Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans mixed with fat (e.g. cocoa butter) and powdered sugar to produce a solid confectionery. There are several types of chocolate, classified primarily according to the proportion of cocoa and fat content used in a particular formulation.
Dark chocolate, also called plain chocolate, is produced using only cocoa butter, with no milk fat included. It is made from chocolate liquor to which some sugar, more cocoa butter and vanilla are added. Dark chocolate can be eaten as is, or used in cooking, for which thicker baking bars, usually with high cocoa percentages ranging from 70% to 100%, are sold. A higher amount of cocoa solids indicates more bitterness. Many brands display the cocoa percentage on their packaging.
European Union rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. [1] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor.
"Bittersweet chocolate" is a version of dark chocolate intended for baking with a low amount of sugar, with the sugar typically consisting of about 33% of the final mass. [2] Semi-sweet chocolate" includes more sugar, resulting in a somewhat sweeter confection, but the two are largely interchangeable in baking.
As of 2017 [update] , there is no high-quality evidence that dark chocolate affects blood pressure significantly or provides other health benefits. [3]
Milk chocolate is solid chocolate made with milk. Differences in flavor between different brands and regions are largely due to differences in how the manufacturers handle the milk during production, such as by choosing powdered milk, condensed milk, chocolate crumb, or partially lipolyzed milk. [4]
In 1875 a Swiss confectioner, Daniel Peter, developed a solid milk chocolate using condensed milk, which had been invented by Henri Nestlé, Peter's neighbor in Vevey. [5] [6]
White chocolate, although similar in texture to that of milk and dark chocolate, does not contain any cocoa solids that impart a dark color. It is made of sugar, milk, and cocoa butter, which has been extracted from the cocoa liquor. It is pale ivory colored, and lacks many of the compounds found in milk and dark chocolates.
In 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration established a standard for white chocolate as the "common or usual name of products made from cocoa fat (i.e., cocoa butter), milk solids, nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners, and other safe and suitable ingredients, but containing no nonfat cocoa solids". [7]
Chocolate that has been turned into foam through adding bubbles.
Gianduja chocolate is made by blending hazelnut butter with chocolate paste. Similarly to standard chocolate, it is made in both plain and milk versions. It may also contain other nuts, such as almond. [8] As a bar, gianduja resembles regular chocolate, excepting the fact that it is significantly softer due to the presence of hazelnut oil. [9]
Organic chocolate is chocolate which has been certified organic, generally meaning that there are no chemical fertilizers or pesticides used in growing the cocoa beans producing the chocolate. As of 2016, it was a growing sector in the global chocolate industry. Organic chocolate is a socially desirable product for some consumers. [10]
Raw chocolate is chocolate that has not been processed, heated, or mixed with other ingredients. It is sold in chocolate-growing countries and to a lesser extent in other countries. It is often promoted as being healthy. [11] Raw chocolate includes many essential antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. This includes protein, iron, and fiber. [12]
Ruby chocolate is made from the Ruby cocoa bean, resulting in a distinct red color and a different flavor, described as "sweet yet sour". [13] It was created by Barry Callebaut, a Belgian–Swiss cocoa company. [14] The variety was in development from 2004, and was released to the public in 2017. [13]
Baking chocolate, or cooking chocolate, [15] is chocolate intended to be used for baking and in sweet foods that may or may not be sweetened. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate, are produced and marketed as baking chocolate. However, lower quality baking chocolate may not be as flavorful compared to higher-quality chocolate, and may have a different mouthfeel. [16]
Poorly tempered or untempered chocolate may have whitish spots on the dark chocolate part, called chocolate bloom; it is an indication that sugar or fat has separated due to poor storage. It is not toxic and can be safely consumed. [17]
In the US, baking chocolate containing no added sugar may be labeled "unsweetened chocolate".
Couverture chocolate is a class of high-quality chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than other chocolate which is precisely tempered. Couverture chocolate is used by professionals for dipping, coating, molding and garnishing ('couverture' means 'covering' in French). Popular brands of couverture chocolate used by pastry chefs include: Valrhona, Lindt & Sprüngli, Scharffen Berger, Callebaut, and Guittard.
Compound chocolate is the name for a confection combining cocoa with other vegetable fats, usually tropical fats or hydrogenated fats, as a replacement for cocoa butter. It is often used for candy bar coatings. In many countries it can not legally be called "chocolate".
Modeling chocolate is a chocolate paste made by melting chocolate and combining it with corn syrup, glucose syrup, or golden syrup. It is primarily used by cakemakers and pâtisseries to add decoration to cakes and pastries.
