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.