Crazy About Chocolate

February 15, 2022

Chocolate, a global go-to consumer indulgence, popular because of its rich taste, high melting properties, and a broad range of sweet to bitter flavor profiles, continues to be a top ingredient used by pastry chefs and confectionary enthusiasts. 85% of consumers love or like chocolate and its 4-year growth is projected to increase nearly 3%.¹ As consumers are finding more ways to bring chocolate to life in their eating habits, North American chocolate sales have reached $20.7 billion annually.²

Foodservice operators can leverage chocolate’s popularity when crafting their sweet signature creations. Chocolate can be somewhat temperamental but learning a few key nuances among the different types and formats of chocolate and their uses can save time and increase efficiencies in your kitchen.

This blog shares insights and explores recommended applications and ideal flavor pairings to bring out the best in your chocolate offerings.

TYPES OF CHOCOLATE

The most popular types of chocolate include raw or baking chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.

Raw or baking chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa solids and is made from unroasted cocoa beans that are minimally processed without added sugar. Dairy products are often not added to raw chocolate, but in some cases, alternatives to standard cane sugar may be used to sweeten it. This type of chocolate works best for truffles since the fat in the form of heavy cream will be added without diluting the robust flavor. Raw or baking chocolate is also ideal for savory applications such as a stew or a mole sauce used most often in Mexican cuisine. Without the addition of sugar, this type of chocolate lacks sweetness and the authentic flavor of the chocolate comes through.

Dark chocolate is more refined chocolate with a richer flavor. The FDA classifies dark chocolate as having at least 35% cocoa solids to be considered “dark” and that number can go up to 99%. Unlike its raw counterpart, the dark variety contains some sugar with little to no milk/milk powder added. It’s a great option for baking applications as most chefs will add sugar to recipes and the outcome is a delicious balance of slightly sweet notes while still retaining the chocolate flavor.

Another popular favorite due to is sweeter profile is Milk chocolate. This creamy option contains higher amounts of sugar and milk solids versus dark chocolate. In fact, it must contain at least 12% milk (milk powder, condensed milk, regular liquid milk, or any combination of those) to be called milk chocolate. This type melts well making it a perfect option for baking, sauces, icings, and fountains. Chocolate lovers describe this as great snacking chocolate due to its mild, sweet taste.

The sweetest variety of all types is white chocolate. Some aficionados do not consider this variety to be actual chocolate because of its absence of cocoa solids. White chocolate is made using cocoa butter with a high amount of sugar and milk added to it, giving it its signature milky, sweet taste. According to the American FDA, to legally be marketed as “white chocolate,” a product must contain at least 20% cocoa fat, at least 3.5% milkfat, and at least 14% total milk solids; it can’t consist of more than 55% nutritive carbohydrate sweetener. White chocolate is primarily used in confections, baking, ganache, and candy coating.

FORMATS & USES

Chocolate typically comes in one of the following formats: chips, candy coating chocolate, couverture chocolate (blocks/bars/wafers), and cocoa powder.

Chocolate chips have reduced emulsifiers, stabilizers, and cocoa butter so they maintain their shape during baking. Chips are used mostly in desserts such as brownies or cookies – recipes where keeping the chip shape whole is desired. Though they are meant to stay intact, they can be melted down for mousse, drinks, and sauces.

Candy coating chocolate or melting chocolate contains additives like palm oil and sugar to help chocolate set quickly without having to temper it. Chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day dinner and chocolate-covered pretzel rods on kids’ menus are examples of ideal applications using melting chocolate.

Couverture chocolate, which is available in blocks, bars, and wafers, has more cocoa butter than other types of chocolate. It can come in milk, dark and white chocolate varieties. Confectioners use this type for tempering and candy making.

The last common format is cocoa powder made by grinding cocoa beans that have had the cocoa butter/fat removed during processing. Cocoa powder needs some form of fat and sugar added to it which makes baking one of the best applications for use. Dutch-processed cocoa powder can also be used in hot and cold drinks and ice cream as it’s easier to dissolve.

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Pairing foods is all about balance – harmonizing salty, sweet, bitter, umami, and fat.

Dark chocolate delivers a slightly bitter taste and less fat and sugar compared to other chocolates. More savory, salty pairings such as potato chips, peanuts, almonds, and bleu cheese balance out dark chocolate’s rich, yet slightly bitter profile, and raspberries, grapes, strawberries, and bananas bring a complementary level of sweetness – think charcuterie boards and dessert and fruit trays.

Milk chocolate is much sweeter and has a creamier more subtle chocolate flavor than dark, so oranges, apples, and cherries are ideal fruit pairings as they are not overly sweet. Walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans pair particularly well with milk chocolate because they have a milder nutty taste which balances out the sweetness. Craft a signature milk chocolate sauce for ice cream bars and offer a selection of sweet and nutty toppings that complement.

White chocolate, the milkiest and sweetest of all chocolate, pairs extremely well with dark chocolate, leveling out the sweet and bitter spectrums of both kinds. Since acidity reduces some of its sweet, fatty flavors, citrus fruits such as lemon and limes work nicely with white chocolate. Try drizzling white chocolate over mini key lime pies, blending dark and white chocolates atop cheesecake, or when crafting candy coatings for dessert embellishments.

However you use chocolate – whether on a shareable meat or dessert board, dipped in fresh fruits, or as an ingredient in any indulgent creation – the possibilities are endless and left only to your creativity. Make sure to check our blog often for more culinary insights and industry news.

¹Datassential, SNAP! January 2022
²FSRmagazine.com