Chocolate means a range of products made from cocoa combined with fat (cocoa butter) and sugar that is powdered finely to create a solid confectionery. Depending on the percentage of cocoa used in product, there are various types of chocolates.
Chocolate is the result of a long refining procedure starting with the cacao fruit (beans) of the Theobroma Cacao, a tropical tree. The seeds are dried, fermented, roasted and ground. The results are-
1) Chocolate liquor-the melted or ground state of the cocoa bean (which consists of cocoa butter and cocoa solids).
2) Cocoa butter: A smooth, solid fat used in cosmetics, as well as, food products.
3) Cocoa solids-ground roasted cocoa beans.
Here are some of the types of chocolate products in the market:
- Cocoa powder: This powder, which is not sweetened, is partially defatted, pulverized chocolate liquor. It has an intense chocolate flavour and is of two types- Natural and Dutch processed. Natural cocoa powder is acidic while Dutch processed is alkaline.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Synonymous with cooking or bitter chocolate, it is a pure form of chocolate liquor made of only ground cocoa beans. It is used in cooking where sugar is added to make it more palatable. It is the base ingredient of all types of chocolate except white chocolate.
- Dark chocolate: It contains cocoa butter, sugar, chocolate liquor, lecithin (emulsifier) and vanilla. It does not contain any milk solids. Cocoa content can range from 30% to 80%. Also included in this category are semisweet chocolates and bittersweet chocolates.
- Bitter sweet chocolate: As defined by FDA, this contains at least 35% of cocoa solids. They also contain 50% of chocolate liquor. They have a bitterer, deeper flavour. However, there is no regulation on sugar content, so one type of bitter sweet may be sweeter than the other.
- Semi sweet: It is an American name for a chocolate, which contains at least 35% cocoa solids. It is darker than dark chocolate and sweeter than bitter sweet.
- Sweet dark chocolate: It is a dark chocolate because it does not contain milk solids but is sweeter than most chocolates. They contain only 20-40% of cocoa solids.
- Milk Chocolate: Other than cocoa butter and chocolate liquor, this chocolate contains condensed milk or dry solids of milk. They are sweeter than dark chocolates and have a lighter colour and less pronounced chocolate taste. They are subject to melting easily with heat.
- White chocolate: They contain cocoa butter but not any other cocoa products. By law, they must contain 14% milk solids, 20% cocoa butter and a maximum of 50% sugar.
- Couverture chocolates: Used by professional confectioners and bakers, these chocolates contain high quantities of both cocoa liquor and cocoa butter. This makes it expensive, but you get a smooth, evenly melting chocolate. It is used to cover candies. It comes in white, milk and dark varieties and can be bought at cake decoration stores or online.
These are some of the popular varieties of chocolates in the market. One can send chocolates by post in UK in a chocolate hamper containing many such varieties of chocolates.
