CHOCOLATE INSPIRED BY SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

Preheat the oven to 250 °F.

Spread the cacao beans onto two large rimmed baking sheet, making sure they’re in one even layer.

Roast the beans for 25-40 minutes (shorter for a fruiter flavor, longer for a nutter flavor). Make sure to rotate and toss the beans halfway through roasting.

Remove the beans from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Working in batches, place a handful or two of the cooled beans onto a clean kitchen towel. Cover the beans and using a rolling pin, crack the beans until there are no large pieces remaining.

Once all of the beans have been cracked, place a fan onto your work surface and place a medium bowl just in front of the fan.

With the fan on medium speed, begin slowly dropping one handful of the cracked cacao beans into the bowl from about 1 foot above. The lighter shells should blow away and the heavier cacoa nibs should fall into the bowl. Repeat as necessary until most of all the shells have been removed.

Weigh the remaining cacao nibs; there should be about 750 grams of nibs remaining. If not, recalculate the amount of sugar and cocoa butter needed such that 65% of the total weight is the cacao nibs, 5% is cocoa butter, and 30% is sugar.

Transfer the cacao nibs to the base of a food processor and process for about 1 minute or until the nibs have just started to release their cocoa butter. The overall consistency of the mixture should resemble wet sand or a thick paste.

Transfer the cocoa liquor (ground nibs) and melted cocoa butter to a conching machine.

Run the conching machine for 4 hours, then add the sugar via the input slot in the lid.

Continue running the conching machine for 16-20 hours longer. The resulting chocolate should be very smooth and shiny.

Transfer the conched chocolate to a medium metal bowl. Add about half of the chopped tempered chocolate to the bowl and stir to melt the chopped pieces using a plastic spatula.

Once the chocolate has dipped below 94 °F, fat crystal will begin to form. Continue stir and add small bits of chocolate until the mixture is tempered.

*To determine if the chocolate is tempered, dip a small offset spatula of butter knife into the chocolate. Set the spatula or knife down on a clean work surface. If after 5 minutes the chocolate is completely set, shiny, and no longer has streaks, it is tempered. If the chocolate is not tempered, continue stir for 3-4 minutes, then test again.

If the chocolate has dipped below 89 °F, carefully reheat the mixture over a simmering water bath for 10 seconds at a time until it reaches between 89 °F - 93 °F. If the chocolate exceeds 94 °F, it will need to be retempered. Make sure to wipe off any excess moisture from the bottom of the metal bowl to avoid contamination; water contamination can cause the chocolate to seize or to set with a sugar bloom.

Pour the tempered chocolate into a polycarbonate chocolate bar mold. Scrape off the excess chocolate using a large palette knife or bench scraper.

Carefully, tap the mold on your work surface to pop any bubbles. Optionally, sprinkle the chocolate bars with finishing salt.

Let the chocolate bars set at room temperature for 1-2 hours before unmolding.

To unmold the chocolate, flip the mold upside-down and gently tap one edge of the mold on your work surface. If properly tempered, the chocolate should release easily from the mold.

Enjoy immediately or store at room temperature.