Glossary
Chocolate Glossary: From Bloom to Theobromine
Chocolate has its own vocabulary. Here are the terms used on wrappers, in recipes and across this site.
Fermenting cacao: Scot Nelson, CC0
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cacao | The tree, its pods and beans; often used for less processed products. |
| Cocoa | Usually the processed beans, especially cocoa powder. |
| Nibs | Roasted, cracked pieces of cacao bean without the shell. |
| Cocoa liquor (cocoa mass) | Ground nibs: a thick paste of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, with no alcohol. |
| Cocoa butter | The natural fat of the cacao bean. |
| Cocoa solids | The non-fat part of the bean, which carries most of the flavour. |
| Fermentation | Microbes break down the pulp around fresh beans, developing flavour precursors. |
| Winnowing | Separating the shells from the nibs after roasting. |
| Conching | Long mixing and heating of liquid chocolate to smooth texture and flavour. |
| Tempering | Controlled heating and cooling so cocoa butter forms stable crystals for shine and snap. |
| Bloom | A dull white or grey layer from fat or sugar crystals on the surface. |
| Couverture | Professional chocolate with extra cocoa butter for thin coatings. |
| Compound chocolate | A coating made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter. |
| Ganache | An emulsion of chocolate and cream. |
| Praline | In Belgium a filled chocolate; in France caramelised nuts. |
| Gianduja | Chocolate blended with roasted hazelnut paste. |
| Single origin | Chocolate made from beans from one country, region or farm. |
| Bean to bar | A maker that controls every step from raw beans to finished bars. |
| Dutch-process | Cocoa treated with alkali for a darker colour and milder taste. |
| Theobromine | A bitter, mildly stimulating compound in cacao, toxic to pets. |
| Flavanols | Antioxidant plant compounds in cocoa, reduced by processing. |
| Seizing | When melted chocolate turns thick and grainy after contact with a little water. |
| Snap | The clean break of well-tempered chocolate. |
| Molinillo | A carved wooden whisk used to froth Mexican hot chocolate. |
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Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources (updated Oct 12, 2026). Spot an error? Email hello@fireempireshop.com.