Dark chocolate is chocolate with no added milk solids. The basic ingredients are cocoa beans, sugar, an emulsifier like soy lecithin to keep the texture and flavors like vanilla. The more cocoa and less sugar there is in dark chocolate, the more bitter it tastes and a small amount is considered a healthy snack. The taste also makes it a preferred way of baking and melting chocolate for a variety of desserts.
Brief information
Top quality: over 70 percent cocoa
General uses: ganache, frosting, mousse, pudding, pastry
Varieties: bittersweet, semi-sweet, sweet.
Storage: 1 year or longer, tightly closed, not refrigerated
Dark chocolate versus milk chocolate
It doesn’t contain any milk solids or the excess sugar that creates the sweetest chocolate flavor found in most candy bars. However, the lack of added milk also means that dark chocolate tends to have a drier, chalky texture and a bitter aftertaste.
sorts
Different types of dark chocolate differ in the percentage of cocoa solids in the bar. They range from 50 to 60 percent cocoa; The higher amount indicates more bitterness.
Use of dark chocolate
You can eat dark chocolate straight out of the pack without preparation or use it in recipes. It can be chopped, ground, shaved, or melted and is preferred for ganache, frosting, mousse, and pudding. It can also be found in almost every chocolate dessert you can think of. Since dark chocolate does not contain milk, it is also useful in vegan recipes.
How to cook with dark chocolate
When you need to melt dark chocolate, do it slowly. This can be done in a water bath on the stove or in steps in the microwave. Chocolate chips are designed to resist melting, so they are not the best option for melting, although it can be.
Many recipes use weight as a measure of chocolate, and using kitchen scales will ensure accuracy. Weigh it before you cut the chocolate. The baking squares make it easy to make chocolate according to your recipe. Typically, one square of chocolate is 1 ounce and six squares are 1 cup.
What kind of taste is that?
In general, dark chocolate is bitter and less sweet than milk chocolate, which has a chalky texture. The more cocoa there is, the more pronounced these properties are, although even sweet dark chocolate is not as sweet or smooth as milk chocolate.
Dark chocolate substitute
If you’re replacing different types of chocolate, you’ll likely need to make adjustments to balance out the sweetness of the recipe. Remember, recipes can use bittersweet and semi-sweet interchangeably.
Use the same measure if you are switching from semi-sweet chocolate to bittersweet chocolate or if you want to create a sweeter recipe using milk chocolate.
One ounce of semi-sweet chocolate is the equivalent of 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
Add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate to replace 1 ounce of semi-sweet chocolate. On the contrary, if you replace dark chocolate with unsweetened chocolate, you remove 1 tablespoon of sugar from the recipe.
Combine 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of melted butter or shortening to make 1 ounce of semi-sweet chocolate.
Dark chocolate recipes
The term “dark chocolate” is used in some recipes, although you will find that the most commonly used is bittersweet or semi-sweet. The desserts and sweet options that are possible with dark chocolate are endless.
Dark chocolate fondue lava cakes
Chestnuts covered with Turkish chocolate
Vegan ganache
Where can you buy dark chocolate?
All types of dark chocolate can be found in grocery stores and supermarkets. For really good, high quality dark chocolate, you may have to look to specialty natural food markets. It’s sold in bars, waffles, and fries, and it’s in the cooking aisle. Dark chocolate is generally more expensive than unsweetened and milk chocolates (with the exception of semi-sweet chocolate chips) and the price increases with the quality and quantity of the cocoa.
When choosing dark chocolate, pay attention to the percentage of cocoa as an indication of its bitterness, especially when distinguishing between bittersweet and semi-sweet.
storage room
Keep dark chocolate in a cool, dark place. Ideally, a cabinet is not near the stove, refrigerator, or other heat sources. Wrap any excess chocolate in an open wrap, then add a layer of plastic wrap or place in an airtight container to trap moisture. Dark chocolate, well preserved, can be stored for one to two years. Cooling is only required if your kitchen is very hot. In this case it can be kept for three to six months. Make sure it is properly sealed as chocolate can pick up odors from other foods.
The quality, taste, and texture can vary, although they are still edible and are often best reserved for melting.
Diet and Benefits
The more cocoa there is in dark chocolate, the more nutritional value it has.1 High-quality dark chocolate with 70 to 85 percent cocoa is rich in fiber, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese.2 However, a chocolate The 100-gram bar contains about 600 calories, 43 grams of fat and 24 grams of sugar. Therefore, it should be consumed in moderation. Dark chocolate also contains powerful antioxidants that can increase blood flow, lower blood pressure, and lower the risk of heart disease. It has anti-inflammatory properties.