Willie's Cacao Chocolates at Candilicious
I haven't met a person who doesn't like chocolate, and if they don't, I'm pretty sure they aren't my friend.
Did you know that the earliest cacao was discovered about 4000 years ago, and people those days used to bury it in the urns for the afterlife. They used to consider it so precious.
Today there are so many kinds of chocolates out there, and a lot of big names in the industry. However do you know that there are too many additives in it? Not just for preservation, but also to give it a sweeter taste. After adding so many things to it, the original essence of the beans is lost, and what you get in the end is an artificially sweetened sweet brown lump.
I was invited by Candilicious for this event hosted by Willie's Cacao, to try out their chocolates. That's where they told us about the manufacturing process that Willie's Cacao follows, and how it is different from the rest. We also got to try out a few of their delicious chocolates.
The chocolates made by Willie's Cacao use single estate cacaos (i.e. cacaos from one estate only), and they "bean to bar" approach.
What is the journey from "Bean to Bar" like?
The pods that ripen on the cacao trees are first fermented where the beans develop their flavour. Then the beans are dried in the sun, after which they are shipped to the Willie's factory. Here they are roasted in batches in antique ball roasters. Then the process of winnowing takes place (the stage where the shells are removed). Once the shells are removed, then the beans are ground and refined, and then comes the stage of the flavour - conching. This is when the bitterness is removed, and the bean starts to release its true flavour. Sugar is added in moderate quantities, and natural flavours are added. At Willie's it takes up to 21 days since it is done slowly and in small batches which retains the true flavour. Once this is done, they do tempering where the chocolate is heated and cooled to precise temperatures so that it sets properly.
Now the chocolate is ready to be deposited into moulds.
Leave it to cool down, and then you're ready to wrap and box it up.
We got to try about half a dozen varieties of the Willie's Cacao Chocolates. :
- Sambirano Gold: This was made from Madagascan Dark Chocolate. It had 71% Cacao and had slight nutty notes to it. It tasted really smooth and indulgent.
- Luscious Orange: Made from Cuban beans and has a slight orange flavour to it. Most of the chocolates we eat have a prominent flavour if it mentions orange, but this was a very mild one.
- Raspberry & Cream: It has a base of white chocolate and other seem to really like, but I did not find it appealing at all.
- Matcha: If you like green tea in its various forms, then you'll definitely like this. It has a good after-taste to it.
- Milk of the stars: A milk chocolate made from Indonesian beans. Again a very smooth feel on your palette.
- Pure Gold: 100% Cacao. Definitely not for the faint-hearted. I think most people wouldn't enjoy this one as it would come across as really bitter. But if you like a strong and bitter flavour, then this is perfect.
We also got to try the beans. Just remove the shell, and eat it. Chocolate in its purest form.
I got to meet the chocolate man himself - Willie Harcourt-Cooze
Willie's Cacao chocolates are available at Candilicious in Dubai Mall.
Did you know that the earliest cacao was discovered about 4000 years ago, and people those days used to bury it in the urns for the afterlife. They used to consider it so precious.
Today there are so many kinds of chocolates out there, and a lot of big names in the industry. However do you know that there are too many additives in it? Not just for preservation, but also to give it a sweeter taste. After adding so many things to it, the original essence of the beans is lost, and what you get in the end is an artificially sweetened sweet brown lump.
I was invited by Candilicious for this event hosted by Willie's Cacao, to try out their chocolates. That's where they told us about the manufacturing process that Willie's Cacao follows, and how it is different from the rest. We also got to try out a few of their delicious chocolates.
The chocolates made by Willie's Cacao use single estate cacaos (i.e. cacaos from one estate only), and they "bean to bar" approach.
What is the journey from "Bean to Bar" like?
The pods that ripen on the cacao trees are first fermented where the beans develop their flavour. Then the beans are dried in the sun, after which they are shipped to the Willie's factory. Here they are roasted in batches in antique ball roasters. Then the process of winnowing takes place (the stage where the shells are removed). Once the shells are removed, then the beans are ground and refined, and then comes the stage of the flavour - conching. This is when the bitterness is removed, and the bean starts to release its true flavour. Sugar is added in moderate quantities, and natural flavours are added. At Willie's it takes up to 21 days since it is done slowly and in small batches which retains the true flavour. Once this is done, they do tempering where the chocolate is heated and cooled to precise temperatures so that it sets properly.
Leave it to cool down, and then you're ready to wrap and box it up.
We got to try about half a dozen varieties of the Willie's Cacao Chocolates. :
- Sambirano Gold: This was made from Madagascan Dark Chocolate. It had 71% Cacao and had slight nutty notes to it. It tasted really smooth and indulgent.
- Luscious Orange: Made from Cuban beans and has a slight orange flavour to it. Most of the chocolates we eat have a prominent flavour if it mentions orange, but this was a very mild one.
- Raspberry & Cream: It has a base of white chocolate and other seem to really like, but I did not find it appealing at all.
- Matcha: If you like green tea in its various forms, then you'll definitely like this. It has a good after-taste to it.
- Milk of the stars: A milk chocolate made from Indonesian beans. Again a very smooth feel on your palette.
- Pure Gold: 100% Cacao. Definitely not for the faint-hearted. I think most people wouldn't enjoy this one as it would come across as really bitter. But if you like a strong and bitter flavour, then this is perfect.
We also got to try the beans. Just remove the shell, and eat it. Chocolate in its purest form.
I got to meet the chocolate man himself - Willie Harcourt-Cooze
Willie's Cacao chocolates are available at Candilicious in Dubai Mall.
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