Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is a key ingredient that is often found in products such as chocolates, cosmetics, and lotions. This natural emollient substance is extracted from the precious cocoa bean, which has been cultivated and processed over centuries to make the beloved treats we enjoy. It’s flavorless, odorless, and pale yellow in color and provides a magnificent, velvety texture to a range of products. Cocoa butter has become an integral part of the global chocolate industry, particularly in Latin American and African nations where cocoa is grown in abundance.

The Journey of Cocoa Butter from Bean to Plate

A cocoa beans’ journey to becoming a silky cocoa butter begins in tropical regions known for their ideal humid climate and fertile soil. Here, cocoa trees can grow up to 60 feet tall in the shade of a canopy of indigenous trees, forming a perennial canopy of evergreen leaves over their coveted pods.

Crafters of cocoa butter will go to extraordinary lengths to guarantee perfect beans. Specially-trained workers pluck the ripened fists of cocoa pods from the cocoa tree, slicing them open to harvest the husked seeds held within. The opening of the pods is traditionally done by hand, a skill passed down from generations of cocoa farmers. After they are gathered and sorted, the beans are transported to a mill, where they’re roasted, ground, and molded into the familiar cocoa cakes or liquid cocoa mass that is seen in store shelves.

Once the extraction of oil and cocoa butter from the seed has taken place, it is shipped to a cocoa processor for further refinement. The cocoa butter is first stored in tanks and then goes through several stages of filtration, extraction, alkalization, deodorizing and cooling. This process occurs in a closed looped system called hydrogenation, where the cocoa butter is rendered virtually odorless and uniform in color and texture. Ultimately, this treatment results in a thick, velvety oil, with an ivory-yellow hue. Not all of the cocoa butter produced is destined for chocolate. After the butter is refined, it is destined to be used in a variety of products ranging from cosmetics to lotions to the coveted chocolates that are so beloved around the world.

Following the processing of the cocoa butter, the product is ready to be sent out to manufacturers who use this ingredient in a variety of products. Some companies specialize in chocolate-infused products while others simply use cocoa butter as an ingredient in cosmetics and lotions. The cocoa butter is then incorporated into the desired recipes and shipped to final destination locations.

When buying a chocolate candy, it's easy to forget about the long journey the cocoa beans have gone through to reach the dinner table. From the plantation to the chocolate factory and finally the store, cocoa butter must pass through many processing steps to be enjoyed in its desired form, from creamy hot cocoa to silky white truffles. We can thank the skilled work of the farmers and processors for these tasty treats.

In some cases, untreated cocoa butter is still used to make chocolate candies, baking goods and confections, that are free from preservatives, flavorings and other artificial additives. Such unrefined cocoa butter has a solid and brittle texture, a characteristic creamy-yellow color and a pleasant cocoa fragrance. Untreated cocoa butter is quite sensitive to heat and humidity, thus avoiding exposing it to excessive temperatures is key to maintain its freshness and beneficial properties.

Cocoa butter is valued for its delectable, smooth texture and its natural antioxidant, anti-aging and moisturizing properties. Its taste and scent are light, and its texture is soft, since cocoa butter is only partially solid at room temperature. This means that chocolate recipes containing cocoa butter will melt easily in the mouth and create a delightful sensation of velvety smoothness.

As cocoa butter is employed to give luster and a delightful mouthfeel to chocolates, it is also widely used in the skincare and beauty industry. This natural ingredient has gained a lot of attention in recent years because of its moisturizing, anti-aging and healing properties. Cocoa butter can combat dryness, tone and firm the skin, and impart a healthy, radiant glow.

It's clear to see why cocoa butter is such an essential ingredient in so many of our favorite products. This special butter is derived from cocoa beans, which have been carefully cultivated and processed for centuries to create the coveted treats that are enjoyed all around the world. From a delicious hot cocoa beverage to a delectable, velvety chocolate cake, cocoa butter is a secret weapon that helps to make these treats a lasting success.