| 1. |
How many types of chocolates are there?
(click to view/close answer)
|
|
There are three basic types of chocolate - Dark, Milk and White.
Dark chocolate is semi-sweet and is comprised of cocoa liqueur, cocoa butter and sugar.
Milk: The best known kind of eating chocolate.
Milk chocolate is made by combining the chocolate liquid, extra cocoa butter, milk or cream, sweetening, and flavorings.
White chocolate is not considered real chocolate, because although it has cocoa butter, it does not have chocolate liquor. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, milk, sugar and vanilla.
Bittersweet chocolate should not to be confused with unsweetened or semisweet chocolate. It is slightly sweetened dark chocolate.
|
| 2. |
What is the ideal storing temperature?
(click to view/close answer)
|
|
Like fine wines, chocolates should be stored in a cool, dry and dark area.
Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Ideal storage temperatures are between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius (59 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit), with a relative humidity of less than 50%. Chocolate should be stored away from other foods as it can absorb different aromas.
|
| 3. |
What goes into good chocolate?
(click to view/close answer)
|
|
As a general rule of thumb, good chocolate should have a high percentage of cocoa. We feel 55-75% to be a good number. Of this, about 30% should be cocoa butter. When looking for good chocolate start first with dark chocolate.
|
| 4. |
How do I choose good chocolates?
(click to view/close answer)
|
|
Good chocolates should be "shiny." This is an indication of the cocoa butter content (which is higher if it is shiny). If it is "whitish" or has a "grayish cast" don't bother...the chocolate has seen its better days. This is called "bloom." Besides this, be aware of how the chocolates taste and smell.
There are two possibilities for blooming:
1) the cocoa butter has "bloomed" because the chocolate
gets warm enough for the cocoa butter's crystalline bonds to break and re-form in a "sloppy" pattern ("fat bloom");
2) condensation of water on the chocolate's surface
causes "sugar bloom".
Neither type of bloom damages the chocolate for cooking purposes, but both make the chocolate grainy for eating out-of-hand.
|
| 5. |
What are pralines?
(click to view/close answer)
|
|
Pralines refers to a particular kind of chocolate candy, one with nuts in them.
|
