A Real Masterpiece
A far cry from the modern manufacturing logic, in which often, for convenience sake the starting point is the mass of pre-processed cocoa, in Leone’s Chocolate Factory production techniques require time and patience, harking back to the pace of times gone-by: production begins right from raw ingredients of the best quality, to make the finest chocolate, with an intense flavour and aroma, for real connoisseurs.
Leone brand chocolate has the special taste of carefully selected ingredients like raw cane sugar, Mexican vanilla pods, high quality fresh milk, Piedmont hazelnut, Sicilian green pistachios…
A Real Masterpiece
A far cry from the modern manufacturing logic, in which often, for convenience sake the starting point is the mass of pre-processed cocoa, in Leone’s Chocolate Factory production techniques require time and patience, harking back to the pace of times gone-by: production begins right from raw ingredients of the best quality, to make the finest chocolate, with an intense flavour and aroma, for real connoisseurs. Leone brand chocolate has the special taste of carefully selected ingredients like raw cane sugar, Mexican vanilla pods, high quality fresh milk, Piedmont hazelnut, Sicilian green pistachios…
1. Cocoa Beans Selection
Only the best cocoa beans are chosen and sourced from the finest cocoa varieties in the whole world, such as Caribbean cocoa varieties to round off its bouquet and the African Saõ Tomé to enhance the chocolate character in perfect balance.
1. Cocoa Beans Selection
Only the best cocoa beans are chosen and sourced from the finest cocoa varieties in the whole world, such as Caribbean cocoa varieties to round off its bouquet and the African Saõ Tomé to enhance the chocolate character in perfect balance.
2. Home-Roasting
Like very few others in Italy, we directly roast cocoa beans. In the roaster, they are exposed to hot air, rather than flames, to preserve them from the risk of getting burnt.
2. Home-Roasting
Like very few others in Italy, we directly roast cocoa beans. In the roaster, they are exposed to hot air, rather than flames, to preserve them from the risk of getting burnt.
3. Grinding and Mixing
Roasted seeds are unpeeled and afterwards grinded. The thus achieved cocoa nib is mixed to other ingredients in a stone-rolled blender. We have willingly chosen not to rely upon a metal-sphere mill but rather upon porphyry stones so as not to excessively stress the product.
3. Grinding and Mixing
Roasted seeds are unpeeled and afterwards grinded. The thus achieved cocoa nib is mixed to other ingredients in a stone-rolled blender. We have willingly chosen not to rely upon a metal-sphere mill but rather upon porphyry stones so as not to excessively stress the product.
4. Refining
Essential operation aiming at removing possible solid and granular residuals. Raw chocolate slips through various rollers (three to five) which sensibly reduce its hard components, thus achieving a homogeneous finess.
4. Refining
Essential operation aiming at removing possible solid and granular residuals. Raw chocolate slips through various rollers (three to five) which sensibly reduce its hard components, thus achieving a homogeneous finess.
5. Conching
Chocolate is cradled back and forth for at least sixty hours in porphyry flat conches making it soft and velvety. Damping, heath, breath and time eliminate acidity and tannins, without any dispersion of its aromatic component.
5. Conching
Chocolate is cradled back and forth for at least sixty hours in porphyry flat conches making it soft and velvety. Damping, heath, breath and time eliminate acidity and tannins, without any dispersion of its aromatic component.
6. Moulding and Shaping
At the final stage of its production process, chocolate is ready to be poured into the moulds. Once cooled, bars will be removed from the moulds and packed.
6. Moulding and Shaping
At the final stage of its production process, chocolate is ready to be poured into the moulds. Once cooled, bars will be removed from the moulds and packed.