4.2. Hardness

Cocoa butter consists of a mixture of triglycerides, i.e. fats which are made up of glycerol and three fatty acids. Most of the triglycerides of cocoa butter contain stearic acid, palmitic acid and/or oleic acid but the proportions of these fatty acids vary and this results in different physical properties of the fat. This in turn affects the way chocolate behaves in the manufacturing process and the texture and appearance of the final product.

Manufacturers prefer cocoa butter that is relatively hard and consistent in this respect. Cocoa butter from most West African beans gives the desired physical properties. Butter from Cameroon and Brazilian beans tends to be softer, while butters from Southeast Asia tend to be harder, with temperature conditions during bean development likely to be one of the major factors contributing to these differences.

Cocoa butter from beans which contain high levels of FFA also tends to be softer than that from sound whole beans irrespective of the country of origin.