Cocoa butter

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Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is the edible natural fat of the cacao bean, extracted during the process of making chocolate and cocoa powder. Cocoa butter has only a mild chocolate flavor and aroma. It is the only cacao component used in the confection called white chocolate.

Cocoa butter is one of the ingredients used to make real chocolate. It has a melting point of around 34 to 38 degrees Celsius (93 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit), rendering chocolate a solid at room temperature that readily melts once inside the mouth.

Cocoa butter is one of the most stable fats known, containing natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity and give it a storage life of two to five years. It is used for its smooth texture in various foods (including chocolate), as well as in cosmetics, skin care products, and soaps and was used as an excipient in rectal suppositories.

Cocoa Butter has α, γ, β', and β crystal, with melting point 17°, 23°, 26°, and 35-37 °Celsius respectively. The production of chocolate required only the β crystal for its high melting point. A uniform crystal structure will result in the smooth texture, sheen and snap in chocolate.

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