Effect Of Cinnamon Powder (Cinnamomum burmannii) Concentration and Paste Concentration on Physicochemical and Organoleptic Characteristics of Dark Chocolate

Abstract

Dark chocolate is one of the processed products derived from cocoa beans, characterized by a bitter taste and low sugar content, thus offering significant health benefits to the body. However, the interest of Indonesian society in dark chocolate remains low compared to other countries. To address this issue, research was conducted to explore the addition of cinnamon powder (Cinnamomum burmannii) and cocoa paste concentrations, both of which contain polyphenol and flavonoid compounds known for their antioxidant properties. This study employed a Randomized Group Design (RAK) with 2 factors: cinnamon powder concentration (K) at levels of 0%, 0,5%, 1%, and 1,5%, and cocoa paste concentration (P) at levels of 35%, 39%, and 44%. The analysis included melting point testing, fat content determination, antioxidant activity assessment, and organoleptic (hedonic) evaluation of the aroma, colour, taste, texture, and appearance of dark chocolate, involving 30 panellists. The results indicated that the addition of cinnamon powder and cocoa paste concentrations did not significantly affect the melting point of dark chocolate. The highest cocoa paste concentration (P3) contained a fat content of 60,05% and the highest antioxidant activity of 76.20%. Based on hedonic testing, panellists preferred the aroma of concentration K2; the colour of the K2P1 combination; the chocolate taste of K2; and the Cinnamomum taste of P2. There was no significant effect on the texture and appearance of dark chocolate. According to the ranking test results, the best sample was dark chocolate with 1% cinnamon powder concentration and 34% cocoa paste concentration (K2P1).