Cocoa Butter

The naturally occurring vegetable fat present in cacao beans that melts at body temperature and gives chocolate its unique mouth feel.

Cocoa butter is a complex, hard fat made up mostly of triglycerides, it remains firm at room temperature, then it contracts as it cools and solidifies, making it ideal for moulding. It is squeezed from the hot chocolate liquor by high pressure (hydraulic press). Most producers then deodorise the fat to eliminate bitterness and the cocoa butter is added back into the chocolate. Besides enhancing the flavour and mouthfeel, the added cocoa butter serves to make the chocolate more pliant.

The amount of cocoa butter in cacao beans typically ranges from 50 to 60%. Cocoa butter is not a dairy product and does not contain cholesterol. It resists oxidation and rancidity and under normal storage conditions, it can be kept for years without spoiling.