Chocolate Workshops for all

Learn How to make Chocolate

From the cacao tree to the chocolate

In this Workshop we will follow all the process to make chocolate from fermented organic cacao beans. We will learn how to roast, winnow, grind, mix, conch, refine and mold.

At the end of the workshop you will leave with a sample of Nicaragua chocolate.

Requirements:

Min 2 people

Duration:

2 hours

( time may vary depending on the number of people)

Schedule:

Any time between 9:00 am and 6:30 pm

(and we'll even be more flexible if you need!)

Price:

US$ 17 per person

Language:

English

Spanish

At each step of the process we will be preparing different cacao products: Cacao Husk Tea, Hot Chocolate, Mayan drinks, Nicaraguan drinks and Chocolate bars.


We are waiting for you!

Chocolate Workshops for all

First Chocolate Workshop - A success !!!

Yesterday, we had our first chocolate workshop with 5 future Chocolatiers and our 2 teachers: Daphne and Armando.

The workshop was a real success and the chocolate factory was really well decorated and prepared for welcoming our first customers.



During this workshop, Daphne explained them about the Cacao tree, the Cacao pods and how we obtain fermented cacao beans, the base for making a delicious chocolate.
Then everybody toasted the cacao beans on a comal in one of the patio and then pealed the cacao beans.
We prepared a cacao husk tea for everybody with the cacao husk. We then ground the cacao nibs to obtain a thick paste that we used for preparing different types of chocolate drinks (hot, cold nd Mayan style).


Finally, we had prepared some well-ground pure cacao paste for people to prepare their own chocolate adding sugar, vanilla, peanuts, cashews, coffee beans, almonds...


At the end of the chocolate workshop, everybody is going to leave with 16 chocolate that they made themselves.

We are now waiting for other future "chocolatier" and have some more fun preparing good organic chocolate.

First Chocolate Workshop - A success !!!

How to make chocolate - The whole process

How to make chocolate - The whole process

How to make chocolate - The different steps

How to make chocolate - The different steps

ChocoMuseo - Work in progress

Soon available, ChocoMuseo...



We are working hard to open the first and unique Cacao and Chocolate Museum in Granada, Nicaragua.


Here are some pictures of the installation.



Today we are making the chocolate for selling it at the museum and finishing the last decoration touchs.

ChocoMuseo - Work in progress

On the road to Matiguas

Last week, we went to get our cacao in the north of Nicaragua in Matiguas.

Matiguas is situated about 4 hours drive from Granada.

We went to visit la "Cooperativa Cacaotera la Campesina"

The cacao produced by the 500 farmers is mainly organic and certified by BioLatina.

It is known to have a great flavour and is a mix of Criollo type and Forastero type.

For our chocolate at ChocoMuseo we bought 100% Organic Cacao

Then we went to visit one of the cacao plantation near Rio Blanco (30 minutes from La Campesina) : It is Armando's farm with 5.6 Hectares of cacao plantation (about 6000 cacao trees)

Armando showed us his plantation and also the bio fertilizer he was using for its trees to grow.

Armando has one of the most productive cacao plantation and the seeds from his trees are used to improve genetically the plantation of the cooperativa.

In the museum, you will be able to read more about "la Cooperativa Cacaotera la Campesina" and also on Armando's farm

On the road to Matiguas

Video - How to make chocolate

Video - How to make chocolate

The chocolate factory

For about one month, we are processing our own chocolate.

The cacao comes from different part of Nicaragua : Mombacho volcano, Matiguas (North of the country) and Rio San Juan (South of the country).

After roasting the fermented seeds and removing the husk, we grind the cacao nibs at "el molino".
Then we mix the cacao paste in the "Melangeur" with only sugar for about 12 to 28 hours.
The chocolate is delicious and we can really taste the cacao.
This chocolate will be for sale at the Museum shop.

The chocolate factory