This is why some chocolate bars cost $12
There’s no arguing that chocolate is amazing. Not only does it taste good but science has also proven that it’s actually good for you – thank you science. But head to your nearest confectionary aisle and one thing becomes strikingly clear: not all chocolate is created equally.
Mast Brothers, a Brooklyn-based artisanal chocolate maker, recently came under fire when DallasFood.org exposed that the brothers have not always produced ‘bean to bar,’ as their company website implies. A Mast Brothers bar retails for around $12.
While bean to bar may not mean much to the average consumer, to chocolate makers, bean to bar is a really big deal. We spoke to popular chocolate maker, Green & Black Organic, to learn more about what goes into making an expensive, high quality chocolate bar.
Here’s what they had to say.
What’s the difference between a $2 and $12 chocolate bar?
Starting with the very finest cocoa beans gives you the best chance of making incredible tasting chocolate, but you also need a lot of skill and expertise to turn these raw ingredients in to an exceptional final product. At Green & Black Organic, for example, we’ve been working with our farmers in the Dominican Republic for many years, slowly perfecting the many different stages of cocoa production. Because we use organic ingredients, it means that farmers have to spend extra time caring and nurturing their crop, as they choose not to rely on artificial pesticides and fertilizers. We believe that this extra attention to detail is evident in the final taste, and is certainly worth paying for.
Also, there is a fair trade premium that is built in to the cost of our chocolate, which ensures producers are receiving a fair price for their cocoa beans.
Why should we care about whether chocolate is organic?
We believe organic ingredients make the best-tasting chocolate around. We search high and low for ingredients that meet our stringent standards. To ensure the highest quality organic product, every step of the process, from bean to chocolate bar, needs to be undertaken with the utmost care and attention and needs to be unpolluted of artificial ingredients.
Our cocoa farmers use natural methods to grow their crop, such as pruning, shading, and ensuring certain other species of plants and insect thrive in their plantation – this biodiversity is key to having healthy cacao trees. The prohibited use of artificial pesticides and fertilizers mean that the farmers are not exposed to these often harmful chemicals, as well as the end consumer. The cattle that produce our organic milk have the very best of living conditions, with open grazing, and heavy restrictions on the unnecessary routine use of antibiotics.
What are fair trade beans?
Ethical chocolate is about working in partnership with farmers. Doing so ensures farmers receive a fair price for their beans and provides them with security should the market decline or in the event of an environmental disaster such as hurricanes. Through fair prices, a long term contract and Green & Black Organic’s investment in the community (such as access to fresh, clean water, health care and schools) it provides economic support and enables farmers to plan for the future of their families, their farms and their community.
Where do the best beans come from?
There are three main types of cocoa grown around the world: criollo, forestero and trinitario. Forestero is the most common and ‘bulk’ variety, where criollo and trinitario are considered finer and more flavourful.
Much as with wine, the region where cocoa is grown has a tremendous impact on taste. Green & Black Organic’s is made from organic trinitario cocoa beans, by fair trade farmers in the Dominican Republic. Because of the farming methods employed in these areas by the incredibly talented, invested farmers, it is regarded as some of the finest cocoa in the world. They are what give our dark chocolate its distinct flavours; great depth of cocoa, fruity hints of sour cherry, and complex background notes of coffee, leather, tobacco, dried fruits and vanilla.
What is the chocolate-making process?
The process begins with the beans. The cocoa pods containing the cocoa beans are harvested at their peak of ripeness. The beans are carefully removed from the pod and then fermented in wooden ‘blocks’ for four days before they are laid out to dry in the sun.
Next, the beans are shipped to a facility in Europe, where they are rigorously assessed and cleaned to ensure that only the very best are used in the chocolate. Cocoa nibs are separated from the shell and slowly roasted to develop the rich flavour and colour. The cocoa nibs are roasted at the lower end of the spectrum, which means their distinctive flavour is not lost in the process.
From here, the roasted nibs are very finely ground to make a thick, creamy textured cocoa mass, which is mixed together with organic raw cane sugar and organic vanilla – Green & Black Organic has their own special recipe. The thick, smooth chocolate is then continually stirred and heated for a whole day, in a process known as ‘conching,’ which comes from the shape of the vessels they used to use, which looked like a conch shell.
Finally, the chocolate is expertly tempered – this gives it a lovely gloss and good “snap” when breaking the chocolate into pieces. At this point, it’s ready to eat.
What does “bean to bar” mean?
Bean to bar chocolate-making means that the chocolate making process, including the grinding of the bean to the molding of the bar, is done by the chocolate maker. For Green & Black Organic, the cocoa beans are harvested in the Dominican Republic, and then are shipped to the facility in Europe, where they are rigorously assessed, cleaned, separated, ground and shaped.
Can you describe the difference between white, milk and dark chocolate?
White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar.
Milk chocolate contains cocoa mass, cocoa butter, milk and sugar.
Dark chocolate has the highest quantity of cocoa solids (both cocoa mass and cocoa butter), along with just enough sugar to sweeten it.
Is there a noticeable difference in taste, colour, shelf life with more expensive varieties?
Shelf life is determined by many aspects of a chocolate bar, but even by only using completely natural ingredients we are able to produce chocolate that tastes fresh and delicious well over a year after it has been made. Colour is largely determined by the cocoa content, in particular the cocoa mass. We are proud to use a high proportion of cocoa mass versus cocoa butter in our chocolate, which is noticeable in the dark shade of our chocolate.
How can we get the most out of our chocolate?
The process of fermenting, drying and roasting the cocoa results in over 600 flavour compounds that can be enjoyed in chocolate.
Some things to consider when you’re eating it:
Make sure your chocolate is served at room temperature
If tasting multiple varieties, start with the lightest (lowest cocoa content) to the darkest (highest cocoa content)
Start by smelling the chocolate - take a small piece and let it melt between your thumb and forefinger
Put the first piece in your mouth and pinch your nose. Pinching your nose lets your tongue and mouth truly experience the tastes and other sensations of the chocolate
Stop pinching your nose and breath in deeply. You will immediately sense the aromas or flavours of the chocolate
Try both nibbling and letting the chocolate melt in different areas of your mouth
Explore different drink pairings to enjoy with your chocolate; a cup of tea or coffee is an obvious starting point, but sweet wines such as dessert wines, sherry, Madeira or port pair excellently with many of our bars. The more adventurous of you could even enjoy a glass of whiskey or rum alongside your favorite flavour.
Anything else we should know about chocolate?
Cocoa comes from the tree ‘Theobroma cacao,’ meaning ‘food of the Gods.’ These special trees are found all around the world, usually between 10° and 20° north or south of the equator. The oldest record of the them being used dates back to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, where they were ground down and boiled in to a hot drink, often flavored with fruits and spices to mask the bitterness. It wasn’t until the 19th century until we started to see sweet, smooth bars of chocolate that would be familiar to us today.
