Directions: |
Directions:Chocolate comes in the following levels of sweetness, from least to most added sugar:
Unsweetened chocolate,
Dark,
Bittersweet,
Semisweet, and
Milk Chocolate
The top 4 chocolates are:
Lindt Semisweet,
Scharffenherger Semi,
Nestles Chocolate, and
Baker's Semisweet.
White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, without any cocoa solids, so it is technically not chocolate at all.
Cocoa, which is the key to the distinctive chocolate taste in baked goods and candies, comes in two types: Natural (non alkalized), and Dutch-processed (alkalized).
Cocoa powders are primarily used for baking, but make excellent hot drinks when mixed with sugar to balance their bitter taste. Natural cocoas, like Hershey's or Ghirardelli, tend to be lighter in color than Dutch processed varieties like Droste.
When using baking powder or soda, make sure to use the type of cocoa called for in the recipe. Natural cocoas are acidic enough to activate the baking soda in cakes and cookies; alkaline Dutch cocoas should be used in recipes that rely on baking powder for their lift.
Keep chocolate wrapped well, in a cool, dry place, not the refrigerator. Milk chocolate keeps up to one year; dark even longer. If the chocolate develops white dots or streaks on the outside, that is called "bloom." It means the cocoa butter has become un-emulsified (separated), but it is safe to eat. |
This recipe for Chocolate, by 