What is breakfast cocoa?

In United States, there are three classes of cocoa:
*Breakfast cocoa. It is a high fat product with not less than 22 percent cocoa butter
*Cocoa, which is never less than 10 percent cocoa butter
*Low-fat cocoa, containing less than 10 percent cocoa butter

Breakfast cocoa is the food prepared by pulverizing the residual material remaining after part of the cocoa butter has been removed from ground cocoa nibs, containing not less than 22% of cocoa butter determined by the method specified.

Breakfast cocoa may be spiced, flavored or seasoned with one of more of the ingredients. For manufacturer of premium ice cream, they may select breakfast cocoas in order to gain the lubricating effect that cocoa butter provides as it melts in the mouth at about 33° C.

This lubricity enhances the perception of richness in ice cream.
What is breakfast cocoa?

Composition of Cocoa Beans

Composition of Cocoa Beans
The general composition of cocoa beans from various sources is similar.

With properly fermented mature beans the variations is relatively small but immature, badly fermented and sometimes intermediate beans have higher shell and lower cocoa butter contents.

The available nib content and hence the cocoa butter, is the factor that should be used to compare the real values of different consignments of beans.

The cleanliness of the outer shell affects the ash content and the microbial counts.

The shell is virtually a waste material as far as the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate is concerned.

Cocoa butter, the natural fat of the nib, is the most costly constituent, although at times powdered cocoa has attained a high value, especially for the manufacture of coatings.

The quality of cocoa beans is determined by the “cut test”, together with flavor of the chocolate made from the beans.

The alkaloid constituents of the cocoa beans, theobromine and caffeine, have been subjects of considerable publicity of recent years because of their supposed connection with migraine, hypertension, and other health problems.
Composition of Cocoa Beans

From raw cocoa to cocoa flavor

From raw cocoa to cocoa flavor
Raw cocoa nibs do not posses the distinctive aroma and flavor of cocoa, this being developed only as a result of the fermentation and roasting processes. Both of these have been shown to be necessary for the production of the characteristics profile. The optimum conditions necessary to produce a high quality product are still a matter of expert judgment.

There are 3 stages or process to convert into flavor
Fermentation

Drying

Roasting

Fermentation, during which the flavor precursors are formed. The proteins present in the nibs are degraded and the level of free amino acids rises: sucrose is inverted to fructose and glucose which in turn are oxidized to alcohol and various acids; some theobromine and tannins are lost

Drying, during which the moisture content is reduced to about 8% with a loss of volatile acids and a consequent rise in PH.

Roasting, during which the precursors are converted into aromatic compounds, the qualitative and quantitative nature of which determines the characteristics profile of the roasted beans.

Cocoa beans are the source of three other important materials;
Cocoa butter: a mixture of glycerides which are present from 52-56% in the nib.

Theobromine: an alkaloid related to caffeine but having very little stimulant effect

Cacao purple: an astringent coloring matter formed in the fermenting bean.
From raw cocoa to cocoa flavor