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For chocolate lovers

Our little chocolate shop in the center of San Jose welcomes you morning and afternoon with great pleasure! A truly worthwhile stop to add to your trip in the Costa Rican capital, you should allow at least 40 minutes to explore our shop, meet us, and perhaps enjoy a chat over a crêpe or a coffee.

Take advantage of a well-deserved break between two museums and come take a look at us! Plus, our organic chocolate is produced from local cocoa beans, making it a great souvenir to bring back at the end of the vacation 😍

 

How Do We Make Costa Rican Chocolate?

 

The cocoa we use to make our chocolate comes directly from the plantations. We work with small communities of Costa Rican farmers who grow cocoa sustainably and in an environmentally respectful way. It is entirely organic.

There are many plantations and cocoa varieties, which is why the flavor of our chocolate may vary depending on its origin and the time of year. In addition, it contains no artificial flavorings, lecithin, or other stabilizing agents that alter the natural taste of chocolate.

We craft our chocolate directly from the bean, producing the cocoa mass while preserving all its antioxidant-rich properties, natural aromas, and its own natural fats. No added oils! 100% pure cocoa!

 

A Quick Detour Through the Plantation

Right after the harvest comes the pod-opening stage! The cocoa pods are opened to collect the beans covered in their sweet white pulp, known as mucilage.

The beans are gathered and then taken to the fermentation center, where they are placed in large wooden boxes and covered with banana leaves. This is the fermentation process.

Once fermented, the beans are spread out under the sun to dry. This process can take time and requires close attention from the farmer, who must carefully monitor sunlight exposure and weather conditions.

When the farmer considers the cocoa to be sufficiently dry, it is ventilated to remove any remaining impurities and then stored.

 

Chocolate Production

We carefully taste and select the beans directly on-site. Cocoa varieties, but above all the farmer’s expertise and the climate, are key factors in the quality and aroma of artisanal chocolate.

The beans are then transported to our facilities, where they are lightly roasted. Roasting helps bring out the chocolate’s precursor aromas and also makes it easier to remove the bean shells. This stage is called crushing and winnowing. From this process, we obtain cocoa “grué,” more commonly known as “nibs.”

Cocoa nibs are excellent for health because they contain high levels of polyphenols (antioxidants). The nibs are ground in a machine to create a paste known as “cocoa mass” or “cocoa liquor,” since they naturally contain cocoa butter. This cocoa paste is very bitter but can be blended with other ingredients, such as sugar, to soften its taste.

The mixture of cocoa paste and sugar is then transferred to another machine equipped with conches—stone wheels that refine the mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy: chocolate! This conching process can take time and not only gives chocolate its silky texture but also enhances its natural aroma.

 

Shop

The chocolate, made fresh every day and straight from production, is manually tempered by the chocolatier on marble tables. This process requires a certain level of expertise and, depending on the type of chocolate, helps stabilize and align the crystals naturally present in cocoa butter to achieve a chocolate that is glossy and has the perfect snap.

All our chocolates are crafted and packaged on-site. Because cocoa is a noble and healthy ingredient, we preserve it in its purest form: without preservatives or stabilizers, without lecithin, additives, or artificial flavorings, and with no added oils. Rather than focusing solely on appearance, we prioritize flavor, sensory experience, and health benefits!