Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate

[liuzhou]

I'm not a chocolate lover, never mind a chocolatier. so I very rarely venture into this part of eG. However, I thought this may be of interest to at least some of you.

 

(That said, you may already know and I'm just miles behind the times, but no one has mentioned it that I can see.)

 

Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate

 

 

Edited June 3 by liuzhou (log)

[Kerry Beal]

It’s an interesting development - taking the sugars out of the pulp!

 

Some of the issues I’ve heard related to it - the pulp is an integral part of the fermentation of the beans - so this can get short circuited when the pulp is removed immediately. 
 

Then there’s the nebulous claims that it’s low sugar - but it’s still carbs just a different source than cane or beet sugar.  
 

And so far those I’ve tasted - taste like ass.

[Wholemeal Crank]

I find this very intriguing.  I have enjoyed a frozen cacao fruit bar and had cacao-fruit infused chocolate (thank you, DIck Taylor Chocolate!) and eaten and cooked with dried cacao fruit (thanks to Blue Stripes) and the cacao fruit is deliciously fruity and floral.  That said, I also remember another intriguing paper that suggested that the role of the cacao fruit might be less about infusing flavor molecules from fruit to beans as they ferment, and more about achieving appropriate temperature and humidity:

 

https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2022/acs-presspac-april-27-2022/new-cocoa-processing-method-produces-fruitier-more-flowery-dark-chocolate.html

 

It makes perfect sense to me that the authors might be inclined to overstate the benefits of a process that might most benefit those able to build large-scale fermentation facilities to control temperature and humidity, and I've had plenty of terrible versions of chocolate produced by companies more concerned social benefits or guilt-free marketing than taste.   And I agree that sugar is sugar, from fruit or from beets or from sugar cane, as far as the nutrition goes.  But if these processes can be tweaked to make chocolate that is silky smooth *and* tastes terrific *and* is less wasteful....and is accessible to more than giant food conglomerates....lots of ifss!....it is intriguing.

[GRiker]

I used a Blue Stripe chocolate bar as part of a chocolate tasting experience with some friends. No one liked it, including me.  It all sounded good on paper but if it's objectionable to eat it's a waste. 

[Wholemeal Crank]

According to their ingredients list, their 70% cacao bar includes 'cacao fruit sugar' but does not specifically say 'cacao fruit':  now wondering how they process that fruit.  The Dick Taylor cacao fruit bar is fabulous, so it clearly can be included without degrading the chocolate as a whole.  This was my tasting note about it:

 

'Dick Taylor microbatch 'Tropical Cacao Fruit', made with the same beans as their Belize (Maya Mountain/Toledo) 72% bar, and their tasting notes for that one are 'dried plum, tart cherry, and jasmine'; I find it deep, earthy, fudgy, with a delicate and the fruitiness is very subtle.  

 

The Tropical Cacao Fruit version is 70% cacao, and it is overtly fruity from the first moment as it starts to melt in the mouth, tart cherries and raspberries to the fore over that deep fudgy chocolate, and a floral element, a bit like a fine Santa Rosa plum, above it.  Not quite as silky a mouthfeel as the the 72% cacao from the same beans....but not in the least coarse or unpleasant.  I love, love, love this fruit-forward version.'