Chocolate is one among the highly used ingredient in baking. It is widely known as the “God’s food” because of its unique flavor and distinct aroma. The aisle of baking is loaded with an array of chocolates ranging from white chocolate to dark chocolate. However, to bake a perfect recipe, it is important to know the composition of every chocolate and how it enhances the flavor of the dish that you bake.
Chocolate And Its Composition
Cacao chocolate chips are made from the finest variety of Cacao tree seeds, which are fermented to derive the cocoa. The primary constituents of the chocolate are cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, sugar and cocoa solids. The ground cacao pods or the chocolate liquor lends the essential flavor to chocolates while the cocoa butter offers a glossy and smooth texture. And, sugar helps in balancing the natural bitterness of the chocolate.
Chocolate Variants
The following are the different types of chocolate that are widely used for cooking and baking cakes, sauces, juices, and cookies.
Chocolates are classified into three variants by the proportion of milk solids, cocoa butter, and cocoa solids. The creamy and sweet tasting white chocolate is produced by combining cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. It is white, as there aren’t any cocoa solids present in it. Dark chocolate may have up to 80% of cocoa solids in it. This bitter tasting chocolate doesn’t have any milk solids and has a rich cocoa flavor. Milk chocolate has a sweet and bitter taste as it has both milk solids and cocoa solids.
Role Of Chocolate In Baking
When you find a recipe with chocolate as an ingredient, it generally refers to baking chocolate. Also termed as unsweetened chocolate, it contains 100% chocolate and does not have any added flavor or sugar. It has a bitter taste and is best for baking cakes as well as brownies, as the flavor of the dish is balanced by adding sugar.
For specific recipes like cookies, you can make use of chocolate chips or dark chocolate pieces. Chocolate chips are specifically produced to ensure it does not melt while baking, which makes it perfect for cookies.
How To Store Chocolate Properly?
Most often, people store chocolates in refrigerators, which is an incorrect method of storage. The moisture content in the refrigerators can cause “sugar bloom,” which is a grainy grey colored crystallization that develops on the surface of the chocolate. When you store chocolate at a very high temperature, it may melt and causes the accumulation of fat crystals on the surface and leads to a “fat bloom.” It is important to remember that chocolate must always be stored within the temperature range of 55 degrees F to 65 degrees F in an environment with low moisture levels.
Also, storing the chocolate in airtight containers is advisable, as the cocoa butter in it can absorb the string odors like cheese, onion or garlic present near it. When using chocolate for baking or cooking, make sure that the vessels and your hand is dry.
