Fermenting Cacao Day 12

Ok only two days since last I checked them but they seem ready.  Rinsed the cacao off from the pulp and sorted out the beans.  It took a few times rinsing them off to get the  water to be mostly clear.

There were a few that were not really developed.  They were mostly just empty shell.  A couple were spotty but cleaned up nicely so I'm not worried about it affecting the finished product.  Tossed the empty ones of course and used a paper towel to clean off those that needed it.

Now I'm going to pat them with paper towels and spread them out.  I'm not going to completely dry them this way but just enough to get the majority of goo off.  Then placing them on a cooling rack I use for cookies and such.  Thoroughly cleaned of course to make sure none of the odors transfer into the beans.  As mentioned before they will soak up odor and flavors like sponges.  This also means no heavy cooking since the spices will get into the air.

Fermenting Cacao Day 10

Ten days in and the mass is getting more homogenous. The bubbles are getting smaller as they have more room to spread out.  Previously the mass was chunky and not entirely broken down yet.  Now there is more of a sauce consistency that the beans are fermenting in.

I took one of the beans out to check on the color.  They're supposed to get a purplish tint to them as the beans chemically change.  The middle was about there but nearer the edge it still wasn't quite the color I wanted.

The aroma still hits you when you enter the room but it's starting to change slightly.  I want to get it before it gets what some people call the "pork" scent.  While cacao and meat do go well together, you don't want your chocolate bar tasting faintly like a hotdog.

I will probably be fermenting for another four to five days, checking regularly on it and making sure it's still going.  After that I'll be drying it, possibly outside some if I'm going to be home, otherwise I guess I'll have to do it on the counter.  The cooling racks should be good for that with the fan going so they don't start to mold.  Then off to the air fryer with the drum attachment.  The whole reason for getting that particular model was so I could roast cacao beans.  Have to make sure it's spotless though since we also cook other foods in there.  Cacao will soak up any odors from foods you have near it.  Onion chocolate anyone?  Didn't think so.

Fermenting Cacao Day 5

The cacao is now bubbling and the pulp is breaking down.  It's at this point where I need to make sure it doesn't get too cold so the fermenting can continue.  To accomplish this I frequently pick it up and hold it for a while so the temperature can be higher than our apartment air conditioner says it should be.  There's not enough mass for it to hold any heat.  It's already getting an alcohol smell to it when I open the bag. 

My wife is already asking if I plan to strain the liquid and see if it's drinkable.  The answer is maybe.

We tried cacao juice at one of the Dallas Chocolate Festivals once but that is not the same thing.  That was merely juiced cacao pulp.  The fermented juice is alcohol and is still something cacao growers use as a drink in some areas.  I mean, why not if you have the byproduct already sitting there.  Why throw it out?

Fermenting Cacao

Went to the Dallas Chocolate Festival and got two pods and they already seemed to have started the process (still tasted good though).  So I decided to process them to see if I could get some chocolate out of them.

This is day one of the fermentation.  I'll need to add heat to it since it's not enough mass to maintain temperature while it processes.

Last time I did this it took almost two weeks but in the end it was just about right.  This time I'm documenting it better so that I can have a better idea of what happens and where I need to make adjustments.

Also this time I added a little sugar to the mix for the fermenting to have a little more to eat as it begins the process.

Basil Seeds

The basil plant has done really well this year.  Usually it flowers, makes seeds, and dies.  It's made seeds fairly well but has kept on growing despite the heat.  I've watered every day and sometimes twice so that probably helped keep it going.

The picture here is from after the flowers have pollinated and the seeds are forming.  It's not quite ready yet but soon there will be hundreds of seeds to save.  Basil has been consistent with how it produces and seeds so it's a no brainer that it would be one of the staple plants in the garden.

After the heat dies down and the green onion flowers again, it too is pretty much guaranteed to make seeds and possibly baby plants along side them.  This is in addition to splitting which they don't always seem to do.  Or if they do I don't realize it.  Of course only two green onion plants survived last winter's freezes.  Most of the new plants are either from seeds or new transplants from the store, a pretty reliable source for new plants.

The flowers have surprised me though.  We bought chrysanthemums and they have held on pretty well.  They have flowered throughout the summer, coming back when the weather cools a little from the 100's.  Of course that's been a few weeks but I already see new flowers forming and hope they bounce back hard with their color.