Roasted Cocoa Beans

What is roasted cocoa bean?

It is thecocoa tree that gives us this delicious cocoa bean. This bean has been used since ancient times by the Aztecs, and it is their god Quetzacoatl who, according to mythology, taught men how to cultivate the cocoa tree. We can only thank him for the pleasure offered to us by the roasted cocoa bean and its many variations today. However, we could have missed out on this gustatory treasure. Why would we have missed it? For two reasons. Firstly, when the Aztecs presented the cocoa bean to Christopher Columbus, he did not recognise its capacity to nourish and delight. Then it was King Louis XIV who tasted the chocolate and did not appreciate it. It was not until the 20th century that chocolate really found its place in our culture. Now we can appreciate the taste and virtues of the roasted cocoa bean. I have found for you a cocoa bean from the Ivory Coast, you will love its power.

What is the flavour of the roasted cocoa bean?

My premium roasted cocoa bean has intense flavours and lightly burnt notes for a unique pleasure with no added sugar. Here you get all the purity of cocoa.

The harvest of the roasted cocoa bean

Harvesting the cocoa bean is an expert job that requires several fundamental steps to ensure an exceptional taste. The cocoa bean blossoms in the pods produced by the cocoa tree. Each pod contains rows of beans, there are up to 60 of them, while each tree can accommodate up to 150 pods each year. When the pod is ripe (it is yellow in colour), it is picked with a gaff, a tool that allows it to reach the tallest pods, a cocoa tree up to 9 m high. Then they are broken with an axe to make our famous cocoa beans appear. This is the stage we call "shelling". The beans are then covered with mucilage, a white, sticky pulp. Then comes the fermentation stage during which the cocoa bean reveals its aromas. The mucilage becomes liquid and penetrates the seed. This stage lasts one week. The cocoa bean is then dried in the sun to reduce its high moisture content (about 60%). Drying takes one to two weeks depending on the weather and the moisture content reached. Stirred and calibrated, the cocoa beans are then roasted like coffee. The higher the heat during roasting, the more the chocolate loses its properties, it is an extremely subtle stage.

How to use roasted cocoa beans?

Theroasted cocoa be an can be eaten plain in the same way as an almond or a hazelnut. However, it is by integrating it into your various recipes that you will appreciate it even more. You can use it whole, grated, crushed, whatever, it will awaken your taste buds and those of your guests. The roasted cocoa bean being a raw product, it is not sweetened. Therefore, it goes perfectly with all your preparations.

Our recipe ideas with roasted cocoa beans

The starter: cheese pie and roasted cocoa bean

Cocoa is quite surprising, it is capable of associating itself with many ingredients. This is the case with cheese. I invite you to try a sheep's milk pie sprinkled with a splash of roasted cocoa bean. In this pie, you can combine the cheese with tomato, zucchini or any other sunshine vegetable. It is the presence of the cocoa bean on your pie that will awaken your taste buds.

The dish: tournedos with roasted cocoa beans

I suggest you try a tournedos with potatoes, a dish that seems to be quite traditional. The madness comes from the cocoa sauce that you will make to accompany this dish. Heat your tournedos in a frying pan and place the fat in a saucepan. Add crushed cocoa bean and veal stock, even a few drops of red wine, it's simply amazing.

Dessert: Cocoa bean tiramisu

It remains more classic to find cocoa for dessert. This time, I propose a tiramisu, but not a classic tiramisu. Make a red fruit tiramisu on which you will sprinkle fine shavings of roasted cocoa beans. Its power will contrast with the sweetness of the red fruits and mascarpone.

The health benefits of the roasted cocoa bean

Cocoa is a delight for most of us. But it is also a very healthy ingredient. What could be more enjoyable than enjoying it while preserving our well-being? First of all, the roasted cocoa bean is your diet partner. Indeed, you get all the pleasure of cocoa without adding sugar. It even allows you to limit the storage of fats. Cocoa is rich in antioxidants, it is perfect for cardiovascular health, blood pressure, cholesterol and strengthening the immune system. Eating cocoa beans also reduces stress, so why deprive yourself of them? Cocoa is also a tonic and euphoric, even an aphrodisiac according to some. The cocoa bean is rich in theobromine, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, polyphenols and flavonoids, a true cocktail of well-being.

Preservation of the roasted cocoa bean

The roasted cocoa bean should preferably be stored in a dry place away from light.