The Science and History of Chocolate

In this talk, the speaker reviews the long and fascinating history of chocolate, from its origins as a spice in South America to the present-day confectionery. He explains how chocolate is made from cocoa beans and about how to work with chocolate, including a demonstration of the tempering process. He talks about the different molecules that give chocolate its characteristic flavour and asks why we like chocolate so much. There was also a short tasting session where members of the audience were able to discover what sort of chocolate they like best - people are often surprised to find they prefer types of chocolate they may have never tasted before!