Fattojo
Antica Dolceria Bonajuto’s Bean to Bar laboratory. A lively hub of production and knowledge sharing.
Modica, Corso Umberto I, 161
A new laboratory dedicated entirely to the production of Bonajuto chocolate. A place where you can see the various stages of chocolate making, from the bean to bar, starting from the cocoa grains.
164 years later, FATTOJO BONAJUTO is reborn
FATTOJO represents an important and natural evolution which, as with everything we do, draws inspiration from the past and the story of our family-run company.
“Istituisco per mio erede legittimo mio figlio don Federico Bonajuto, e lascio atto presso in isconto della legittima predetta il fattojo del ciccolatte con tutti gli ordegni ad esso pertinenti senza nulla eccettuare o riserbare.”
It was the first of December 1854 when Francesco Ignazio Bonajuto, worried that he might not have long to live, decided to write a will in which he left his son Federico all the necessary tools for producing chocolate, including his “fattojo del cioccolate”, or more precisely his cocoa grinding machine, that is used to grind the cocoa beans to produce workable chocolate grains.
The "bean to bar" process
This is how our ‘from bean to bar’ chocolate bars are made
1
Guillotine
This tool is used to cut a sample of cocoa beans to check the quality of the fermentation process.
Guillotine
This tool is used to cut a sample of cocoa beans to check the quality of the fermentation process.
2
Selection
As soon as the sack of cocoa beans is opened, we sort each bean by hand to make sure there are no extraneous materials, like stones, leaves, broken or badly fermented beans.
Selection
As soon as the sack of cocoa beans is opened, we sort each bean by hand to make sure there are no extraneous materials, like stones, leaves, broken or badly fermented beans.
3
Roasting
This is one of the most important stages in the production process, because the flavours and aromas of the resulting chocolate greatly depend on the roasting method and techniques used at this stage.
Roasting
This is one of the most important stages in the production process, because the flavours and aromas of the resulting chocolate greatly depend on the roasting method and techniques used at this stage.
4
Crushing
The roasted cocoa beans are placed in a winnowing machine, which is used to extract the cocoa nibs. An aspirator is connected to the winnowing machine and separates the shells from the bean.
Crushing
The roasted cocoa beans are placed in a winnowing machine, which is used to extract the cocoa nibs. An aspirator is connected to the winnowing machine and separates the shells from the bean.
5
Grinding
Using a stone mill, we grind the nibs of the cocoa beans to produce cocoa mass. This process does not have a standard processing time and can vary depending on the type of cocoa used and the end result you wish to achieve.
Grinding
Using a stone mill, we grind the nibs of the cocoa beans to produce cocoa mass. This process does not have a standard processing time and can vary depending on the type of cocoa used and the end result you wish to achieve.
6
Tempering
After the cocoa mass has been melted at approximately 45 degrees, sugar and other flavourings are added. Tempering consists in maintaining a particular temperature curve to achieve the optimal composition of the cocoa butter molecules, which gives the chocolate an even texture.
Tempering
After the cocoa mass has been melted at approximately 45 degrees, sugar and other flavourings are added. Tempering consists in maintaining a particular temperature curve to achieve the optimal composition of the cocoa butter molecules, which gives the chocolate an even texture.
Fattojo Bonajuto
Chocolate Experience
Our laboratory is open to visitors and is a completely transparent place where you can watch how Bonajuto Bean To Bar Chocolate is made.
Find out moreThis literally means from the bean to the bar. From the cocoa bean to the chocolate bar.
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