During the 20th century, chocolate was categorized based on where it was manufactured. During the 21st century, there was a shift away from this, in favor of describing the origins of the cocoa beans. [18]
Belgian chocolate, according to academic Kristy Leissle, does not denote flavor or texture, but refers to bonbons. [18]
French chocolate's flavor is that of a dark roast and smooth texture. [18]
Swiss chocolate has a milky flavor and smooth texture. [18]
The legislation for cocoa and chocolate products in Canada is found in Division 4 of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR), under the Food and Drugs Act (FDA). The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the FDR and FDA (as it relates to food). [19]
| Product | Cocoa butter | Milk solids | Milk fat | Fat-free cocoa solids | Cocoa solids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk chocolate | ≥ 15% | ≥ 12% | ≥ 3.39% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 25% |
| Sweet chocolate | ≥ 18% | < 12% | ≥ 12% | ≥ 31% | |
| Chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate | ≥ 18% | < 5% | ≥ 14% | ≥ 35% | |
| White chocolate | ≥ 20% | ≥ 14% | ≥ 3.5% |
The use of cocoa butter substitutes in Canada is not permitted. Chocolate sold in Canada cannot contain vegetable fats or oils. [20]
The only sweetening agents permitted in chocolate in Canada are listed in Division 18 of the Food and Drug Regulations. [21] Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and sugar alcohols (sorbitol, maltitol, etc.) are not permitted.
Products manufactured or imported into Canada that contain non-permitted ingredients (vegetable fats or oils, artificial sweeteners) cannot legally be called "chocolate" when sold in Canada. A non-standardized name such as "candy" must be used. [20]
There has been disagreement in the EU about the definition of chocolate; this dispute covers several issues, including the types of fat and the quantity of cocoa used. In 1999, however, the EU resolved the fat issue by allowing up to 5% of chocolate's content to be one of six alternatives to cocoa butter: illipe oil, palm oil, sal, shea butter, kokum gurgi , or mango kernel oil. [22]
Products labelled as "family milk chocolate" elsewhere in the European Union are permitted to be labelled as simply "milk chocolate" in Malta, the UK and the Republic of Ireland. [23] [24]
| Product | Total dry cocoa solids | Cocoa butter | Non-fat cocoa solids | Total fat [a] | Milk fat | Milk solids | Flour/starch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate | ≥ 35% | ≥ 18% | ≥ 14% | ||||
| Couverture chocolate | ≥ 35% | ≥ 31% | ≥ 2.5% | ||||
| Chocolate vermicelli or flakes | ≥ 32% | ≥ 12% | ≥ 14% | ||||
| Milk chocolate | ≥ 25% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 25% | ≥ 3.5% | ≥ 14% | ||
| Couverture milk chocolate | ≥ 25% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 31% | ≥ 3.5% | ≥ 14% | ||
| Milk chocolate vermicelli or flakes | ≥ 20% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 12% | ≥ 3.5% | ≥ 12% | ||
| Family milk chocolate | ≥ 20% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 25% | ≥ 5% | ≥ 20% | ||
| Cream chocolate | ≥ 25% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 25% | ≥ 5.5% | ≥ 14% | ||
| Skimmed milk chocolate | ≥ 25% | ≥ 2.5% | ≥ 25% | ≤ 1% | ≥ 14% | ||
| White chocolate | ≥ 20% | ≥ 14% | |||||
| Chocolate a la taza | ≥ 35% | ≥ 18% | ≥ 14% | ≤ 8% | |||
| Chocolate familiar a la taza | ≥ 30% | ≥ 18% | ≥ 12% | ≤ 18% |
In Japan, "chocolate products" are classified on a complex scale.
Chocolate materials (チョコレート生地, chokorēto kiji):
Chocolate products (チョコレート製品, chokorēto seihin):
Products using milk chocolate or quasi milk chocolate as described above are handled in the same way as chocolate / quasi chocolate.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the naming and ingredients of cocoa products: [25] [26]
Semisweet and bittersweet are terms traditionally used in the United States to indicate the amount of added sugar in dark chocolate. Typically, bittersweet chocolate has less sugar than semisweet chocolate, [27] but the two are interchangeable when baking. Both must contain a minimum of 35% cocoa solids.
In the American chocolate industry chocolate liquor is the ground or melted state of the nib of the cacao bean, containing roughly equal parts cocoa butter and solids. [28]
| Product | Chocolate liquor | Milk solids | Sugar | Cocoa fat | Milk fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk chocolate | ≥ 10% | ≥ 12% | < 3.39% | ||
| Milk chocolate | ≥ 10% | ≥ 12% | ≥ 3.39% | ||
| Mixed dairy product chocolates | ≥ 10% | ≥ 12% | |||
| Skim milk chocolate | ≥ 10% | ≥ 12% | < 3.39% | ||
| Sweet chocolate | ≥ 15% | < 12% | |||
| Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate | ≥ 35% | < 12% | |||
| White chocolate | ≥ 14% | ≤ 55% | ≥ 20% | ≥ 3.5% |
In March 2007, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, whose members include Hershey's, Nestlé, and Archer Daniels Midland, began lobbying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the legal definition of chocolate to allow the substitution of "safe and suitable vegetable fats and oils" (including partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) for cocoa butter in addition to using "any sweetening agent" (including artificial sweeteners) and milk substitutes. [29] Currently, the FDA does not allow a product to be referred to as "chocolate" if the product contains any of these ingredients. [30] To work around this restriction, products with cocoa substitutes are often branded or labeled as "chocolatey" or "made with chocolate".
