Cleaning and Roasting

Next, the beans are cleaned to get rid of unwanted twigs and stones and then they are roasted. The roasting time and temperature are important to the end product. To save time, some manufacturers roast their beans at a higher temperature for a shorter time. The higher the temperature, the more bitter the chocolate and the more sugar is needed to mask the bitterness. Good quality chocolate relies on beans that are roasted at a lower temperature for a longer time, giving a flavor that is ultimately richer.