If you are a chocolate lover like me then you know biting into a piece of chocolate is like tasting a little bit of heaven. But have you ever wondered how this blissful treat is created? Look no further than a Brooklyn based brand called Raaka. They are a fairly new company that pledges to produce pure and unprocessed chocolate.
I first found out about this tour a while ago from a friend. For my birthday, she scheduled one for both my sister and me.
When the day finally came, I excitedly traveled to Brooklyn along with my sister. When I first walked into the factory I was met with a rich chocolatey scent. Since it was a Saturday, the factory was quiet and (besides a couple of workers) empty.
In the front, there was a small retail shop where the company sells all its bars.
To the side, there is a small kitchen where Raaka holds its chocolate bar making class. Behind the shop and kitchen is where the chocolate bar process takes place.
The first stop on the tour was a room in the back where the cacao nibs and shell are separated and sorted. We learned about the ways the company used to do this in the past and their process changed as the company grew. Our guide told us all about cacao beans and let us sample two from different regions. We crunched away and tried to figure out what flavors were in the actual nib.
We then headed into the next room where the cacao nibs are grind down and flavors are added. The workers taste each batch for smoothness and flavor in order to know if the cacao is ready for the next step; a process we all willingly participated in!
The next step in the process is to temper the liquid chocolate. Tempering the chocolate is a very important step that allows for the chocolate to melt in your mouth but not in your hands. Then it is poured into the molds and put into the fridge.
After setting in the fridge, the bars are then packaged and labeled by the machines (shown below).
At the end, we had a chocolate tasting and sampled many of the bars Raaka produces while our guide talked us through each of the flavors. It was great to learn about the different flavors in each of the bars and learn about the proper way to enjoy chocolate.
As a chocolate lover, this was the perfect gift! I learned a lot about chocolate that I would not have learned otherwise and tasted amazing chocolate.
The tour is great for just about anyone since the company produces nut, gluten and dairy free chocolate. If you decide to go, just be prepared to leave in a chocolate coma!
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