CHOCOLATE MAKING CLASS - 8 SPOTS

Service Description

This hands-on class in chocolate making starts right from the cacao bean! Taught by Vadnay Chocolate owner and natural teacher, Joe Vadnay, you'll be sure to enjoy his enthusiastic style as he shares the history and background of chocolate making while walking you through all the chocolate making steps. In step one, you'll crack the cacao beans with a rolling pin, a process that reduces the bean to a point where you can winnow (blow off husks) the beans using hair dryers and separating the husk from the nib. The cocoa nib is then put in a hand crank grinder and further processed so the machinery can better handle it. After grinding, you'll slowly add the cocoa to the melanger (stone mill grinding machine). As the melanger works the beans, they will eventually turn into an oily paste called chocolate liquor (no alcohol content). To achieve chocolate in the form we expect for consumer use and sale, it takes at least 48 hours from start to finish. The majority of that time is when the chocolate is grinding in the melanger until it's smooth and sugar/sweetener and/or cocoa butter and/or milk powder can be added. Once your ground nibs go into the melanger we'll skip the wait 48-hour wait time and pour prepared ahead chocolate into a mold; once cooled, you will pop out tempered chocolate to take home! ​ Due to the nature of the chocolate making, dust is produced and eye protection is provided along with hair nets, aprons, and gloves. SKILL LEVEL: FUN & EASY FOR ALL AGES; BEST FOR KIDS AGES 8+.