Chocolate University Online Blog
It’s Q&A time. Here is another question from a subscriber:
“Once chocolate has been melted, how long is it good for once it has been molded (again)?”
Chocolate is a very versatile and tolerant product to work with, the nuances of tempering aside. Chocolate can be melted, tempered and molded, re-melted, re-tempered and re-molded, again and again.
The shelf life of chocolate depends on whether it is milk or dark and whether or not it has inclusions like nuts, coconut, or dried fruit.
Dark chocolate lasts the longest before oxidizing, or going rancid. Cocoa butter is a very stable fat and once chocolate is crystallized, or tempered, it can resist bloom – fat migration – fairly well.
A good temper and a consistent environment during storage are two of the more important steps to making dark chocolate last a long time. Typically, the shelf life of dark chocolate is nine to twelve months (I have seen it last longer). In fact, age will actually enhance the flavor of chocolate, although it will be subtle.
If some bloom is present on the surface of the chocolate, melt the chocolate, temper it and mold again and it will be fine. Bloom is that grayish or whitish coating that can form on the surface of chocolate. It does not destroy the flavor of the chocolate, but the appearance is not appealing.
Milk chocolate has a shelf life range of six months to nine months. The main reason milk chocolate has a shorter timeline is that the milk fat (butter oil) part of the milk oxidizes or goes rancid faster than cocoa butter. The higher the milk content in chocolate, the shorter the life span.
Adding nuts to chocolate will decrease the shelf life in terms of bloom and rancidity. Nut oils migrate quickly to the surface of the chocolate causing bloom, and the oils behave similarly to milk fat in that they oxidize faster.
Categories: chocolate Q&A
Tags: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, oxidation, shelf life, tempering chocolate
Is it really possible to get sick of eating chocolate?
According to feedback from participants in a medical research study out of Australia, it is! What, no way! Sure enough, read on…
 Heart patients were given 50 grams of 70% chocolate to be consumed daily as medicine during a research study on how the antioxidants in chocolate help control blood pressure.
By the end of the study, many participants said they would rather take a pill containing the antioxidants than eat any more chocolate. About half the people in the study found the chocolate difficult to eat because of the strong flavor and about 20 percent “considered it an unacceptable long-term treatment option” over the concern for the fat and calories from the chocolate.
Although I wouldn’t have a problem eating 50 grams of 70% chocolate each day (ahem, I do eat 50 grams of 70% a day), I guess I can understand where they are coming from. First of all, if you prefer milk chocolate, dark chocolate is not going to stay palatable for very long, and second, who wants to take chocolate as medicine – dispensed like a prescription drug? I mean, besides a freak like me?
The good news is, the study found dark chocolate to be very helpful in reducing blood pressure.
I doubt that doctors will start handing out chocolate instead of pill prescriptions (but one can dream) so for now, eat chocolate because it is fun and has great flavor. Oh, and because it is good for you, too!
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: antioxidants, dark chocolate, research
Hot days call for cool treats. Who am I kidding? I would eat this on any day regardless of temperature!
Chocolate Chambord Sorbet
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup Chambord (raspberry-flavored liqueur)
Heat the water, sugar, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over low heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then REMOVE FROM HEAT. Slowly add the chopped chocolate stirring constantly. Add the Chambord while continuing to stir. Make sure the chocolate dissolves completely.
Pour the mixture into a glass bowl and allow to cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Do not chill the mixture or you may end up with a grainy final product.
Pour the cooled mix into an ice cream machine. To finish the sorbet follow the machine manufacturer’s instructions. |
You can also try this recipe substituting a coffee liqueur for the raspberry liqueur.
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: chocolate dessert, dark chocolate
In 1890 Joseph Emile Hachez, originally from Belgium, established the Bremer Hachez Chocolade Company in Bremen, Germany.
In 1922, they began producing what would become their signature product, a chocolate autumn leaf called Brown Leaves.
Brown Leaves comes in either solid milk or dark chocolate or praline leaves filled with fine nougat. This traditional line of chocolates is only part of what they offer now.
I recently indulged in two varieties of Hachez chocolate, Cocoa d’Arriba Strawberry-Pepper and Edel Bitter-Sahne.
The Strawberry-Pepper is made with 77% cocoa from Ecuador and contains dried pieces of strawberry and spicy green peppercorns.
The strawberry flavor notes blend perfectly with the naturally fruity notes of Ecuadorian chocolate. The heat from the peppercorns is pleasant at the back of the throat
According to the company website, www.hachez.de, Hachez uses predominantly South American cocoa varieties for its chocolate.
