Chocolate

I grew up with Belgian Chocolate. It was a tradition with every trip abroad; my Belgian stepfather brought them home when I was growing up in Morocco. Today I still find Belgian Chocolate desirable, but added to my list is Swiss Chocolate.

Cocoa Beans

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans harvested in pods from cocoa trees. Various strains of cocoa give different flavor profiles. The three most common are Trintario, Forestero, and Rriollo.

Origins

• 33%       Ivory Coast

• 17.5 %   Ghana

• 7.45%    Indonesia

• 5.6%      Ecuador

• 5.3%      Brazil

• 1.8%     Peru

• 1.66%   Mexico

• 1.4 %    Dominican Republic

• 1.1%     Colombia

Chemistry of Cocoa

Cocoa has over 600 flavor-carrying substances. Like caffeine, cocoa contains stimulants such as theobromine, which stimulates the brain’s pleasure center, causing a ‘chocolate high.’

Types of Chocolate

There are three main types of chocolate - dark, milk, and white. What determines the types is how the chocolate is made; the levels of cocoa solids, cocoa fat (butter), sugar, and milk powder it contains.

Dark Chocolate

Some are made from 100% cocoa beans, with no added sugar and only a little cocoa butter. This chocolate is very intense and bitter. In cooking, it is mainly used in stews and roasted meats.

This type of dark chocolate has 35-99% cocoa mass, some added sugar (1-65%), and a little milk powder (1-12%). The high percentage of cocoa, the more intense the flavor is. In cooking, it is best used in brownies, cakes, and mousses.

Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate is the most popular chocolate for eating. It can come with added fruit, nuts, or spices. The cocoa mass here can be between 20-35%, sugar 25-55%, and milk powder 25-35%. Low-quality chocolate usually contains vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter. Best used in baking, like cookies or muffins.

White Chocolate

This type of chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids, which gives it its dark color and chocolaty taste. It only has cocoa butter (30%), which provides it with a mild flavor; the rest comes from added sugar (40%), milk powder (30%), and vanilla flavoring.

How to Melt Chocolate

Microwave

1. Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl.

2. Microwave at 70% power for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir.

3. Microwave in 30-second increments, frequently stirring, until the chocolate fully melts.

Stovetop

1. Add chopped chocolate to the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water.

   Tip: A metal bowl over a saucepan also works if you don’t have a double boiler. Ensure the bowl's bottom doesn’t touch the water in the pan.

Slow cooker

1. Fill a slow cooker one-third of the way with hot water. Set the heat to high, leaving the lid off.

2. Place mason jars filled with chopped chocolate into the water.

3. Leave for about 30 minutes, without the lid, until the chocolate is melted.

   Source: The Science of Cooking: Every Question Answered to Perfect Your Cooking by Stuart Dr. Farrimond.