See also cocoa.
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that grow on the
tropical
Theobroma Cacao tree. Literally translated, this genus name
means “food of the gods," an appropriate accolade for this indulgent ingredient that's perhaps adored more than any other.
How Chocolate is Made
Once harvested, cocoa beans are fermented, roasted and cracked to
separate the nibs (which contain cocoa butter) from the shells. The
nibs are then ground, leaving a thick, dark paste called chocolate
liquor.
Next, the liquor is refined according to they type of chocolate
being produced. Finally, the chocolate liquor is
heated and blended by huge machines with rotating blades in a process called "conching." This rids the
chocolate of moisture and volatile acids and also allows other
ingredients like cocoa butter or lecithin (an emulsifier) to be added
for smooth, creamy texture.
A Little Bite of History
Milk chocolate was first produced in 1867, but it was Rodolphe Lindt
who came up
with the idea of adding cocoa butter to smooth out its texture in 1879.
He invented a shell-shaped machine called the "conche" to churn and turn the mixture into the delicately flavored milk
chocolate we still enjoy today.
Varieties and Buying Tips
Chocolate varieties are best described by the percentage of chocolate liquor and cocoa butter they contain.
Unsweetened, or baking chocolate, contains between 50% and 58% cocoa
butter. This unadulterated chocolate is pure chocolate liquor that has
been cooled and molded. It is often used for cooking.
Bittersweet, frequently called dark chocolate, must contain at least
35% chocolate liquor, but many brands go way beyond that in the 60% to
75% range. This chocolate has a concentrated flavor and is not very
sweet.
Semisweet is also a dark chocolate, but it is somewhat sweeter and less
intense. Like bittersweet, it contains at least 35% chocolate liquor as
well as sugar, lecithin and vanilla. Semisweet is a popular choice for
baking and comes in a wide variety of chips, squares and bars.
Sweet is another variety of dark chocolate that is used for cooking and
eating. It contains at least 15% chocolate liquor and has flavorings
and more sugar than semisweet.
Milk chocolate is made when dry milk is added to sweetened chocolate.
It is a combination of at least 10% chocolate liquor and 12% milk
solids along with sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla and other flavorings.
White chocolate is technically not a chocolate, because it contains no
chocolate liquor at all. Typically a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter,
milk, lecithin and vanilla, white chocolate is still a favorite for
eating and cooking.
Other chocolate products include cocoa powder, dried and unsweetened
chocolate liquor containing 10% to 22% cocoa butter. Liquid chocolate,
also called premelted, is a mixture of cocoa powder and vegetable oil.
While convenient, it doesn't deliver the same flavor or texture as true
melted unsweetened chocolate.
At specialty baking or candymaking shops, you’ll also find couverture,
a professional-quality, dark chocolate coating. Extremely glossy, this
specially formulated chocolate contains at least 32% cocoa butter.
Note: Stay away from products labeled “artificial chocolate” or
“chocolate flavored.” These don’t even come close to the real thing in
flavor or texture.
Storage Tips
Chocolate should be tightly wrapped and stored in a cool, dark place.
Dark varieties will last for years, but milk and white chocolates will
only keep for about nine months because they contain milk solids.
Warm temperatures can cause chocolate to develop “bloom” (gray streaks
or blotches), while damp or cold conditions may produce surface sugar
crystals. Don’t worry—the chocolate can still be used as the flavor and
texture will be only slightly affected.
Melting Tips
• To avoid scorching, melt chocolate slowly over low heat. Use the
double-boiler method and remove from heat when half-melted, or put the
chocolate in the microwave at 50% power.
• Spray your melting container with cooking spray and the melted chocolate will slide right out.
• Let melted chocolate cool to room temperature before adding to doughs
and batters. If it’s too hot it might melt the fats in your mixture and
alter your end results.
Fun Ideas
• Use grated chocolate to decorate cakes, ice cream and desserts. Hold one end of a
large block of room-temperature chocolate with a paper towel and rub
the other end over the coarse side of a box grater.
• To create curls, run a swivel vegetable peeler along the long edge of a slightly warmed, large chocolate bar.
• Make a quick chocolate sauce by melting semisweet chocolate chips with liqueur (try Kahlua) and vanilla extract.
Substitution Tips
• Bittersweet, semisweet and sweet chocolates may be used interchangeably is most recipes.
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate = 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter.
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate = ½ ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoon sugar.
Try one of our favorite chocolate recipes:
Chocolate Creme Brulee with Caramelized Bananas
Hot Chocolate with Pink Peppermint Whipped Cream
Butterfinger Cake
