You enter a store and see a vast display of chocolate bars with various percentages on their packaging. Confusion sets in, leaving you bewildered and in the dark. As of today, confusion no more! We will learn about percentages and the amount of chocolate taken from the bean. A higher percentage of chocolate signifies a lower percentage of sugar. So, any bar lower than 70% intensity will have more sweetness. Today, I will show how to utilize chocolate for recipes with a spectrum of low to high percentages of chocolate. For instance, you wouldn't use white chocolate for mole since there's little to no chocolate in it, and it has a large amount of sugar. You wouldn't be able to eat a 100% chocolate bar with a smile because it's incredibly bitter and sugarless. My sister did, and it was hilarious!
Here is how you would rate the three main types of chocolate:
- White chocolate- little to no chocolate
- Milk chocolate- 45-50% chocolate
- Dark chocolate- 65% is semi-sweet, while 70-80% is bittersweet
- Baker's chocolate- 73% or higher and intolerable
- Modeling chocolate- 73% or higher and intolerable
There are many subcategories and varieties, like raw chocolate, ruby chocolate, semi-sweet, bittersweet, cocoa powder, etc.
How does black cocoa become naturally super dark?
It oxidizes. If you use it in your chocolate buttercream, make it the day before you serve so it fully oxidizes.
Did you know?
Chocolate is an acid; just like cinnamon powder, you would add this ingredient last to your recipe. Adding the chocolate too early will alter the recipe because another acid in the mixture will counteract it, leaving the dessert tasting flat. Just a tip: the darker the cocoa powder, the higher the intensity, so remember to add it last, then taste the mixture and add sugar to sweeten it as needed.