Hail to the Hive!

I was having my morning coffee a week ago at the 'Smooth Cafe' in Moalboal and was chatting to the owner, Marc, and he was telling me about their new business venture making craft chocolate. I love chocolate, who doesn't? I'd sampled some and the quality was excellent and such was his enthusiasm in explaining the process I asked if I could watch him make a batch and document the process. "sure" he said "I'll let you know when we are making a batch and you're most welcome to come see"

So a week later he messages me to say they are doing some 70% Dark Chocolate with Rum infusion. Ok so how do you say no to that?

Upon arrival at the cafe Marc explained that he'd soaked the cacao beans in Rum for a month and he was now roasting them at variable temperatures at the cafe kitchen before transferring to his Cacao Lab. The beans are sourced in the Philippines from Davao and the rum is also from the Philippines of course. So now we are talking Rum & Chocolate. I couldn't be happier.

Once they have been roasted for the required amount of time Marc diligently checks them to be sure all is as it should be. I noticed throughout the day that quality and consistency is extremely important to this man.

We then took the beans a short walk to his Lab where the next step of the process was to remove the shells. Again he doesn't rush anything and carefully checks after the process to ensure the results are to his satisfaction and is happy to re do the process as many times as it takes.

The next phase is separating the shells in his winnower. A 'Winnower' will separate the chaff and shell casings by forcing a current of air to blow away impurities as they are lighter than the seed itself.

Then to grind them up a little. Oh man ! The smell is just out of this world. The cacao and rum filling the air you can't help but to inhale and smile and for me giggle like a schoolboy. I can already see why he loves doing this.

I mean look at this!

Enter the Cacao Lab!

At this point I'm thinking 'Breaking Bad' but Chocolate instead of crystal meth haha. But as Marc was explainging the process I realised there is an element of crystals involved. You see the cacao butter and the cacao mix crystallizes in any one of 6 different types and the one you should aim for is the type 5 crystal in the rendering process. I am still unsure if Marc is Jessie or Mr White at this stage. I'm leaning towards Mr White as he hasn't used the word 'Bitch' once yet.

At this stage he's melting the cacao butter to add to the ground beans that had been soaked in rum.

Once added to the stone grinder the smell is now intoxicating. I now want to change my life and make chocolate forever, there is now higher purpose than this I am now thinking.

Some sugar is added

But now I am sad as he tells me this process will take a long time so I would need to come back the following day for the rendering process. I am sad to leave the aroma filled 'Breaking Chocolate Bad Cacao Lab' but knowing I will be back makes me happy.

The next day I arrive with a big grin on my face for the last phase, the rendering and moulding. He prepares a bowl of cool water and places his bowl of cacao mix directly on top to allow it to slowly bring the temperature down.

Ensuring it is constantly mixed to keep the temperature uniform he brings the temp down to about 82F. He said at this point that even though everything he normally does is in metric he learned and perfected his process using Fahrenheit so has decided to continue with whats imprinted in his brain.

Having kept some of the mix in another bowl that is still warmer he slowly adds and mixes it in in order to bring the temperature back up to about 89-90 degrees in order to isolate the type 5 crystal that he desires to make the best chocolate.

Then to the moulds. Watching the 2 of them in the Lab like a finely tuned team, no speaking they both instinctively know the roles and there's no time wasting as they want the mix in the moulds as quickly as possible so it doesn't go off temp.

I don't know why but I was smiling the whole time I was taking photographs. I felt like 'Charlie' in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Hmm is he Mr White or Willy Wonka?

Into the fridge it goes!

The results are like a piece of artwork. Visually looks so appealing. Of course we could resist a sample. 'Quality control' Marc said haha too bloody right!

Then wrapped in foil.

And packaged. Looks great, tastes great and the process was a pleasure to watch ( and smell).

Oh dear Intruder alert intruder alert! Someones found the chocolate!