What’s the Ideal Roasting Temperature for Cocoa Beans?

There is no single “right” temperature. It all depends on the beans,and what you want them to express.
Roasting is like cooking a delicate dish: each ingredient needs its own treatment to bring out its full flavor.

Why Does the Temperature Vary?

Because every cocoa bean is different:

• Some are more fermented than others

• Some come from wetter or drier climates

• Some are harvested earlier or later in the season

That’s why, at Orfève, every new batch of beans is carefully tested until we find the ideal combination of temperature and duration to highlight its unique character.

So What Temperature Do We Use?

At Orfève, we work at relatively low temperatures,much gentler than those used in industrial settings.

Why ?

Because we want to:

• preserve the natural aromas of the beans

• avoid masking them with over-roasted or burnt notes

• reveal the finesse and complexity of the cocoa

This choice is only possible because we work with beans of exceptional quality.

One Rule That Must Never Be Ignored

Whatever the chosen temperature, the beans must always be roasted long and hot enough to eliminate microbes (a process known as pasteurization).

This is a fundamental food safety requirement,and one of the reasons we do not produce raw chocolate.

In Summary

The right temperature is the one that respects the bean,its origin, its harvest, its character.

But it must also be hot enough to ensure the chocolate is safe, clean, and ready to deliver its full potential.

Orfève’s Approach

At Orfève, we approach roasting like a goldsmith’s craft: each bean, each batch, each origin requires a tailored process.

We don’t try to impose a uniform roasted signature. Instead, we allow the flavors already written into the bean to emerge.

This takes time, attention, and unwavering precision.

It’s also what allows us to create chocolate bars where each terroir speaks clearly,without artifice. Roasting, at Orfève, is about revealing, never concealing.