Chocolate making begins with the harvesting of cacao pods, which contain cacao beans. These beans are fermented, dried, and roasted to develop their rich flavor. After roasting, the beans are cracked open to remove the outer shell, leaving behind the cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground into a paste called chocolate liquor, which can be further processed to separate cocoa solids from cocoa butter. The final chocolate product is created by mixing these ingredients with sugar and other flavorings, then tempering the mixture to achieve a smooth texture before molding it into bars or other shapes.