Do you know that there are multiple categories of chocolate? Different categories bring different taste experiences. Come and explore the colorful world of chocolate and find your favorite!
In the colorful world of desserts, chocolate firmly holds a benchmark position. Even if you are not a die hard fan of chocolate, you can always find its presence among numerous desserts and drinks. That thick and silky existence cannot be ignored, silently conquering the taste buds of countless people.
（SMJ07 chocolate stone grinder)
Today, let's have a good talk about chocolate. It has a long history, originating from ancient civilizations. There are various varieties, with black chocolate and milk chocolate each having their own flavor. Chocolate has strong plasticity and can be made into various exquisite shapes. Whether tasting or creating, chocolate has infinite charm and is intoxicating.
A Brief History of Chocolate
Chocolate, this intoxicating delicacy, can be traced back to two thousand years ago! At that time, the Aztecs used cocoa beans to make a bitter beverage called "xocoatl". Anthropologists at the University of Pennsylvania also discovered that cocoa beans had been fermented into alcoholic beverages as early as 1400 BC. It can be seen that initially it was a beverage rather than a dessert.
(Tempering machine and polishing pot)
In distant Central and South America, cocoa trees grow quietly and produce fruits that hold delicious secrets. The fruit has pods, with 40 beans neatly arranged in each pod.
These beans undergo drying, refining, and baking, transforming into familiar cocoa beans. Subsequently, they embarked on a new journey and were transported to the manufacturing company.
There, cocoa beans are first cleaned to remove impurities, and then put into huge grinding machines. With the roar of the machines, they gradually merge and transform. In the end, it magically transformed into those pieces of chocolate that intoxicated us, or cups of fragrant and silky hot chocolate drinks. Every sip of chocolate contains the story of this wonderful journey.
So, do you know what types of chocolate there are? Next, let's take a good look! Take you into the wonderful world of chocolate.
-01-
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate is made from dark chocolate with low cocoa content but high sugar content, paired with milk, formula or condensed milk. Compared to rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate has a light and sweet taste. When choosing, don't forget to choose a texture that is crisp and produces a crisp sound when broken.
Milk chocolate not only brings wonderful taste enjoyment, but also contains chemicals such as caffeine and theobromine that can improve mood. Used for baking, although it may be suppressed by other ingredients, it can add sweetness and color to desserts. It is light brown in color. If you want to deepen the color, add some cocoa powder.
Whether savoring it alone or giving it as a gift to others, milk chocolate is a sweet choice.
-02-
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is also known as unsweetened chocolate because it does not contain milk, resulting in a dry and astringent aftertaste. Although dark chocolate is bitter, 35% of people in the world prefer it. The basic ingredients of dark chocolate include cocoa beans, soy lecithin, sugar, and flavorings such as vanilla.
Due to the high proportion of cocoa beans, dark chocolate has a deep and rich color. Dark chocolate also contains many nutrients, such as antioxidants, fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients. In addition, dark chocolate also helps protect heart health and improve blood flow throughout the body.
-03-
Half Sugar Chocolate
In the world of baking, half sugar chocolate is a common ingredient. It has a high sugar content and a slightly sweet taste, about 30%. In contrast, dark chocolate typically has a sugar content of only 5% to 10%, and a higher cocoa content. Sweet chocolate contains over 50% sugar, and even the sweetest half sugar chocolate cannot compare to it.
Sweet chocolate is flavored with cocoa butter, vanilla, and emulsifiers in addition to sugar and cocoa beans. The charm of half sugar chocolate lies in balancing bitterness and sweetness, making it widely used in various recipes.Whether it's making exquisite cakes or rich chocolate pudding, it can play a unique role in adding rich flavor layers to food, becoming a favorite of many baking enthusiasts.
-04-
Bitter Sweet Chocolate
In the colorful world of chocolate, bitter sweet chocolate and semi sweet chocolate each have their own characteristics.
Bitter sweet chocolate contains less sugar than semi sugar chocolate, with a cocoa powder content of at least 50%, while semi sugar chocolate has a cocoa powder content of 35%. It is interesting that in many countries, dark chocolate and bitter sweet chocolate are often referred to and used interchangeably. Just like in Europe, bitter sweet chocolate is abbreviated as dark chocolate due to its dark appearance.
In the wonderful scene of baking, they can also replace each other. If your recipe specifies the use of half sugar chocolate, don't worry, it's okay to use bitter sweet chocolate or even dark chocolate. Just add some extra sugar to neutralize the bitterness and you can cook the same delicious dessert. The world of chocolate is so wonderful, bringing us endless sweet possibilities.
-05-
German Sweet Chocolate
In the world of chocolate, there exists such a misconception. Many people often mistake half sugar chocolate for sweet chocolate, unaware that the sugar content of sweet chocolate is beyond imagination.
Sweet chocolate, also known as baked sweet chocolate, has a legendary birth. This is thanks to Samuel DeMan, whose original intention was only for instant noodle makers, omitting the step of mixing chocolate with sugar. However, because it was named after Samuel Deman, people often mistakenly thought that this sweet chocolate was invented by Germans.
In fact, both chocolate itself and the cake with the same name originated in the United States. It can be seen that we cannot jump to conclusions based solely on names, as the true source may surprise us.
-06-
White Chocolate
In the dazzling world of chocolate, white chocolate is like a pure fairy, exuding charming charm with its unique light colored appearance and delicate sweet taste.
We all know that cocoa powder gives traditional chocolate a rich and sweet brown color, but white chocolate stands out because it lacks cocoa powder and presents a fresh light color. Its main ingredients are cocoa butter, solid milk, milk fat, lecithin, and sugar. The clever combination of these ingredients brings a unique flavor and texture to white chocolate.
The origin of white chocolate can be traced back to Switzerland in the 1930s, when it emerged as a substitute for cocoa butter. Nestle played an important role in that era, promoting white chocolate globally and making it quickly popular, becoming one of people's favorite desserts.
Making a perfect white chocolate is not an easy task. This requires well-trained and experienced chefs to operate carefully. The key step is how to melt cocoa butter just right, which requires precise temperature control and patient waiting. If not careful, cocoa butter may spoil or lose its original flavor. After cocoa butter has melted perfectly, delicate milk powder, sweet sugar, fragrant herbs, and other carefully selected ingredients are cleverly blended together. The addition of each ingredient requires precise proportions and appropriate timing, only in this way can the intoxicating and delicious white chocolate be ultimately formed.
Of course, there are various other types of chocolate available, looking forward to your exploration