, and warriors.  

The Mayans enjoyed a hot cocoa beverage. The word for water was Haa, and the word for hot was Chacau. The cocoa drink was named Chacauhaa, which closely resembles the modern Spanish and English term "chocolate."  

In addition to its ceremonial and ritual uses, chocolate was consumed as a drink called Xocoatl, often flavored with vanilla, chili, and pepper. Xocoatl was known to alleviate fatigue, likely due to the theobromine it contained (though it's worth noting that the theobromine in chocolate is toxic to dogs, horses, and other small animals that cannot metabolize it). Cocoa seeds were a luxury item and even served as currency—for example, Emperor Montezuma’s treasure reportedly contained nearly a billion cocoa seeds.

In 1502, cocoa was brought to Europe for the first time by Christopher Columbus during his fourth and final voyage from Honduras. However, Columbus paid little attention to this discovery, likely due to the drink's bitter taste. 

It wasn’t until 1519 that Hernán Cortés brought cocoa back to Europe, convinced of its potential appeal in aristocratic circles. Even later, by the late 1500s, Spanish Jesuits, who had a long tradition of making infusions and blends, added sugar to mitigate the natural bitterness of cocoa and removed the chili and pepper.

Throughout the 1500s, chocolate remained exclusive to Spain. In the 1600s, it became a fashionable drink at the French court, followed by England and Austria. It arrived in Italy in 1635.

By the late 1700s, the first "parlor chocolate," similar to what we know today, was invented in Turin, Italy. In 1802, Bozzelli invented a machine to refine cocoa paste and mix it with sugar and vanilla. However, it wasn’t until 1820 in England that a system was developed to produce the first commercial chocolate bars. In 1826, Pierre Paul Caffarel began mass-producing chocolate using a new machine, and in 1828, the Dutchman J. Van Houten patented a method to extract fat from cocoa beans, transforming them into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. He also developed the "Dutch process," treating cocoa with alkalis to remove its bitter taste.

In 1875, in Switzerland, Daniel Peter began adding milk to chocolate, introducing milk chocolate to the market. To remove water from the milk and ensure longer shelf life, he was assisted by his neighbor, Henri Nestlé, a name we all recognize today.

In 1879, Rudolf Lindt invented the process called conching, which involves continuously stirring molten chocolate to ensure a uniform and smooth mixture, producing the so-called "dark chocolate."


COCOA PROCESSING

Cocoa plantations begin producing fruit after 4–5 years. Each plant yields 1–2 kg of dry seeds and bears fruit twice a year. The plant prefers shade and grows under taller trees like palms and bananas.

The seeds, or beans, are enclosed in a pod called a cabossa, approximately the size of a sugar beet. Each pod contains about 50 seeds, within which lies the almond from which cocoa is extracted. The pod is crushed and left to rest for about a week, after which the pulp and seeds are extracted.

The processing of cocoa is long and involves several stages:  

  • Fermentation  
  • Drying  
  • Roasting (or toasting)  
  • Shelling and germ removal  
  • Grinding  
  • Fat separation  
  • Milling  
  • Solubilization

The seeds are fermented at 45–50 °C for 5–6 days, causing the pulp to liquefy and be removed. Fermentation deactivates the seed, halting germination, softens the remaining pulp attached to the seed, and causes the seed to swell and turn a brown color. The seeds are then sun-dried, shelled, roasted, and cleaned of the cotyledons (the "little roots" that sprout during germination, though technically they are fleshy embryonic leaves). They are ground into cocoa mass, which can be used directly to make chocolate or further processed to extract the fat.

The fat is separated through filtration and pressing. This is followed by grinding into a fine powder to produce "soluble cocoa," which still contains a small percentage of fat that is separated through solubilization (heating with steam and sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate).


COCOA VARIETIES

Cocoa comes mainly in three varieties:

  • Forastero (80% of global production);  
  •  Criollo (10% of global production), known for superior aroma and quality, often used to blend with Forastero;  
  •  Trinitario (the remaining 10%), which has characteristics intermediate between the first two.  

