The chocolate from Modica is obtained by a particular working of chocolate at "cold temperature"  that does not include the phasis of "vesseling".

During the Spanish invasion in Sicilia island in 16th century that woriking was introduced in the Modica County that was the most important Feudal State at that time all over southern Italy and provided with administrative autonomy.

 

The Spanish on their turn should import after the conquest of Mexico.

Nowadays there are not any more hints of that kind of working neither in Spain nor in America. It has historically been inherited as a typical cake traditional of the noble families that used to prepare it at home during the most important occasions. 

Thus it has inherited that way up to nowadays then it became a sweet product of international fame.

 

The cocoa matter obtained by toasted and milled seeds (locally called "caracca" come from Sao Tomè in Africa) and not deprived of cocoa butter contained in it is heated to make it fluid.

At a temperature not over 40° C it is mixed to fine white sugar or cane sugar, and such spices as cinnamon, vanilla or hot pepper, or even with lemon or orange skins. 

Nevertheless the chocolate has still high rates of cocoa, by a minimum of 65%, even in "classical" versions up to the very pure versions of 90% of cocoa.

By hand working the matter was cast on a half moon shaped surface called the "valata ra ciucculatta", built up in lavic stone and already heated, then it was mixed by the so called  "pistuni", a special cylindric pole in stone by a different weight and thickness in relation to the wirking phasis that is the first, the second and the third passage up to the refining phasis that took the name of "stricata". 

In many laboratories nowadays these working phasis are made by more modern heating machines.

The mix is always maintained at the maximum temperature of 35-40° C that does not allow sugar chrystals to melt and they remain whole inside the dough.

As it is still soft it is poured in suitable "lanni" (tin rectangle shaped containers) that are beated either for letting it have the shape of its container as it is cold and solid or to let air bubbles come on hte surface and make the product compact. 

The chocolate bar obtained is lucid with some grooves, sometimes it is more opaque, is  dark black coloured with brown reflections, a grainy consistence and a bit rougher.