Cocoa Paste

Method

1. Select the dried cacao beans, remove any impurities, and place the good beans on a baking sheet.
2. Roast the beans in a ventilated oven at 215°C for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
3. While still hot, wear gloves and peel off the skins from the beans.
4. Crush the peeled beans into a coarse granulate.
5. Pass the granulate through a meat grinder with a large die (coarse) 3-4 times to form cocoa paste.
6. Weigh the cocoa paste, then add 20% of its weight in powdered sugar (e.g., 200 g sugar per 1 kg paste).
7. Pass the mixture through the grinder again, alternating with sugar, 3-4 times until the sugar is fully absorbed.
8. Place the mixture in a static oven at 80°C for 30 minutes to soften and enhance the aroma.
9. Change to a very fine die and pass the cocoa paste 3-4 times through the grinder.
10. Return the paste to the oven at 60°C for another 30 minutes.
11. Transfer the cocoa paste to a stand mixer bowl and add 20 ml of grape seed oil per kg of paste (e.g., 40 ml for 2 kg).
12. Using the whisk attachment, mix at low speed for 20 minutes to incorporate the fat.
13. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment and mix at medium speed for 1 hour (ideally 18-20 hours for a very fine texture, but this is a home procedure).
14. Alternatively, blend a portion of the paste in a blender at maximum speed for 2-3 minutes to further refine.
15. Pour the cocoa paste into an airtight container (preferably plastic), tap to release air bubbles, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
16. After 24 hours the cocoa paste is formed, but it needs to mature in the refrigerator for 3 months before using it to make chocolate bars.