Unbridled pleasure: The art of making chocolates

Paul H. Williams, Contributor

There are millions of chocolate lovers the world over, thus making the production of this popular confection one of the world's biggest industries.

From the planting of the cocoa trees to stocking the packages on shelves, there is much work that is done to titillate your taste buds. So the next time you close your eyes while savouring the taste of your favourite chocolate, also reflect on the efforts that have brought you to that moment of unspeakable gastronomic pleasure.

But you can also pleasure yourself by making your own chocolate, if only you knew the art. And right here in Jamaica there is the availability of the basic ingredient: cocoa beans - the same beans our grandmothers would pound in a mortar.

You won't find such a mortar in Andjahli Parnell's kitchen at Orange Bay, Portland, but you will see cocoa beans and a grinder, which she uses to make her own chocolate.

Arts & Education
had the chocolatey pleasure of visiting Parnell recently to see the art
of making home-made chocolate. The Alaska-born Jamaican has intimate
knowledge of cocoa processing, as she has worked with small-batch
chocolate production in Hawaii.

TAKING BITTERNESS
AWAY

There, she also learned the art of fermenting
coffee beans the West African way, in which the beans are wrapped in
banana leaves and left in the sun for three days. When they are turned,
an acid drains from them, taking the bitterness
away.

When we caught up with Parnell, there were
fermented beans out in the sun drying, and some were in a pot on her
stove being parched. From time to time, she had to stir the pot so that
the beans were sufficiently roasted.

This stage is
crucial as over-roasted beans might affect the taste of the
chocolate.

After the beans are roasted, their coatings
are removed. Next, the beans and the other ingredients, including cocoa
butter, are put into a grinder. At this stage, the right amount of each
ingredient is key. They are ground for four hours until the substance
created becomes 'running'.

The liquid chocolate is
cooled at a desired temperature. This part is called tempering. After
that, some of the hotter mixture is poured into the cooled portion. It
is then cooled down some more to "make it crystallise the right way
because you want it to snap", Parnell said.

If it is
not crystallised properly, the chocolate melts at a very low
temperature. This is not a desirable chocolate
quality.

For Parnell, a great chocolate should not
melt easily, must be dark, and not bitter, creamy in the mouth, and have
a good aftertaste.

So, what is Parnell going to do
with this knowledge? She said she would love to have a chocolate factory
to employ people, and to supply hotels with fine-quality chocolates.
She would also like to have chocolate-making seminars so that you, too,
can learn the art of making
chocolates.

Photos by Paul H.
Williams