3 Questions about Chocolate & their Reasonable Explanations

Chocolate…such an explosion of unique natural aromas and tastes! Sadly (or not!), because of the sugar content chocolate tends to be so controversial. It’s a product some people can’t go a day without and at the same time it’s something most dieticians wouldn’t recommend. Where does the truth lie, after all? It’s probably somewhere in the middle. Keep on reading to find out!

1. How is chocolate made?

Even if you’re a huge fan of this sweet temptation, you might not be so familiar with all the REAL ingredients. So, the source material is the cocoa tree, of course. The cocoa nibs are usually put to ferment by microorganisms. Then they should dry, get all cleaned up and roasted. After that there’s blending process and forming a pure cocoa mass known as ‘chocolate liquor’. It’s time for sugar and powdered milk (if necessary). In contemporary industry this stuff is being pressed and divided into cocoa butter and cocoa mass (1:1). Most chocolate producers are said to mix both materials to make the brown chocolate we all know.

2. What are the main types of chocolate?

We bet you could answer this right away, huh! However, you probably don’t know the whole story so here it is now. Generally, there are thousands of sorts but we can divide them into three main groups:

• Milk chocolate – contains cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar and milk (usually powdered). Of course, some put other ingredients as well but that’s only to make the flavors more intense. What you might not know is that milk chocolate melts way easier than the dark one. However, that’s not always the best choice when it comes to preparing desserts.
• Dark chocolate – we’re talking about cocoa percentage of 70% or more. The higher it is, the less sugar this chocolate contains. That’s where the bitterness of all dark chocolates come and probably that’s why most kids don’t prefer it. However, you get why is this one the best choice for your health, right?
• White chocolate – contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk, but there’s no cocoa here. According to lots of people (including specialists), this is not a genuine chocolate. This doesn’t make it less preferable, though! It’s also very 'popular' in the kitchen for various creams, cheesecakes or bakeries.

3. Why does chocolate turn white?

You’ve probably noticed how chocolate tends to become whiter and lose its sheen. Usually that happens after you put it in the fridge and leave it for too long. But how and why is this possible? Well, it all comes down to two main reasons: because of heat or because of humidity. When your choco stays at high temperatures, some of the cocoa crystals melt and rise to the surface. On the other hand, when there’s dampness, the sugar tends to liquidize and also goes to the surface. There it crystalizes and thus stays white. In both cases you shouldn’t give up that sweetness, because it’s totally fine! Browse our Chocolate bars, wafers, spreads and many more categories as you click here!