How We Make Chocolate

Dak lak

LAM DONG

BA RIA

TIEN GIANG

BEN TRE

DONG NAI

Dak lak

BA RIA

Dak lak

LAM DONG

BA RIA

TIEN GIANG

BEN TRE

DONG NAI

Dak lak

BA RIA

Dak lak

LAM DONG

BA RIA

TIEN GIANG

BEN TRE

DONG NAI

Dak lak

BA RIA

BEAN TO BAR PROCESS

Marou shows up in every stage of its chocolate-making process. Here’s a rough play-by-play of how cacao goes from bean to bar in Vietnam.

harvesting

Cacao pods spring from tiny flowers of theobroma cacao trees. After about six months on the branch, farmers harvest cacao pods and scoop out the raw beans covered in a sweet white pulp.

fermentation

The beans are then placed in a wooden box lined with banana leaves where fermentation raises their internal temperature and subtly transforms their aromas.

sun drying

After 5 days of fermentation, the beans are dried in the sun for another 10 days.

Marou selects cacao at the farm: we test every bag to ensure it meets our exacting standards before being brought into the Marou Chocolate factory.

roasting

By heating up beans in a controlled manner gives the beans a distinct flavour profile. We tend to roast beans gently for about half an hour to preserve and develop their delicate flavors.

cracking & Winnowing

Marou uses machines to crack the roasted beans and “winnow” the small cocoa fragments known as “nibs” away from their skins.

cacao nibs

The cacao nibs, which contain a high percentage of cacao butter, are ground into a paste known as “cacao mass”.

grinding & conching

During this grinding process, we add sugar and let the more volatile aromas evaporate from the mass; over the course of 48 hours, the cacao slowly becomes chocolate.

“Over the course of 48 hours, the cacao slowly becomes chocolate”

tempering & molding

To create a glossy, stable chocolate bar with a perfect snap, the liquid chocolate must be brought to the perfect temperature before cooling down in our custom moulds.

handwraping

Finally, Marou finished each bar using delicate gold paper, a custom seal, a hand-printed wrap and 22 folds.

BEYOND BEAN-TO-BAR MAISON MAROU

Marou’s journey doesn’t stop at the bar. We invite you to experience the magic of chocolate in real life at Maison Marou, our cafe-patisserie-chocolaterie. Immerse yourself in a world of artisanal chocolate creations, where every bite is a celebration of Vietnamese flavors and French finesse.

VISIT OUR MAISON