Chocolate

Chocolate is a popular sweet ingredient that comes from the cacao bean, which is the seed of the cacao tree. The cacao tree is native to tropical regions and produces pods that contain cacao seeds. These seeds are harvested, processed, and then used to make chocolate.

To make chocolate, the cacao seeds are first fermented, dried, roasted, and then ground into a paste called chocolate liquor. This paste is then further processed to separate the cocoa solids from the cocoa butter. Depending on the type of chocolate being made, ingredients like sugar, milk, and flavourings are added to the mixture before it is refined, conched (mixed and smoothed), tempered (heated and cooled), and finally molded into bars or other forms.

Chocolate appears on food labels because it is used to provide flavour, sweetness, and texture to a wide range of products. It is a common ingredient in desserts like cakes, cookies, and ice cream. Chocolate is also used in beverages like hot cocoa and chocolate milk. Additionally, it can be found in snack bars, spreads, and even savoury dishes to add a touch of sweetness or richness.

Foods in the CalorieStar database containing Chocolate