Dariano Cacao Farm, Cavite – Do you love chocolates? Do you know how a chocolate bar is made? I got the chance to harvest, and see how a chocolate bar and tablea is made. Come join me and I’ll share our experience at Dariano Cacao Farm!
If you’re here for the first time, I’d like to invite you to follow me on my socials – Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok so you’re updated on our recent food, hotel, and travel reviews!
Cacao Farm Philippines
You might think that cacao farming in the Philippine is unusual. But I found there are more than one chocolate farm Philippines has to offer.
These cacao farms may have different techniques in growing, harvesting, and even making their chocolates. But what’s more important is the quality of chocolate products that they make.
Cacao farming techniques
There’s a lot to learn about the different farming techniques in planting cacao. Within a year, there are lean and peak months of harvest, and there are even some months where you won’t be able to see fruits.
Thankfully, Cacao Pilsense cacao farming expert, Jack Sandique found a solution and made cacao harvesting to happen all year round.
So, now, we don’t have to worry about limited cacao production.
Chocolate Farm Silang
I never knew I’d be field tripping at a chocolate farm in the Philippines — since we didn’t have field trips when we were studying. So, I wasn’t even aware that we have a chocolate plantation and that we could see Philippine cacao beans being harvested in real life!
But I was so glad to be able to visit a cocoa orchard and learned how to make the chocolate that we love. Let’s dig deep about the chocolate making process and I hope you enjoy these Dariano Cacao Farm photos I took!
Harvesting
It was a rainy morning during our drive to the Dariano cacao plantation. I kept wishing that the rain would stop so we would not have to walk at a muddy farm in the afternoon.
However, when we arrived at half past 12, the sun still hasn’t come out. Uh oh! Still, I wish we’d see the sun in a bit, or until everyone arrived.
Sadly, the sun didn’t want to see us this day.
So, we had no choice but to start the cacao farm tour, because we couldn’t tell when the sun will come out. Ms. Lea Dariano, the owner of Dariano Cacao Farm, guided us all throughout the farm tour.
She told stories about how to grow cacao in the Philippines, and some of the techniques they use to ensure the quality of the cacao beans to produce. Lots of questions were asked during the tour and she didn’t get tired of answering them one by one.
She even let all the kids pick the cacao pods and catch them so we could take them home – to plant, eat, and do whatever we want with it!
The muddy path was all worth it! Not only did the kids enjoy every step of the way, even us adults were very happy about the new learning experience. Happily, we brought our ripe chocolate pods home!
Thankfully, the rain didn’t pour, so we were able to enjoy a chilly cacao farming Philippines don’t usually offer.
Fermentation process
After the 15-minute tour at Dariano Cacao Farm Philippines, Ms. Lea let us go up to the place where the demonstration of the chocolate making process would happen.
Once everyone has settled and sat down, the demonstration started.
Ms. Lea showed us how she cracks the cacao pods open using a wooden mallet. The manual cracking is very satisfying, especially after seeing the fruit inside. White, tangy, mucilaginous pulp covers each cacao beans – and they’re edible!
We were allowed to try the fruit – of course, don’t swallow the beans. The kids were able to try cracking the cacao pods – and they all had a blast!
After that, what comes next is the fermentation process to produce chocolates.
They cracked all the pods on the table, removed all the fruit and placed them in a container. For the fermentation to happen, you top the fruits with banana leaves and leave for 7 days. Make sure to check everyday for molds, and remove them, because you don’t want molds on your chocolate bar, or do you?
Drying and roasting
The next process of chocolate production is drying. Leave the beans to dry under the sun for a week, and then you have to roast them. Get roasting pan here.
Why do we have to roast cacao beans?
Doing so enhances the taste and causing the cacao taste to bloom. When we roast, the acidity of the beans decrease, causing the change in its flavors. Apart from losing some acidity, the cacao beans have less bitterness and astringent flavor.
Making chocolate bars
Before you can make chocolate bars, you need to crush the roasted cacao beans into coarse particles. After which, you pour them slowly into a stone grinder, called melanger. What happens next will amaze you.
The ground cacao nibs will then turn into chocolate liquor (and no, it’s not alcoholic!).
So, now, you have the liquid chocolate that you can pour into molds, and the final product is the chocolate bar that we love!
Dariano Cacao Farm address: Dariano Cacao Farm, Silang, 4118 Cavite
Contact person and number: Ms. Lea Dariano, 09158301784
Freebies!!
Of course, who doesn’t love freebies??
Well, they’re not really freebies (because, yeah, we paid for the Dariano Cacao Farm entrance fee), but hey! Not all farms offer freebies to visitors.
So, what’s included in the fee that we paid?
Free cacao pods (although, I’m still unsure about what to do with the one we brought home! Haha)
Each participant also gets to drink hot chocolate drink, hot cacao tea, and we got champorado for a snack. They even served kutchinta and pichi pichi.
Dariano Cacao Farm price
Dariano Cacao Farm price for adults is 800 Php (14.01 USD) and 500 Php (8.76 USD) for kids. Children below 5 years old can enter the cacao Philippines farm for free.
You can also buy some cacao products while you’re in Dariano Cacao Farm. They sell chocolate bars, tablea, and cacao tea.
Dariano Cacao Farm reviews Philippines conclusion
I was in awe about the experience we had at Dariano Cacao Farm. Being able to see how a cacao fruit turns into chocolate bars is one great experiment to see – especially for learning kids.
If you’re here for the first time, I’d like to invite you to follow me on my socials – Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok so you’re updated on our recent food, hotel, and travel reviews!
Disclosure: You may find affiliate links in this post and I may get a small commission without extra cost to you. In return, I’ll give you valuable life hacks and relatable real-life experiences for FREE!
More cacao farm in the Philippines
Want to know more cocoa farm? Philippines still has more of them below!
Bohol Chocolate Farm
Address: Purok 3 Calatrava Road, Canmano, Sagbayan, 6331 Bohol
Phone: 0953 762 3821
Opening hours: 9 AM to 5 PM, closed on Sundays
Filipinas Cacao Heritage Reserve
Address: Purok 6, Brgy. Bunggo, Calamba, Laguna
Phone: 0930 116 2445
Opening hours: 8 AM to 5 PM, closed on Saturdays
The Chocoland Farm
Address: 2570 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, By Pass Road, San Vicente 2, Silang, 4118 Cavite
Phone: 0936 996 0731
Opening hours: 9 AM to 5 PM, closed on Sundays
Balai Cacao
Address: 0267 Manga-Ubujan Boundary Dr, Road, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol
Phone: 0933 225 1937
Opening hours: 8 AM to 5 PM, Saturdays open until 12 PM,closed on Sundays
