Equipment
How to Build a DIY Chocolate Winnower
Build a PVC pipe winnower for cacao using a Dayton 1TDP3 blower and cyclone separator. Full materials list, assembly, and calibration instructions.
Recipes
How to Make Drinking Chocolate from Scratch (Bean-to-Cup)
Three drinking chocolate methods — Mesoamerican-style, European hot chocolate, and modern craft — using homemade chocolate or roasted nibs. Includes alkalizing basics for better water dispersibility.
Origins
Ecuador Cacao: Nacional, Arriba & the Floral Signature
An origin guide to Ecuadorian cacao — Nacional genetics, the Arriba floral aroma, Esmeraldas quality regions, the CCN-51 controversy, and why Ecuador produces 60% of the world's fine-flavor cacao.
Bean to Bar
Fat Bloom vs Sugar Bloom: What Causes White Spots on Chocolate (and How to Prevent Them)
The two types of bloom distinguished visually and by cause. Fat bloom from crystal transition, sugar bloom from moisture — and the storage practices that prevent both.
Equipment
How to Measure Chocolate Particle Size: Grindometer Guide
Use a TQC grindometer to measure chocolate particle size during refining. Learn the method, what readings mean, and when to stop your melanger run.
Science
A Brief History of Chocolate: From 3300 BCE to the Bean-to-Bar Movement
The complete arc of chocolate history — from the earliest archaeological evidence in Ecuador, through Mesoamerican ritual use, European transformation, industrial revolution, and the modern craft revival.
Bean to Bar
How to Crack and Winnow Cacao Beans
Crack and winnow cacao beans to clean nibs using a Champion juicer, fan, and these exact methods. Includes the FDA husk limit and Dandelion's Ten-Minute Rule.
Tasting
How to Read a Craft Chocolate Bar Label: Ingredients, Percentages & Marketing Claims
Decoding what bar labels actually tell you: cacao percentage components, regulatory definitions, 'bean-to-bar' vs 'craft' claims, single-origin terminology, and red flags for misleading marketing.
Bean to Bar
How to Roast Cacao Beans at Home
Roast cacao beans using the Behmor 2000AB or home oven with Nanci's three-phase system. Exact temperatures, times, and how to develop a profile for each origin.
Tasting
How to Taste Craft Chocolate: A Step-by-Step Tasting Guide
A structured approach to evaluating craft chocolate using the IICCT flavor profile map, Dandelion's scoring system, and a methodology that builds your personal flavor vocabulary over time.
Bean to Bar
How to Temper Chocolate: Complete Guide
Learn to temper chocolate using the seed method with exact temperatures for dark, milk, and white. Covers why Form V crystals matter and how to test your temper.
Origins
Madagascar Cacao: Why Every Bar Tastes Like Berries
An origin guide to Madagascar cacao — the world's most consistent single-origin flavor identity. Covers the berry and citrus signature, genetics, French colonial history, and roasting and formulation advice for Malagasy beans.
Equipment
Premier vs Spectra vs CocoaTown: Melanger Comparison
Detailed comparison of the three main craft chocolate melangers: Premier (~$250, 1kg), Spectra 11 (~$479, 9 lbs), and CocoaTown (30-kilo production scale).
Bean to Bar
Grinding Chocolate in a Melanger: Complete Guide
Master the melanger refining process for bean-to-bar chocolate. Covers loading, refining times, particle size targets, conching, and common problems.
Recipes
How to Make Milk Chocolate from Scratch (Bean-to-Bar)
A complete guide to making milk chocolate at home using a melanger. Covers milk powder types, formulation ratios, tempering adjustments, and how to preserve milky flavor through lower conching temperatures.