Cocoa bean

How to Use Cocoa Beans in Your Dishes?

Explore the Bitter and Chocolatey Flavors of Cocoa Beans

We were captivated by these cocoa beans when we had the chance to taste a delicious all-chocolate cake. To also experience this beautiful taste sensation, simply add 30g of crushed cocoa beans into the batter of a chocolate cake.

How to Use Cocoa Beans?

• cocoa bean truffles: coat your cocoa beans in ganache and then roll them in cocoa powder;

• cocoa bean cookies: sprinkle cocoa bean chips into your cookie dough;

• chocolate mousse with cocoa beans: add cocoa bean chips into your mousse before chilling it in the refrigerator;

• acai bowl: as a topping, sprinkle cocoa bean chips on your acai bowl;

• chocolate brownies with cocoa beans: add crushed cocoa beans into your brownie batter;

• foie gras toasts: sprinkle some crumbled cocoa beans on your foie gras toasts.

The Aromas of Cocoa Beans

The fruity aroma of cocoa beans gradually gives way to intense bitterness that reveals the sweet flavor of unsweetened dark chocolate. Cocoa beans are both sweet and powerful, an aromatic balance full of flavors.

A Small Flower Transformed into a Pod

Where Does Cocoa Bean Come From?

Cocoa beans are known for their overall nutritional values, antioxidant properties, and health benefits due to the presence of flavonoids and polyphenols. They are considered a superfood because they are antioxidant, sources of magnesium, potassium, and rich in fiber.

Terre Exotique cocoa beans are from Peru and are mainly grown in the jungle regions of San Martin, Amazonas, and in Ayacucho, Junin, and Cuszco.

The cocoa bean is the seed of the cocoa fruit and, once harvested, it is fermented and carefully dried to preserve the nutrients and powerful flavor it possesses.

The cocoa tree can grow up to 10 meters tall and likes to develop in the shade. This tree produces tiny flowers of barely 1 cm that are pollinated by ants. 5 to 6 months later, these small flowers will become cocoa pods nearly 20 cm long containing up to 50 cocoa beans. When the red pods turn orange and the green ones turn yellow, it's harvest time. The beans are extracted from the pods, which is called husking.

The Sacred Bean

Cacao means "food of the gods"; it originates from South America. It is said to have been discovered by the Aztecs in Central America and used both as a means of payment and as an ingredient in the sacred drink of the gods, "Xocolat," a concoction made from ground cocoa beans, water, spices, and herbs. The botanical name of cocoa is Theobroma, derived from the Greek word Theo meaning God; and from the word Broma meaning Food.