As a subject matter expert in the history of food and confectionery, I can tell you that the invention of dark chocolate cannot be attributed to a single individual. Instead, it's a product of a long process of development and refinement that has taken place over centuries. The origins of chocolate can be traced back to the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, where a bitter drink made from cacao beans was consumed. The process of turning cacao beans into chocolate involves several steps, including fermentation, drying, roasting, and grinding, which have been perfected over time.
The
dark chocolate we know today is a result of the introduction of sugar and other ingredients to the basic chocolate formula, which made it sweeter and more palatable to a wider audience. The transformation from a bitter drink to the sweet treat we enjoy today was a gradual process that involved many cultures and individuals, including the Maya, the Aztecs, and later the Europeans who brought cacao back to their continent after the discovery of the Americas.
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