My next adventure was tasting the Edel Bitter-Sahne bar. It is a creamy, dark-milk chocolate made with 43% cocoa. The texture is soft (maybe too soft) and it melts fast. The diary notes do not overpower the chocolate and by the end, the lingering blend of both flavors is satisfying.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: Belgian chocolate, dark chocolate, Ecuadorian chocolate, flavors, milk chocolate
I am hard pressed to think of a box of chocolates that claims to be everything to everyone, but I may have hit the jack pot with Green and Black’s Miniature Bar Collection.
The collection contains milk chocolate, dark chocolate, almonds, butterscotch candy bits, crystallized ginger, dried sour cherries. Everything’s organic. The tasting samples are the perfect size. Also suitable for vegetarians. Did I miss anything?
This collection of Green and Black’s miniature bars come in six varieties;
Organic Dark 70% Chocolate, Organic Dark Ginger Chocolate, Organic Dark Cherry Chocolate, Organic Milk Chocolate, Organic Milk Butterscotch Chocolate, and Organic Milk Almond Chocolate.
The collection offers a range of intensely flavored chocolate bars. G&B does a superb job of keeping the strongest flavors like ginger and butterscotch from overpowering the chocolate. The chocolate coexists perfectly with each ingredient and was the last flavor to leave the mouth. I did enjoy them all, but two stand out as my favorites; the Almond Milk and the Dark Cherry.
Looking at the now empty package (12 lonely spaces) I realize that maybe I should have shared these with my friends and family… Nah.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: candy bars, chocolate bars, dark chocolate, milk chocolate
Seeds of Change says their chocolates are “a happy accident” that began as a mission to preserve organic and heirloom seeds from getting swept away by a progressive industrial agriculture. Their appetite for change lead them directly to chocolate as part of their search for delicious organic food.
 My first experience with Seeds of Change came from an organic dark chocolate orange and fig chocolate bar. The fig flavor comes from fragrant, dried, and chewy pieces of fig; while the orange flavor comes from oil of orange. The combination is remarkably delicious. The texture is very unique because the fig not only offers the chewiness but also the crunch of tiny seeds.
At first, this put me off because it felt a little like having sand in my mouth, but this odd sensation did not last long. The orange essence is soft and delicate and blends well with the complexity of the chocolate.
I always like it when a label reads like a novel. Both sides of this chocolate bar wrapper have plenty to say about the mission, vision, and history of Seeds of Change. My favorite part is the little side story about the fig ingredient. Bet you didn’t know they use only figs from the female fig tree because they are superior to that of the male fig tree figs. And yes, they unashamedly admit they are fruitist!
Next on my list to try is their milk chocolate with apricot and cashew.
Here’s the feel good part. According to the website www.seedsofchange.co.us, their guiding principle is this: “Everyone has the right to eat well. To eat a balanced and diverse diet of pure, wholesome, natural and nutritious food. Food you feel confident about feeding to your family.” Plus 1% of sales go to research and promotion of biodiversity and sustainable organic practices.
I can’t see a down-side to buying and eating a Seeds of Change chocolate bar. On the one hand, you have a satisfyingly delicious chocolate bar and on the other hand, you help support the preservation of a sustained chocolate supply and lasting rainforest biodiversity. That’s a win-win!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: candy bars, dark chocolate, organic chocolate
I can’t imagine getting bored with chocolate. There has never been a time in chocolate history as full of imagination and creativity with chocolate as there is now.
One of the leaders successfully bringing new and innovative flavor combinations to chocolate is Montezuma’s.
You may already know that I am a huge fan of dark chocolate and orange. Chocolate and orange is so yesterday! My new favorite is Dark chocolate with Orange and Geranium.
I think Montezuma’s co-founder Helen Pattinson sums it up when she says, “If you try only one bar from our range, I would recommend this best selling little number.”
The Dark Chocolate with Orange and Geranium has a rich, intense 73% minimum chocolate, adding citrus and floral notes in perfect harmony. I was skeptical at first about having such a strong floral flavor, but since I enjoy other floral flavors with chocolate as lavender and chamomile, I thought I’d give it an open mind.
Thank goodness I did!
Speaking of having an open mind, there are other glorious chocolate discoveries at their website www.montezumas.co.uk.
