Cluizel
Savor the exquisite refinement of Cluizel Chocolate, where each chocolate is a masterfully created experience that celebrates remarkable quality and skilled artistry.
Cluizel's Story and Philosophy
In only a few short decades, Cluizel has made its name as one of the world’s premier chocolate-making companies. Founded in 1948 by visionary chocolatier Michel Cluizel, the French company has distinguished itself through exceptional ingredients, sustainable relationships with partners and, of course, great-tasting gourmet chocolates. Since 1948, gourmet Chocolat Cluizel has been handcrafting chocolate from bean to bar with pure cocoa butter, bourbon vanilla pod and never any soy or artificial flavorings.
With nearly 200 employees, Marc Cluizel is now the third generation maintaining the strong values of the company and transforming it into the manufacturer of flavor. At World Wide Chocolate, we are proud to carry a selection of Cluizel chocolates at competitive prices. Read on to learn more about the history and distinguishing characteristics of this fine chocolate company, and order your Cluizel chocolates with us today!
Cluizel's Tree-to-Bar Chocolate
Crafting Excellence
American people consume 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year, or over 11 pounds per person…but who really knows how chocolate is made? What is the manufacturing process? What are the different steps? Here’s a peek into how Cluizel creates their sought after chocolate.
1. Harvesting
Chocolate originates from the cocoa pod, a fruit that grows on the Theobroma cacao tree. When the pods turn orange or other colors, they are deemed ripe and can be harvested by expert farmers who carefully cut them from the tree with machetes to avoid damage. The pods ripen at different times, and opening them by hand is crucial to protect the delicate cocoa beans inside. Despite advancements in machine harvesting, traditional methods are preferred for their precision. Once the beans are removed along with their white mucilage, they proceed to fermentation, with quality assessed at every stage; a higher pulp content often indicates better future chocolate quality.
2. Fermentation and Drying
After fermentation, cocoa beans lose pulp and about 33 percent of their weight and are typically sun-dried for one to two weeks to prevent mold and rot, transforming from white to brown as humidity drops from 60 percent to 7 percent. Cluizel favors traditional drying on plank trays, avoiding faster gas burner methods, although this step can be challenging in regions like South America, where unpredictable heavy rains occur. Covered greenhouses can aid the drying process.
3. Roasting and Winnowing
At the factory, cocoa beans are then roasted at temperatures around 250-325°F for about 15 to 35 minutes. The roasting has the benefit of finishing development the cacao’s aromas. Roasting also helps separate the inner bean and the outer husk, and it sterilizes the beans from bacteria and potential molds. Many roasting options exist: air roasting, oven roasting, or drum roasts for example. Once roasted, beans are directly cooled down for about one hour.
Next, winnowing allows the separation between the shell and the inner of the bean, now called cocoa nibs. The winnowing machine first cracks the roasted cocoa beans into pieces and the pieces are either sent cascading down a series of screens by means of vigorous vibration or removed with a type of vacuum.
4. Grinding
During the next step, the cocoa nibs are grinded into a paste called chocolate liquor or cocoa mass, not because it is alcoholic, but because it is in a “liquid” form. That “liquid” form is due to the heat generated by the grinding process, paired with the high amount of fat – cocoa butter – in the cocoa nibs. The amount of cocoa mass will impact the final taste of the chocolate. The machine used by chocolate makers is called a Mixer/Melangeur. Then, the mix will go through a pre-refiner and then final refiner to obtain a smooth mix. Great chocolate shouldn’t be grainy!
5. Conching
The last step is the additions to the mix such as cocoa mass, the sugar of the cocoa butter, milk, and vanilla. Some add soy lecithin (Cluizel does not use soy lecithin). The conche is a “bowl” containing rotating granite rollers and a granite slab, which are motorized. The friction caused by the rotating stones generates heat, which evaporates and removes the bad acids.
6. Molding
The smooth chocolate is then tempered (crystallization curve) and then poured into a mold to cool, and harden in the form of whatever the chocolate maker desires…and that’s it!
Now, your favorite chocolate is ready to be packaged, distributed, and eaten, for your greatest pleasure!
Distinctive Flavor Profiles
High Quality Cocoa
Cluizel pays premium prices to ensure their cacao protects both biodiversity and genetic variation, while paying fair wages for cacao growers. Growers maintain ecosystems in their growing practices, making sure a wide range of plants and animals thrive in the growing areas, ensuring both habitat and biodiversity.
Exotic Origins
Cluizel brings out the unique flavor of each cocoa origin, all designed to celebrate the richness of cacao and offer a truly memorable tasting experience.
Unique Flavors
Cluizel uses flavors from the vast landscapes of the world to encapsulate a unique taste into their chocolate.
Explore Cluizel's Chocolate Creations
Chocolate Delights Gallery
Indulge in Cluizel's Exquisite Selection
Experience the exquisite tastes and distinctive characteristics of Cluizel Chocolate. Enhance your palate with their masterfully crafted bars, each one narrating a tale of heritage and craftsmanship.