Cocoa is cultivated in three main regions:  

  •  American Cocoa: The most appreciated types include Mexican cocoa, Bahía cocoa from Brazil, cultivated in Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador, and the Chuao and Porcelana varieties from Venezuela.  
  •  Asian Cocoa: Primarily from Indonesia and Sri Lanka.  
  •  African Cocoa: Ghana is renowned for its quality, as are varieties from Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, and Madagascar.  


CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

Chocolate production occurs in several stages:  

  1. Mixing  
  2. Conching  
  3. Tempering  
  4. Molding  
  5. Packaging

The process begins by mixing cocoa mass, obtained from processed cocoa beans, with other ingredients depending on the type of chocolate desired.  

  • Dark Chocolate: Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, and vanilla.  
  • Milk Chocolate: Same as above, with the addition of milk or milk powder.  
  • White Chocolate: Cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla, and milk or milk powder.  

Soy lecithin is often added as an emulsifier to improve ingredient homogeneity.  

The mixture is then subjected to conching, using specialized machines called conches, which reduce the ingredient particles to sizes imperceptible to the tongue, creating a perfectly smooth and homogeneous mass under controlled temperatures.

Next is tempering, a process that crystallizes the cocoa butter properly. Cocoa butter tends to crystallize in six different forms, but only one, known as form V or β, provides chocolate with its gloss, rigidity, and melt-in-your-mouth quality, as its melting point is slightly below body temperature.

Tempering involves gradually cooling the chocolate from 45 °C to 27 °C, then reheating it to 31 °C (±1 °C) for dark chocolate and 29 °C for milk chocolate, followed by cooling to a solid state.

After tempering, the chocolate is molded by pouring it into molds, which are vibrated gently to remove trapped air bubbles. Once cooled, the chocolate takes the shape of the molds and is ready for packaging.


CHOCOLATE AND LOVE

Legend has it that Emperor Montezuma drank Xocolatl before visiting his harem and made sure that the young women brought to his court as offerings did the same.  

The Aztecs also consumed chocolate in large quantities during religious ceremonies dedicated to Xochiquetzal, their god of love.

Today, chocolate remains a favorite gift among lovers, not only on Valentine’s Day. According to some studies, chocolate positively affects human mood and increases sexual desire, as Giacomo Casanova claimed.  

Indeed, chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a chemical that can create dependency and is associated with love and attraction. While absent in non-lovers, it is found in large quantities in the blood and urine of those in love.

Other studies link phenylethylamine in chocolate to reduced depression and even suggest it lowers cardiovascular risk factors due to its high flavonoid content, recognized for its strong antioxidant properties.


HOW TO RECOGNIZE GOOD CHOCOLATE

Storage conditions are essential to enjoying good chocolate. The temperature should be between 16–18 °C with low humidity (40–50%). Chocolate readily absorbs bad odors, so it should be stored in an airtight container.  

To evaluate chocolate, consider these points:

  • Appearance: It should be smooth, glossy, and dark mahogany in color.  
  • Aroma: It should not smell overly sweet.  
  • Sound: Breaking it should produce a clean snap. If it splinters, it’s too dry; if it resists, it’s too soft or waxy.  
  • Touch: When held, it should melt quickly due to the cocoa butter content.  
  • Taste: It should be smooth and creamy, melting almost instantly in the mouth. 
  • Flavor: Flavors and aromas should unfold gradually and persistently, with a hint of bitterness, a touch of acidity, or sweetness with cacao, pineapple, banana, vanilla, or cinnamon notes. 
  • Storage Issues: Heat and humidity are enemies of chocolate. Heat brings cocoa butter to the surface, causing uneven crystallization. Humidity dissolves surface sugar crystals, which recrystallize, forming a grayish film. While the taste remains unchanged, the appearance suffers.  


HOW TO TASTE CHOCOLATE

The best way to savor chocolate is on an empty stomach. The ideal temperature for tasting is between 19–25 °C.

Chew it several times to fully perceive its aromas. Allowing it to adhere to the palate lets you experience its full richness and flavor range.

What if chocolate makes you thirsty? While many believe chocolate and wine don’t pair well, a sweet, still wine is often an excellent companion for chocolate desserts. However, chocolate professionals typically taste it while sipping only fresh water!