Almond paste

White almonds that have been ground, blanched, sweetened with sugar, and perhaps flavored with pistachio, orange blossom…

Chocolate

This term is used to designate the product obtained from sugars and cocoa products containing not less than 35% total dry cocoa; no less than 18% must be cocoa butter, and no less than 14% must be defatted dry cocoa.

Chocolate candy

A term used to designate the bite-sized product, which may be:l

• a filled chocolate
• solid chocolate, or the juxtaposition or blending of chocolate and other foodstuffs as long as the product’s chocolate content does not fall below 25%.

Chocolate powder

This term is used to designate a blend of cocoa (powder) and sugars. The cocoa (powder) content cannot fall below 32%.

Coating

Slightly sweetened chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content, used to coat chocolate candies.

Cocoa butter

A fatty substance that is extracted from cocoa paste and obtained by grinding beans that have been roasted, shelled, and degermed.

Cocoa paste

A staple of cacao. It is obtained by grinding beans that have been fermented, roasted, shelled, and degermed.

Cocoa powder

This term is used to designate the product obtained by cleaning, shelling, roasting, and pulverizing cocoa beans. It should not contain less than 20% cocoa butter and more than 9% water.

Cocoa\'s Bean

A seed that has been extracted from a pod before being fermented and dried. It is from the beans that the cocoa is extracted.

Conching

This is an essential step in chocolate production and quality control procedures. The conching process involves taking the paste from the ground cocoa beans and kneading it in large vats (conches) in order to eliminate undesirable acidic elements.

Filling

Anything inside a chocolate candy: ganache, praline, gianduja, or nougatine.

Fruit paste

Fruit pastes must contain at least half of their weight in pulp. Fruit, sugar, and pectin are cooked together until a gel-like consistency is formed. This mixture is subsequently flavored, colored, and acidified. A block of paste is then formed and cut

Ganache

A balanced blend of chocolate, cream, butter, or milk. The ganache may be plain or flavored (coffee, tea, spices,…), or include fruit pulp.

Gianduja

An Italian specialty. A blend of toasted, finely ground hazelnuts and/or almonds, confectioner’s sugar, and chocolate.

Macis

Nougatine

A blend of caramelized sugar and toasted almonds.

Old-fashioned praline

A blend of sugar syrup and almonds and/or hazelnuts, cooked over low heat until a caramel substance is formed. It is subsequently cooled and then ground more or less finely.

Not to be confused with the French use of the word “praline,” which that ref

Pod

The fruit of the cacao tree.

Vintage

A product grown on a specific piece of land. Cocoa comes in three main varieties: criollo, forastero, and trinidad.

Yuzu

Sort of japanese lemon.