History of Chocolate Making
Many people think of chocolate as a sweet dessert treat invented in modern times. However, ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used bitter chocolate beverages in both religious rituals and social settings. Since that time, there have been many important inventions to improve the chocolate making process.
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Mass Production
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The early 1700s saw the invention of two machines that allowed large amounts of cacao beans to be processed. A Frenchman named Doret created a hydraulic machine that ground cacao seeds into a paste, while a fellow countryman named Dubuisson invented the steam-driven chocolate mill.
Dutching
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In 1828, C. J. van Houten, Dutch chemist and chocolate making pioneer, patented a hydraulic machine that extracted cocoa butter and left a dry cake that was crushed into powder. This powder was called "Dutch cocoa."
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Chocolate Bars
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In 1847, the first modern chocolate bar was invented by Englishman Joseph Fry. Mr. Fry added melted cocoa butter back into Dutch cocoa and created a chocolate paste that was easily molded.
Milk Chocolate
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In 1875, Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter combined condensed milk and cocoa powder to create the world's first milk chocolate.
Conching
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In 1879, Rodolphe Lindt invented the conching process, which involved heating and rolling chocolate until it is smooth. Conching creates creamy chocolate that melts in the mouth.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Creative Commons photo by Wikmedia
