Interview with CUO’s own Bryn Kirk
October 9, 2015
We'll get right to it in this post, as there's quite a bit of content.
In an exclusive interview, I asked our own chocolate expert and head of CUO's online chocolate classes, Bryn Kirk, 12 interesting questions about chocolate!
What do terms like "buttery," "creamy," or "whipped" mean? Is there more butter or milk in these types of products?
These terms are called descriptors and are used to describe the dairy flavors and/or the mouthfeel (smooth, gritty, “meltability”) in milk chocolate. They don’t necessarily indicate more butter or milk ingredients in the product but they can.
There’s no way to know the percentage of these ingredients in chocolate (you can’t see it on the label like you can % cacao), however, you can get a sense of it by looking at the position it is listed on the label. For example, a milk chocolate bar could list milk as the third ingredient or the fifth. The higher on the list, the more percentage of it is used in the formula (recipe).
Would you say shopping for dark chocolate by looking at the “percent of cacao” is the best way to determine a good dark chocolate bar?
A challenging question with a complicated answer! The best way to determine a good dark chocolate bar is for a person to figure out what “good” means to him or her.
For example, if you like really dark chocolate then paying attention to the percentage of cacao is the best way. The higher the percentage, the more chocolate impact it has because more of the basic chocolate ingredient is used in the formula.
If “good” means “hand crafted with unique or exotic flavors”, then you would look more for an artisan brand in a higher price range that makes small batches, perhaps even a bean to bar chocolate. Or find a chocolates shop that makes dark chocolate truffles.
If “good” means “organic, fairly and ethically traded and sustainable”, then you would research a chocolate maker with all the right certifications on their label as well as a solid mission statement to the environment and countries of cocoa production.
You will try dark chocolate, milk chocolate, artisan, organic, and fair trade chocolates. Then you will know exactly what "percent of cacao" is best!
Does your favorite chocolate vary depending on mood or situation, or do you have a favorite go-to bar?
Yes! Ha ha. I have a small list of go-to bars, and I let my mood dictate which one is my favorite in that moment! My list usually includes bars with 70% or 85% cacao. I prefer nuts, or citrus flavors in chocolates (candies/bon bons), and I love lavender and chai in dark chocolate covered truffles.
Did you ever botch a creation of chocolate? How did it taste? How could you tell it was off?
Oh yeah, I’ve done my fair share of botching a batch of chocolates – especially molded pieces like Easter bunnies or Valentines hearts.
I remember having to re-melt the molded pieces and starting over. I have even taken dipped items like nut clusters and added a second coat of chocolate because I didn’t get the temper right on the first go around.
In all the cases, the flavor was never off, it was just visually unappealing. Sometimes the chocolate was poorly tempered and the chocolate bloomed. (Bloomed chocolate is where you see a thin grayish color covering the surface or tiny gray/white spots showing on the surface.)
Other times I’ve had too many air bubbles trapped in the chocolate because I let it get too thick/too cold and allowed the cocoa butter crystals to get too big. I couldn’t even vibrate the bubbles out of the coating.
Could you pick out the nuances in chocolate before working with Ambrosia Chocolate Company, or did you have a learning curve there? Did you have tasting classes before you could do the quality control?
I learned everything I know about chocolate on the job. I had previous lab experience but nothing related to chocolate flavors or chocolate manufacturing.
I did not have to have tasting classes before working at Ambrosia, but I did have sensory evaluation (taste testing) training while working there to help me with some QA and Product Development projects.
Are there certain fruits or other ingredients you find pair really well with chocolate (of any kind)?
I can’t think of anything that doesn’t pair well with chocolate! It’s really subjective. I have my personal preferences, and some of my friends agree and some disagree.
For example, I’m a fan of lavender in chocolate but I know plenty of people that find that to be an awful combination. And I don’t particularly like ginger or black pepper with my chocolate but I know people that do.
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Do you think kids would like dark chocolate that is of really good quality?
Marketing studies show the vast majority of children prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate because they like things sweet, and milk chocolate can a lot sweeter than dark chocolate.
On the other hand, semi-sweet chocolate chips are made with dark chocolate -- think of all the cookies and ice cream kids eat with chocolate chips. Now, I wouldn’t say that semi-sweet chocolate chips are to be classified as really good dark chocolate, so in the end I’d say it would be rare (but certainly possible) for children to like a really good dark chocolate.
When I was a kid, I preferred really good dark chocolate when it was available and affordable. Still, I think I was among the minority.
Is white chocolate just pure sugar?
No, white chocolate is more than that, but it does have a lot more sugar than milk or dark chocolate.
Real white chocolate has a legal standard of identity from the U.S. FDA. It must contain minimum amounts of cocoa butter and milk as well as sugar.
Sometimes people get white confectionery coating confused with white chocolate. White confectionery coating contains sugar, milk, a vegetable oil (not cocoa butter) and sometimes titanium dioxide – which makes it even whiter.
What’s the most expensive bar of chocolate you’ve ever tasted? And, was it as good as its price tag?
$8.00 and yes. But of course, there’s more to this story, and here’s my thought on the subject of price and chocolate.
As a general rule, chocolate is a “you get what you pay for” item. A $1.00 chocolate bar will not provide the same sensational taste experience as an $8.00 chocolate bar.
That said, I once bought a chocolate bar for $8.00, and it was very good. It was a luxury bar that commanded a luxury price. Two months later I bought the same bar on sale for $5.99. It tasted just as good as I remembered it, only this time for less. 🙂
Say you’re picking out truffles (or any chocolate) from an unfamiliar chocolate store, is there anything specific you would ask before deciding to buy?
Most of the time I find that chocolates are well-marked and described in enough detail that I can simply choose what I’m in the mood for and buy it. But sometimes I ask a question or two:
- Do you use a 70% dark chocolate coating?
- Are your truffles made with cream and have to be refrigerated?
- How long will the truffles keep?
Is your husband afraid to buy you chocolates for fear you won’t like them?
🙂 Nope! I have him well trained. 🙂
Seriously though, as particular as I am, I accept all chocolate gifts with a smile (if I discover I don’t like it, I just share! My co-workers think I’m very generous in handing out chocolate!)
The results of our chocolate survey indicated that over 50% of respondents would keep the world’s last surviving chocolate bar to themselves. What do you think about that?
I would say I’d probably be among those that would keep the bar to themselves. And enjoy every morsel.
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Photo: "Ganaché de chocolate" by Luisa Contreras is licensed under CC BY 2.0 / cropped from original
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