Lessons > Basics of Quality Chocolate

Basics of Quality Chocolate

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Lesson Overview

What is the difference between a chocolate bar you find in a supermarket and chocolate made by a fine chocolatier? If you don’t know how chocolate is made or processed or how to buy it, you can easily be fooled by marketers.

In this lesson, you will learn about the cacao tree and how cocoa beans are manufactured. You will learn about cocoa powder, dutching and cocoa butter. You will learn how chocolate is processed into varieties of dark, milk and white chocolate.

By understanding the process, this will help you to better determine what quality chocolate is and what to look for when reading the ingredients on packages, as well as understanding what the percentage really means. Finally, you will learn how to judge and properly taste a variety of chocolates to find out which type of chocolate you prefer most.

Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson you'll be able to:
  • understand where chocolate comes from
  • understand how cocoa beans are manufactured
  • understand what cocoa powder and cocoa butter are
  • understand the chocolate manufacturing process
  • understand how to read packaging labels to determine quality chocolate
  • identify characteristics of quality chocolate

Course Syllabus

START: Watch Lesson Platform Tour
1. Introduction: Basics of Quality Chocolate 2 mins
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2. Complete Your Self Assessment 2 mins
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3. The Cacao Tree 5 mins
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4. How Cocoa Beans are Manufactured 5 mins
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5. What is Cocoa Powder? 5 mins
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6. What is Cocoa Butter? 1 min
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7. Making Chocolate & Conching 5 mins
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8. How to Read Labels on Chocolate 8 mins
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9. How to Taste Quality Chocolate 10 mins
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10. Practice Activities & Recipes 45 mins
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11. Lesson Quiz 15 mins
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Finish Line 1 hr 43 mins Total Time
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Practice Recipes

A few of the practice recipes you'll learn in this lesson.

What People Are Saying

Deborah P "I loved learning about how cacao is grown and produced, and about the different varieties of cacao. I also loved learning about how to choose a good quality chocolate and what ingredients I should look out for. I really had no cacao knowledge other than knowing that I love it in all forms, so this video was super informative." Deborah P. ★★★★★
Brenda H "That was an amazing lesson! Thank you! I've been curious about what cocoa butter, cocoa nibs, and white chocolate really are. That was such an interesting lesson." Brenda H. ★★★★★
Jennifer B "Mmmmm." Jennifer B. ★★★★★

Students

5,086 students from beginner to advanced have completed this lesson from 76 countries.