The Birth of a Nama Chocolate: From Cocoa Bean to Melt-in-Your-Mouth
Every piece of One Bite nama chocolate embarks on a long and meticulous journey. From cocoa farms near the equator to the handcrafted tempering tables in our Shanghai workshop, this journey spans thousands of kilometers, yet in a single bite, it condenses into a fleeting moment of silky smoothness and a lingering sweet aftertaste.
The Origin of Cocoa Beans
We carefully select single-origin cocoa beans from Ecuador, Madagascar, and Vietnam. Like the terroir of wine, cocoa beans from different regions possess distinct flavor profiles—floral notes from Ecuador, red fruit acidity from Madagascar, and a nutty finish from Vietnam.
Fermentation and Roasting: Shaping the Flavor
After harvesting, cocoa beans undergo 5 to 7 days of natural fermentation, during which microorganisms transform the bitterness in the beans into complex aromatic precursors. Subsequently, precisely controlled roasting further locks in the flavor, with each batch's roasting curve meticulously tested and recorded.
Tempering: The Soul of Nama Chocolate Production
The essence of nama chocolate lies in the emulsification of a high proportion of fresh cream with premium dark chocolate. Our workshop artisans manually control the tempering process, precisely maintaining the chocolate liquid's temperature between 28–32°C to ensure even cocoa butter crystallization, creating that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
This isn't a temperature that can be replicated on a factory assembly line; it's a temperature perceived by hand.
Resting and Cutting
After being poured into molds, the prepared chocolate liquid needs to rest in a 4°C environment for at least 12 hours, allowing the flavors to fully meld and the texture to stabilize. When cutting, each slice must be clean and precise, with a mirror-smooth cross-section, to be considered a quality product.
The birth of a piece of nama chocolate is a collaborative work of time, temperature, and craftsmanship.