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Chocolate, A Bakers Guide To Chocolate
by Dennis Weaver
What’s the difference between bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate? Can I use Dutch cocoa in all my recipes calling for cocoa? Understanding the difference in chocolate and how they are used is essential to baking. In this guide, we’ll identify the characteristics of those chocolates used in baking.
Cocoa is the dry chocolate powder derived from chocolate liquor. It comes in two types: natural and Dutch process. Dutch processed cocoa is processed with an alkaline. It is slightly darker, smoother, and more easily dissolved than natural cocoa. In many recipes, natural cocoa and Dutch cocoa are not interchangeable. Natural cocoa is slightly acidic and will therefore chemically react with baking soda to create carbon dioxide bubbles and some leavening power. Dutch cocoa is slightly alkaline, will not react with baking soda, and must rely on baking powder for leavening. Bitter (unsweetened) baking chocolate is made from pure chocolate liquor. By specification, it must contain 50 to 58 percent cocoa butter though with inferior products, vegetable oil may he added. Depending on the producer, milk solids, vanilla, or salt may be added. I have a package in front of me that contains only chocolate and milk solids. Unsweetened chocolate has a bitter taste and relies on sweeteners in the recipe to make it palatable. Sweet baking chocolate bittersweet, semisweet chocolate has sugar added. These products must contain 35 to 50% cocoa butter but may have as little as 15% chocolate liquor. Because unsweetened chocolate has twice the chocolate liquor, we prefer to use unsweetened chocolate in most of our baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate can be used interchangeably in recipes though there is a difference in flavor. Often, bittersweet is a more expensive chocolate and to many, a better, richer-flavored chocolate. Milk chocolate is made with ten percent chocolate liquor. It contains a minimum of twelve percent milk solids. Because it has such a low percentage of chocolate liquor, rarely is it melted and added to batter or dough. White chocolate contains no chocolate liquor but is made with cocoa butter. Historically, the FDA has not regulated the manufacture of white chocolate so you need to read labels carefully. If the product was made with vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter, it will not perform the same as a product with cocoa butter. Chocolate chips are made with chocolate liquor with only minimal amounts of cocoa butter. Instead, they are made with vegetable oil and stabilizers to help them hold their shape. Without the cocoa butter, chocolate chips have a different taste and mouth feel. Chocolate chips will have a firmer set in puddings, pie fillings, and sauces than baking chocolate. Chocolate chips can be purchased in milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate.
About The Author: Dennis Weaver is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer. He has written many baking guides and “How to Bake,” a comprehensive baking and reference e-book available free at The Prepared Pantry, http://www.preparedpantry.com, which sells baking supplies and chocolate and has a free online baking library.
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You may want to try these websites for additional information
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/manufacture_interactive/manufacture.html
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/
The information provided in this article is the express opinion of the author. Exchangenet is not responsible for the content!
What’s the difference between bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate? Can I use Dutch cocoa in all my recipes calling for cocoa? Understanding the difference in chocolate and how they are used is essential to baking. In this guide, we’ll identify the characteristics of those chocolates used in baking.
Cocoa is the dry chocolate powder derived from chocolate liquor. It comes in two types: natural and Dutch process. Dutch processed cocoa is processed with an alkaline. It is slightly darker, smoother, and more easily dissolved than natural cocoa. In many recipes, natural cocoa and Dutch cocoa are not interchangeable. Natural cocoa is slightly acidic and will therefore chemically react with baking soda to create carbon dioxide bubbles and some leavening power. Dutch cocoa is slightly alkaline, will not react with baking soda, and must rely on baking powder for leavening. Bitter (unsweetened) baking chocolate is made from pure chocolate liquor. By specification, it must contain 50 to 58 percent cocoa butter though with inferior products, vegetable oil may he added. Depending on the producer, milk solids, vanilla, or salt may be added. I have a package in front of me that contains only chocolate and milk solids. Unsweetened chocolate has a bitter taste and relies on sweeteners in the recipe to make it palatable. Sweet baking chocolate bittersweet, semisweet chocolate has sugar added. These products must contain 35 to 50% cocoa butter but may have as little as 15% chocolate liquor. Because unsweetened chocolate has twice the chocolate liquor, we prefer to use unsweetened chocolate in most of our baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate can be used interchangeably in recipes though there is a difference in flavor. Often, bittersweet is a more expensive chocolate and to many, a better, richer-flavored chocolate. Milk chocolate is made with ten percent chocolate liquor. It contains a minimum of twelve percent milk solids. Because it has such a low percentage of chocolate liquor, rarely is it melted and added to batter or dough. White chocolate contains no chocolate liquor but is made with cocoa butter. Historically, the FDA has not regulated the manufacture of white chocolate so you need to read labels carefully. If the product was made with vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter, it will not perform the same as a product with cocoa butter. Chocolate chips are made with chocolate liquor with only minimal amounts of cocoa butter. Instead, they are made with vegetable oil and stabilizers to help them hold their shape. Without the cocoa butter, chocolate chips have a different taste and mouth feel. Chocolate chips will have a firmer set in puddings, pie fillings, and sauces than baking chocolate. Chocolate chips can be purchased in milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate.
About The Author: Dennis Weaver is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer. He has written many baking guides and “How to Bake,” a comprehensive baking and reference e-book available free at The Prepared Pantry, http://www.preparedpantry.com, which sells baking supplies and chocolate and has a free online baking library.
These articles on lifestyle and more
Reprint this article free of charge as long as you keep the author's resource box or bio intact and the links active. A copy of the ezine or URL of the page where the article was reprinted emailed to the author would be very much appreciated. chocolate
Return to the selection of chocolate
You may want to try these articles on chocolate
Chocolate, The Worldã¢â‚¬â„¢s Best Chocolate Comes Fromã¢â‚¬â¦. by John Francis Amberden Approximately 468 Words
Chocolate, Chocolate Bars - Still Delicious! by Terry Roberts Approximately 459 Words
Chocolate, Chocolates - The Ultimate Thank You Gift by Tyson J Stevenson Approximately 472 Words
Chocolate, The History Of Chocolate by Michelle Moglia Approximately 645 Words
Chocolate, For The Love Of Chocolate by Michelle Bery Approximately 341 Words
Chocolate, Chocolate Martini by Anthony Tripodi Approximately 366 Words
Chocolate, Does Chocolate Have Health Benefits? by Art Vine Approximately 1155 Words
You may want to try these websites for additional information
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/manufacture_interactive/manufacture.html
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/
The information provided in this article is the express opinion of the author. Exchangenet is not responsible for the content!
