Types of Chocolate

Compared to the other types of chocolate, dark chocolate offers a more intense and bittersweet flavor profile. Dark chocolate can be broken down into two types: bittersweet chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. The FDA requires that dark chocolate contain at least 35% cacao and less than 12% milk solids. After that, it is up to the manufacturer to label their chocolate as bittersweet or semi-sweet. Typically, bittersweet has a higher percentage of cocoa than semi-sweet and is the less sweet of the two types.

Dark Chocolate Applications: Dark chocolate is ideal for recipes where chocolate is the focal point, such as ganache, mousses, truffles, and puddings.

Known for its smooth and velvety texture, milk chocolate is characteristically mild, sweet, and creamy in flavor. The FDA requires that milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor, 3.39% milkfat, and at least 12% milk solids. Because it contains more sugar and milk solids, milk chocolate is sweeter than semi-sweet chocolate and should not be used as a substitute in recipes.

Milk Chocolate Applications: Milk chocolate is ideal for making dipping and drizzling sauces, pastry creams, and confectionaries.

White chocolate, despite lacking cocoa solids, is still considered a type of chocolate. It is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, resulting in a creamy and buttery texture. The FDA requires that white chocolate is made up of at least 20% cocoa butter, 3.5% milkfat, and 14% milk solids. White chocolate is often used in baking, as a decorative drizzle or coating, or as an ingredient in creamy desserts like mousse or truffles. Because it is very sweet, white chocolate shines with bitter, tart, or nutty flavors that offset its sweetness.

White Chocolate Applications: White chocolate is ideal for making dipping and drizzling sauces, mousses, pastry creams, and confectionaries.

Ruby chocolate is a variety of chocolate that is made from ruby cacao beans, which can be found in Ecuador, Brazil, and Ivory Coast. This newer type of chocolate was developed by Belgian chocolate company Barry Callebaut in 2004. Ruby chocolate's flavor profile is sweet and fruity with fresh, sour notes and a red-pink color, despite having no added colors or fruit flavorings. Ruby chocolate is used for a wide range of applications, including confectionaries, truffles, pastry cream, and ice cream.

Ruby Chocolate Applications: Ruby chocolate is ideal for chocolate work, dessert sauces, frostings, and creams.

Unsweetened chocolate, also known as baking chocolate, is a pure form of chocolate made from roasted cocoa beans. It is composed of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, with no added sugar or sweeteners. With its intense and rich flavor, unsweetened chocolate is a staple ingredient in many baking recipes that require a deep chocolate flavor, such as brownies, cakes, cookies, and chocolate sauces. Its bitterness helps balance out the sweetness of other ingredients.

Unsweetened Chocolate Applications: Unsweetened chocolate is ideal for adding a rich cocoa flavor to recipes that already contain a lot of added sugar, such as brownies, cakes, and cookies.

Couverture chocolate contains a higher percentage of cocoa butter – at least 31% – than baking or eating chocolate. This high percentage of cocoa butter gives the chocolate a glossy finish and a firm snap when properly tempered. It is available in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties.

Couverture Chocolate Applications: Couverture chocolate is ideal for dipping, enrobing, and candy-making. It is not recommended for baking.

• Add to chocolate when tempering to increase its fluidity and achieve the perfect set, snap, and shine for chocolate candies.
• Use in chocolate spray and fountain applications.
• Use for frying and sauteing. Its high smoke point resists frying temperatures better than butter and oils without burning.
• Use to create skincare products, such as soaps, lotions, and shampoos. Because it is high in vitamins and antioxidants, cocoa butter is a popular natural choice for remedying dry skin. Always check a product's ingredients to ensure it is safe for skincare use.

Cocoa powder is made from dried chocolate liquor that is ground into a fine powder. There are two types: natural cocoa powder and Dutch process, or alkalized, cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa powder has been treated to reduce its acidity, giving it a smooth flavor and a reddish color.

Best for: Cocoa powder is ideal for delivering a rich chocolate flavor to baked goods and drinks. It's also commonly used for dusting truffles and garnishing desserts.

Chocolate chips contain added stabilizers and less cocoa butter than bars or wafers to hold their shape in high heat. This provides structure to baked goods, helping them stay tall and upright while baking. If a recipe calls for melted chocolate, it is recommended to use bars or wafers instead of chips.

Best for: Chocolate chips are ideal for baked goods like cookies, muffins, and breads.

When it comes to baking with chocolate, chocolate bars are an excellent option for high-volume bakeries. They are typically sold in 10 lb. or 11 lb. blocks and versatile in application, making them the ideal chocolate product to have on hand for your baking and confectionary needs. Whether you're making chocolate chip cookies, brownies, or cakes, chocolate bars can be easily chopped or melted down to suit your recipe's needs.

Best for: Chocolate bars are ideal for tempering to create specialty chocolates or for baking into premium confections and baked goods.

Chocolate melting wafers are small, disc-shaped pieces of chocolate. Unlike chips, they do not hold their shape, and are designed for melting and then cooling to a firm snap. Some wafers, like couverture wafers, will need to be tempered while others, like coating wafers, do not require tempering.

Best for: Chocolate wafers are ideal for any recipe that requires melting, such as confectionaries, ganache, sauces, and glazes.