1. Food

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory Picture Tour

By , About.com Guide

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Roasted Beans Are Carefully Monitored
cocoa bean roaster

Beans being roasted

(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
After the beans arrive at the factory, they are roasted to bring out the most intense chocolate flavors and colors. The time and temperature of the roasting depends on the type of beans and their relative moisture levels. Scharffen Berger typically roasts their beans at 275-300 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. However, the timing varies depending on the beans, so they employ a roaster who monitors the process, and tastes the beans as they are roasting to determine the exact moment they are finished. Although it sounds like a tasty job, remember that the beans themselves are dark and bitter in their natural form!

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