Bean To Bar Making - Getting Started (the process from equipment & ingredients to roasting & refining)
This lesson goes over the process of making chocolate at home using a melanger/refiner. Please note this does not include tempering the chocolate (forming it into bars) as this is quite involved and requires a separate lesson.
FAQ
+ What's Covered?
Ideal for people making chocolate at home or small-scale to sell at local markets and such.
Everything you need to know about making chocolate. We will discuss why you wish to make bean-to-bar chocolate, what your goals are, and how to get started. We will also go over what you need to know which can include the following: sourcing cacao, other ingredients, going over necessary equipment, sorting cacao, roasting, winnowing, refining into chocolate, aging, and storing. You will specify when you book if there is anything in particular you wish (or wish not to) cover during your session.
Keep in mind this will not include tempering the chocolate and forming it into bars. This requires its own session as it can be quite involved, especially if you never attempted it before. However, if you have and wish to breifly discuss it, we certainly can. There are many uses for chocolate that isn't tempred.
This is the booking to make if you need to have an overview of how to make chocolate yourself. This is great if you have not yet started making chocolate, or if you have and feel lost or confused and need to better organize what it is you really need.
+ How Long Should I Book?
The booking starts at 1 hour. If you wish to just go over the first part such as finding the right equipment, cacao, and ingredients, 1 hour should suffice.
**If you wish to go over the entire process (equipment, ingredients, using the refiner) and you have no experience at all, I recommend 1.5-2 hours. **
If you feel you need longer, feel free to add more time when you book in 30 minute increments.
+ What Equipment Do I require?
This is intended to be a Question and Answer session. If you wish to tackle something in realtime (like roasting, refining) please choose the Troubleshooting Booking.
+ Is This Good For Beginners?
Yes! If you have no idea where to start to make your own chocolate, or if you've tried but still feel lost, this will offer you a good overiview of what to expect and ensure you have the tools and skills to tackle chocolate making.