 For the milk chocolate lover, you must try the Milk Chocolate Chilli & Lime. It is as incredible as it is unlikely. Just right amount of heat from the chili lingers at the back of throat after the chocolate and lime have melted away.
No, ordinary is not part of Montezuma’s world. Go and enjoy something extra-ordinary!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: candy bars, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, world chocolate
 Chocolate and balsamic vinegar doesn’t sound like it would make a good couple, but I recently had a reason to try it. My sister gave me a bottle of Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar by Oro di Oliva for my birthday.
This unique vinegar makes an outstanding marinade for chicken or pork or pour it over fresh berries. On the Oro di Oliva label, it is suggested I drizzle it on ice cream – strange, but I’ll try it!
Tasting the chocolate balsamic vinegar straight, I detect a rich but basic chocolate flavor mixed with lots complex balsamic flavors. I am surprised by how well all these flavors work together.
Of course, the true test is making something and feeding it to the family. And the result?
I got compliments galore with this recipe!
Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar Truffles
8.5 ounces of your favorite dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cocoa powder, to coat truffles
(Instead of regular balsamic vinegar, I used the Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar by Oro di Oliva.)
Directions
In a small sauce pan, heat the cream over low heat until hot but not boiling. Put chopped chocolate into a small bowl, and pour hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit two minutes. Stir until chocolate is smooth and melted. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Cool the chocolate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm but can still be easily formed into balls. It is critical to get the firmness correct and it will depend on the temperature of your refrigerator. Recheck every 15 to 30 minutes.
Place cocoa powder in a small shallow dish, like a pie dish. Use a teaspoon to scoop chocolate from bowl. Use your fingertips to shape into balls. Your body temperature will melt the chocolate and make it a little sticky, but do the best you can.
Roll the truffles around in the cocoa powder to coat, and set the chocolate balls on wax paper on a baking sheet. Serve the truffles right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. |
Categories: chocolate recipes, chocolate review
Tags: chocolate truffles, dark chocolate, flavors
In Devon England, Willie’s World Class Chocolate makes their chocolate the old fashioned way – the one hundred year-old way.
According to their website, www.williescacao.com, the equipment used to make their chocolate bars are antiques from the early 1900’s.
 Each package of their Delectable bars claims that antique machinery brings out the subtle and unique flavors of cocoa beans better than modern equipment which is designed to be fast and efficient.
To find out if the age of a roaster really makes a discernable difference, I bought two of Willie’s chocolate bars.
First I tasted the 69% Java Dark Chocolate. I enjoyed the soft caramel notes and delicate chocolate impact. Unfortunately, the chocolate was course which diminished my enjoyment a bit.
 Next, the Peruvian San Martin 70% Dark Chocolate. It was very good, with fruity notes and a bold chocolate aftertaste.
At the end of day, I still don’t know if the antiques contributed all that much to the flavor development of the chocolates. Without making the same recipe twice, once with the antiques and once with modern equipment, there’s really no way to know for sure.
But it doesn’t really matter. Good chocolate rarely has to be questioned.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: candy bars, chocolate bars, dark chocolate
I was asked a question like this recently, “is milk chocolate considered inferior to dark chocolate?”
 Inferior? No.
Not as “in”? Yes.
People that work in the chocolate world do not view milk chocolate as inferior to dark. A good quality milk chocolate is just as complex in flavor as a good quality dark chocolate.
One might argue that the milk chocolate enthusiast is at a disadvantage when it comes to experiencing the undiluted flavors of cacao. Still, bringing forth layers of toffee and honey flavors from a precisely conched (cooked) milk chocolate is an art form.
It really comes down to your flavor profile preferences.
However, there is no disputing the fact that right now, at this moment in time, dark chocolate is The Chosen One. Chocolate manufacturers and the press inundate consumers with messages that dark chocolate is not only better in flavor, but is better for us.
From this point of view I can see how the “chocolate world” makes it look as if milk chocolate is inferior (and sends the milk chocolate lover into hiding).
Not too long ago, the opposite was true. People had difficulty appreciating dark chocolate and it was also difficult to find.
In the past plenty of my friends learned that my favorite chocolate contained 70% cacao and they screwed up their faces in disgust. “How can you stand that bitter stuff?” they would ask me. “That reminds me of the time I ate a piece of my mom’s baking chocolate out of desperation. I could just gag!”
So, the pendulum swings back and forth.
In spite of trends, within the sphere of chocolatiers and artisans, there will always be respect and appreciation for great chocolate no matter the color.
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: dark chocolate, milk chocolate
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