Ask
the Baker: Questions and Answers about Chocolate
What is
bloom and does it hurt the chocolate?
Bloom is that
white frosted look that chocolate sometimes gets in storage. It is
bits of cocoa butter on the surface of the chocolate that is often
caused by temperature fluctuations in storage or transit. For baking
purposes, the chocolate is unaffected.
Can I substitute
chocolate chips for baker’s chocolate in a recipe?
Unsweetened baking
chocolate is much too intense to be used interchangeably with chocolate
chips, even semisweet chips.
It is true that
melted semisweet chocolate chips will have a little different flavor
and intensity than melted semisweet baking chocolate but in our experience,
you can substitute the chips for the chocolate. Use 1/3 cup of unmelted
chocolate chips as a substitute for two ounces of baking chocolate.
What makes
good chocolate, good?
Chocolate is a
proprietary product with each producer having its own process usually
shrouded with secrecy. Accordingly, there is a great deal of difference
in brands with the better quality brands usually offering better chocolates.
Try different chocolates to find the ones that you love.
Cocoa butter is
critical to good chocolate. Usually, you’ll want to avoid any
chocolate product that has added fat, usually listed on the label
as hydrogenated fat. That means that they are substituting vegetable
fat for the cocoa butter. While other fat is sometimes added to coating
chocolates to alter handling characteristics, you’ll be happier
with a pure product in your baking.
Is white
chocolate really chocolate?
That depends on
the product and your definition of chocolate. The FDA does not recognize
or regulate the term “white chocolate” as it does other
chocolate products. White chocolate does not contain cocoa solids.
It should contain cocoa butter along with sugar, flavors, and milk
solids. Be aware of lesser products that do not use cocoa butter.
Even more so than in dark chocolate, there is a great difference in
quality in those products labeled white chocolate or vanilla chips.
