Welcome to CocoaExplained. This site explains chocolate in plain language: where it comes from, how it is made, what the words on the label mean, and how to taste, buy and bake with it. If you are new here, this page shows you where to begin.
Begin with these three guides
- What Is Chocolate, Exactly? covers what goes into a bar and how to read the percentage on the label.
- Dark, Milk and White Chocolate: The Real Differences explains how the three main types are made and how they taste.
- How Cacao Beans Become a Chocolate Bar follows the journey from pod to bar, step by step.
Browse by topic
- Chocolate basics: the fundamentals, in simple terms.
- Bean to bar: how cacao is grown, fermented, roasted and turned into chocolate.
- Types and tasting: dark, milk and white chocolate, and how to taste them.
- Buying guides: how to choose chocolate you will enjoy.
How we work
Every guide is researched from reliable sources, which are linked at the end of the article, and is written under the name of its author, Jessu Rignesh Nadar. You can read more about our process on the editorial policy page and about the site on the About page. Common questions are answered on the FAQ page.
Spotted a mistake or have an idea for a guide? Please get in touch.