How To Make Chocolate Bars At Home

Ingredients

• 200 g Cacao Beans (fresh beans removed from pods, fermented and dried)
• 30 g Cocoa Butter (food‑grade, unsalted)
• 60 g Granulated Sugar (will be ground to a fine powder for the chocolate)
• 1 handful Banana Leaves (used to line the fermentation bucket)
• 1 pinch Salt (optional, enhances flavor)

Instructions

1. Open Cacao Pods and Extract Beans

   Use a sharp knife to cut open each cacao pod, remove the white pulp and pull out the beans. Discard the pulp or use it for another recipe.

   Time: PT15M

2. Ferment the Beans

   Layer the wooden bucket with banana leaves, add the fresh beans, and spread them evenly. Cover with more banana leaves and a lid. Let ferment at room temperature for 5‑7 days, stirring once daily.

   Time: PT120H

3. Dry the Fermented Beans

   Spread the fermented beans on dehydrator trays in a single layer. Dry at 120°F (49°C) until the white pulp is completely gone and the beans feel dry to the touch.

   Time: PT8H

   Temperature: 120°F

4. Roast the Dried Beans

   Place the dried beans in the roasting drum and roast at 250°F (121°C) for about 30 minutes, shaking or rotating the drum periodically for even color.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 250°F

5. Winnow to Obtain Cacao Nibs

   Cool the roasted beans, then use a hair dryer to blow away the cracked shells while gently crushing the beans with your hands. Collect the remaining nibs in a bowl.

   Time: PT20M

6. Grind Nibs into Chocolate Liquor

   Load the cacao nibs into the stone grinder and run continuously for 72 hours, scraping the sides every few hours to keep the mass moving.

   Time: PT72H

7. Add Sugar and Cocoa Butter

   After the liquor is smooth, add the powdered sugar and cocoa butter to the grinder. Continue grinding for another 20 minutes until fully incorporated and the texture is silky.

   Time: PT20M

8. Temper the Chocolate

   Pour the chocolate onto a marble slab. Cool it to 80‑82°F, then gently re‑heat to 88‑90°F while continuously stirring. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 80‑82°F then 88‑90°F

9. Mold and Set the Bar

   Spoon the tempered chocolate into bar molds, tap each mold on the counter to release air bubbles, and let sit at room temperature for 20‑30 minutes until solid.

   Time: PT30M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

180

Protein

2 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

14 g

Fiber

3 g