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring in other foods. The cacao tree has been used as a source of food for at least 5,300 years, starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador. Later, Mesoamerican civilizations consumed cacao beverages, of which one, chocolate, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.
Nutella is a brand of brown, sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. Nutella is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in 1964, although its first iteration dates to 1963.
A chocolate bar is a confection containing chocolate, which may also contain layerings or mixtures that include nuts, fruit, caramel, nougat, and wafers. A flat, easily breakable, chocolate bar is also called a tablet. In some varieties of English and food labeling standards, the term chocolate bar is reserved for bars of solid chocolate, with candy bar used for products with additional ingredients.
Icing, or frosting, is a sweet, often creamy glaze made of sugar with a liquid, such as water or milk, that is often enriched with ingredients like butter, egg whites, cream cheese, or flavorings. It is used to coat or decorate baked goods, such as cakes. When it is used between layers of cake it is known as a filling.
Milk chocolate is a form of solid chocolate containing cocoa, sugar and milk. It is the most consumed type of chocolate, and is used in a wide diversity of bars, tablets and other confectionery products. Milk chocolate contains smaller amounts of cocoa solids than dark chocolates do, and contains milk solids. While its taste has been key to its popularity, milk chocolate was historically promoted as a healthy food, particularly for children.
Dutch processed cocoa, Dutch cocoa, or alkalized cocoa, is cocoa solids that have been treated with an alkalizing agent to reduce the natural acidity of cocoa, giving it a less bitter taste compared to "natural cocoa" extracted with the Broma process. It forms the basis for much of modern chocolate, and is used in ice cream, hot chocolate, and baking.
Chocolate addiction is a compulsive desire to eat chocolate despite negative consequences.
Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. It is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. Cocoa butter has a cocoa flavor and aroma. Its melting point is slightly below human body temperature. It is an essential ingredient of chocolate and related confectionary products. Cocoa butter does not contain butter or other animal products; it is vegan.
Coenraad Johannes van Houten was a Dutch chemist and chocolate maker known for the treatment of cocoa mass with alkaline salts to remove the bitter taste and make cocoa solids more water-soluble; the resulting product is still called "Dutch process chocolate". He is also credited with introducing a method for pressing the fat from roasted cocoa beans, though this was in fact his father, Casparus van Houten's invention.
White chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk. Unlike milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain cocoa solids, which darken the chocolate. White chocolate has an ivory color, and can smell of biscuit, vanilla or caramel, although it can also easily pick up smells from the environment and become rancid with its relatively short shelf life. Like milk and dark chocolate, white chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating in confectionery.
Raw chocolate, or raw ground chocolate paste when ground, is chocolate produced from cocoa beans that does not contain any additives like sugar.
Maltesers are a British confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. First sold in the UK in 1937, they were originally aimed at women. They have since been sold in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States and Middle East. The slogan is "The lighter way to enjoy chocolate".
Hershey's Special Dark is a chocolate bar manufactured by The Hershey Company.
Baking chocolate, or cooking chocolate, is chocolate intended to be used for baking and in sweet foods that may or may not be sweetened. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate are produced and marketed as baking chocolate. However, lower quality baking chocolate may not be as flavorful compared to higher-quality chocolate, and may have a different mouthfeel.
Hershey Kissables were a chocolate candy sold by The Hershey Company from 2005 to 2009. Comparable to M&M's, Hershey Kissables were shaped like miniature Hershey's Kisses and were coated in a thick sugar shell.
Gianduja or gianduia is a homogeneous blend of chocolate with 30% hazelnut paste, invented in Turin during Napoleon's regency (1796–1814). It can be consumed in the form of bars or as a filling for chocolates.
Dry cocoa solids are the components of cocoa beans remaining after cocoa butter, the fatty component of the bean, is extracted from chocolate liquor, roasted cocoa beans that have been ground into a liquid state. Cocoa butter is 46% to 57% of the weight of cocoa beans and gives chocolate its characteristic melting properties. Cocoa powder is the powdered form of the dry solids with a small remaining amount of cocoa butter. Untreated cocoa powder is bitter and acidic. Dutch process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the acid.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to chocolate:
Tempering is a technique applied in chocolate production to create chocolate that is glossy, has a good snap and smoother texture and is more resistant to chocolate bloom. It involves cooling liquid chocolate while agitating it until a small amount of cocoa butter crystallizes. The liquid is then heated to maintain only the most stable crystal forms, which serve as nuclei for the rest of the cocoa butter to solidify around.
Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. Without added sweetener, dark chocolate is known as bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. Dark chocolate, above white and milk chocolate, is valued for claimed, albeit unsupported health benefits and for being a sophisticated choice of chocolate. Like milk and white chocolate, dark chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating for confectionery.
gianduja resembles a bar of chocolate. It is softer on the tooth than a plain chocolate bar (because of the oil from the hazelnuts)
The [Canadian Food Inspection] Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act as it relates to food, as defined in section 2 of that Act
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Media related to Chocolate by type at Wikimedia Commons
