How to Dry & Roast Cocoa Beans

The cocoa bean roasting process dries and roasts the beans. Cocoa beans roast anywhere from 250 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 35 minutes. After roasting, the shells must be removed (winnowing) and separated from the cocoa nib. The shells can be discarded. The nibs should then be ground to make cocoa liquor and cocoa powder. You can then use these for coffee, cake and other items calling for cocoa.

Things You'll Need

• 4 lbs. Cleaned and fermented cocoa beans
• 2 to 4 Baking sheets
• Oven
• Clock or timer

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cocoa beans do their full roast between 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 325 degrees Fahrenheit but must start the process at a very high temperature to get the shells hot enough to come off easily (see Tips section). They will only be roasted for a few minutes at a high temperature and then you will have to turn down the heat. While the oven is heating, spread your cocoa beans evenly on two baking sheets. You will roast only two baking sheets worth of beans at a time.

2. Put cocoa beans in the 425-degree oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the beans and continue roasting for another 3 minutes at that temperature.

3. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue roasting for 7 minutes.

4. Lower the oven temperature to 265 degrees Fahrenheit and roast the cocoa beans for another 10 minutes. Take the beans out of the oven and you now have fully dried and roasted cocoa beans. Let cool.

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent fire but still roast the beans properly, start the roasting at a very high temperature and then lower to the target temperature. The initial high heat lets the beans get hot and dry enough to make separating the husk from the nibs easier and the lower temperature at the end ensures that the outside doesn't burn but the interior continues to roast.

• Unclean cocoa beans may have bacteria and fungi that can cause infection. Ensure that your beans have been thoroughly cleaned via a super heated steam method. Also, the shells of the cocoa beans are flammable. Keep a watchful eye on the beans while roasting them in the oven. Turn down the temperature and remove the beans from the oven should the shells catch fire.

References

• Home Roasting Cocoa Beans
• Cocoa Bean Roasting
• Misadventures of Home Cocoa Bean Roasting

Resources

• Roasting Effects on Dietary Fiber Composition of Cocoa Beans