What Makes a Good Chocolate?

The perfect bean, perfect blend, or perfect chocolate does not exist; it all depends on what each consumer likes best as well as its intended use. Is the chocolate just for eating or also for baking? Some chocolate lose their flavor when baked or frozen in ice cream, whereas others prepared in exactly the same way can overpower. Certain chocolates have a more acidic profile. some are smoother, and some taste more of vanilla. Each manufacturer adds certain nuances that are better suited for different uses. One company may make better cocoa powder or milk chocolate than another.

When choosing a chocolate, be aware of what role it will play in the finished product. Remember that in a pure dark chocolate truffle, the dominant flavor will be the chocolate. so choose one with the flavor profiles you want the truffle to have. If you are baking milk chocolate brownies, on the other hand, the chocolate flavor will be diluted by the flour, butter, and other ingredients, so choose a milk chocolate with a strong enough profile to come through.

These days, consumers have a much wider selection when choosing chocolate for eating, baking, or creating confections. Most gourmet or specialty food stores now carry consumer-friendly versions of the same chocolate used by professional pastry chefs. And if you can't fine it at a store nearby, there's always the Internet.

As with all ingredients, the rule to follow when choosing chocolate is to buy the best you can within your budget. A good way to start is to try the plain chocolate to see if you like how it tastes. This may sound obvious, but believe me, if you were to taste test five differnt dark or milk chocolates in a row, I am sure you would find a least one whose profile you did not care for as much as the others. Also, buy 2-3 times as much as your recipe calls for in case you make mistakes during tempering.

When you taste a piece of chocolate, put it on your tongue and press it up against the roof of your mouth. Let the chocolate dissolve slowly; don't chew it. Allow the melted chocolate to coat your entire mouth and tongue, so that it hits it hits all your taste buds at once. If you are tasting more than one type of chocolate. rinse your month with room temperature water in between each chocolate to cleanse your palate.

Unused chocolate is best stored by wrapping it well in plastic wrap and putting it away in your pantry or another cool, dry spot. Never put chocolate in the refrigerator as this is a humid environment that can cause condensation to occur on the surface of the chocolate. You will know this has happened if the chocolate turns white, or blooms. This process is known specifically as sugar bloom. Bloom can also be caused by a drastic temperature change. usually when the chocolate ges too hot, melts, and then cools down and become shard once again. In this instance,

blooming means that the fat has separated from the chocolate and risen to the top. In either case, bloom does not harm the chocolate. Rather, it creates an imperfect appearance. It is still perfectly safe to eat the bloomed chocolate or to use it in baking or candy making.