| abstract |
A roasted cocoa mass or blend is produced in a continuous process by crushing raw cocoa beans after dehulling to form a more or less liquid mass which is moved as a thin layer over and in contact with a smooth roasting surface heated to between 110 DEG C and 150 DEG C under atmospheric or reduced pressure. The thin layer liquid cocoa mass is moved over said roasting surface for not more than 12 minutes and preferably for a shorter time, whereupon it is rapidly cooled, preferably also in a thin layer form, to 80 DEG C or less. The smooth surface is preferably the inner surface of a hollow cylinder, especially of a so called thin layer vaporizer. Prior and preferably also during the roasting the cocoa mass is subjected to a degassification in a flow of air or water vapor, preferably a counter-current flow. The first degassing takes place at a temperature of 95 DEG C at the most and at a reduced pressure of 0.5 kg/cm2 at the most. A homogenizing step may precede the roasting step. The so produced blend is then mixed with the other components of a chocolate recipe, whereby said other components are preferably comminuted to fine form, preferably final fine form, and the mixture is then, if necessary, comminuted and homogenized in a concurrent gas flow to form the finished chocolate mass. |