Beskid Chocolate is a chocolate factory located in the charming town of Węgierska Górka in the Beskid Żywiecki Mountains in southern Poland. We took our name from the name of the Beskidy mountain ranges surrounding the town, which emphasizes the origin of our plates.

Beantobar(dot)pl is our online store for chocolatiers, people interested in home and craft production of high-quality chocolate, as well as for all sweet tooths and "chocoholics". Our assortment includes high-quality raw materials for chocolate production and equipment needed for its production, as well as ready-made chocolate bars prepared from the highest quality raw materials.

Our assortment includes a wide range of cocoa beans from all over the world, addressed to both individuals and companies using this raw material

Dominican Republic Hispaniola BIO 1kg raw beans cocoa beans

Cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, Hispaniola BIO variety

Cocoa beans were brought to the island of Hispaniola by the Spanish in the early 17th century. The Caribbean island of Hispaniola is currently the territory of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Plantations in the Dominican Republic are characterized by biodiversity, cocoa trees grow in the shade of citrus, banana or avocado trees.

Cocoa fruit - kabos. Plantation in the Dominican Republic near Cabarete.

Almost 10% of the country's forested areas are planted with cocoa trees. 60% of national production comes from the northeastern region, especially around San Francisco de Macoris. The rest of the cocoa trees grow in the eastern, northern and central regions of the Dominican Republic.

In the 1980s, the Dominican Republic focused on the development of organic agriculture. Although the Dominican Republic's share in world cocoa production is approximately 1.7%, it is the second largest producer of organic cocoa.

Cocoa tree with fruits. Trinitario variety, characteristic rounded fruits.

Variation

The Trinitario variety is grown in the Dominican Republic. Two types of cocoa are prepared from trinitario - Sanchez and Hispaniola. The name Hispaniola comes from the former name of the island where it is grown.

The Sanchez variety accounts for over 95% of Dominican production, it is a low-quality variety that is not fermented. It is exported to North America for the production of cocoa butter.

The Hispaniola variety is a hybrid - Trinitario, a noble, high-quality variety that acquires extensive sensory properties during fermentation.

Fermentation

There are several cocoa producers/fermenters in the Dominican Republic, they cooperate with local farmers. The cooperation consists in the fact that on a fixed day, cyclically, e.g. every two weeks during the harvest period, they collect cocoa beans and carry out fermentation and further processing in their plant.

Fermentation takes place in wooden boxes in the fermentation facility and lasts from 3 to 7 days. Then the cocoa beans are dried in the sun until they reach a moisture level of approximately 7-10%.

Cocoa beans dried in this way are suitable for storage and transport.

Cocoa bean flavor profile

Hispaniola cacao grown in the Dominican Republic typically has low acidity and notes of yellow fruit, but flavor profiles vary depending on the region where the cacao comes from.

Sensory and flavor profile of cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, Hispaniola variety

Cocoa beans come from the fruit of the cocoa tree. This plant comes from the Amazon in South America and is estimated to be 5,000 years old. It is currently cultivated in a tropical climate in the so-called cocoa and coffee belt in America, Africa and Asia.

The cocoa tree bears fruit all year round, the oblong fruits (kabos) contain several dozen beans (40 - 50 grains) embedded in white flesh. After harvesting, the ripe fruits are split and the extracted cocoa beans are most often fermented in wooden boxes for 3-7 days under banana leaves.

After the fermentation period, the cocoa beans are dried in the sun for several days, after drying the moisture of the beans drops from 60% to about 10%.

What do cocoa beans contain?

The list of benefits of consuming cocoa beans is very long. The biggest advantage is the content of a huge amount of antioxidants. These substances protect the body's cells against the influence of free radicals, which cause many life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Cocoa beans have twice as many antioxidants as red wine and three times more than green tea.

It is impossible not to mention minerals such as iron, chromium, zinc and potassium - and above all, magnesium. This element is invaluable for our body, especially if we drink a lot of coffee. Magnesium protects the heart, improves blood circulation and relieves the effects of stress. Additionally, it improves mood and improves brain functioning.

How to eat cocoa beans?

We suggest roasting the beans in the oven or in a pan, removing the husks. They can then be used in the form of meals/nibs as a topping for cakes, puddings, oatmeal, yogurt or other interesting dishes.

Please remember that cocoa beans are a superfood. Due to the richness of minerals and vitamins that are very easily absorbed by the body. This is a product for all chocolate lovers who want to eat healthier and make their own chocolate. Cocoa beans have a bitter taste, so you may not like them at first. You can consume them in powdered form by adding them to smoothies, oatmeal or yogurt. They can be a snack on their own or added to granola.