Types of Chocolates part 2

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Unsweetened chocolate
It is also known as baking chocolate, pure chocolate or bitter chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is made from pure chocolate liquor that has been refined and contains 50-55% of cocoa butter. Although it looks and smells like chocolate, it has a bitter taste and is not suitable for eating.

What can Unsweetened chocolate do?

Since no sugar has been added to the chocolate it has a strong, bitter taste that is used in cooking and baking. It is popularly used as the base for cakes, brownies, confections, and cookies. Many bakers prefer this type of chocolate for baking because they have more control over the flavor and sweetness.

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Sweet chocolate does not contain any milk and thus the color is dark. Yet it is one of the sweetest chocolates. It contains about 25% chocolates, cocoa butter and sugar. Some people however mistake it for bittersweet chocolate. Sometimes, it becomes quite difficult to distinguish between semi sweet and sweet chocolates, just by the taste.Sweet Chocolate

                                                          Couverture chocolate

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It is also called coating chocolate. This chocolate contains a very high percent (at least 30%) of cocoa butter, as well as a high percentage of chocolate liquor. This high ratio makes it expensive, but it also means that the resulting chocolate is smooth and melts quickly and evenly. The word “couverture” translates to “covering” and refers to one of the finest quality of chocolate in the world.

What can Couverture chocolate do?

It is used largely for candy making as it solidifies after melting to a glossy, thin layer mainly for the purpose of coating. It is often used by professional pastry chefs in many famous chocolate manufacturers such as Valrhona, Felchlin, Lindt & Sprüngli, Scharffen Berger, Cacao Barry, Callebaut, and Guittard.




Gianduja chocolate

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The original word is Gianduia which pronounced as zhahn-DOO-yuh. is the name given to a European style of chocolate made from chocolate and nut paste. It still has a smooth, chocolatey texture, but has the wonderful flavor of hazelnuts. Gianduja Hazelnut paste is most common, but gianduja can also be made with almond paste and it comes in milk or dark chocolate varieties. It is said to be Italian or Swiss invention.

What can it do?
Gianduja chocolate can be used as a flavoring or as a substitute for milk or dark chocolate. At room temperature it is soft enough to be rolled or cut, but is too soft to use for molding chocolates.



Milk chocolate 

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In addition to containing cocoa butter and chocolate liquor, milk chocolate contains either condensed milk (most European varieties) or dry milk solids. Milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor, 3.39% butterfat, and 12% milk solids. Milk chocolates are typically much sweeter than dark chocolate, and have a lighter color and a less pronounced chocolate taste. Milk chocolate is more difficult to temper properly and more prone to overheating.

*Milk chocolates are common chocolates that most people will eat.

What can it do? 
As the more chocolate liquor added the more delicious it gets, this type of chocolate is most commonly used for the purpose of decoration. It is seldom used for baking, except for cookies.

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White chocolate 
White chocolate gets its name from the cocoa butter it contains, but does not contain chocolate liquor or any other cocoa products. As a result, it has no pronounced chocolate taste, but commonly tastes like vanilla or other added flavorings. By law, white chocolate must contain a minimum 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids, and a maximum of 55% sugar. There are some “white chocolate” products available that contain vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter—these should be avoided from a taste standpoint, as they contain no cocoa products at all, and are not technically white chocolate.


What can it do?
It has a mild and pleasant flavor and can be used to make Chocolate Mousse, Panna Cotta and other desserts.

References:

1. Different Types of Chocolates and Their Uses. (2010, January 8). Retrieved April 30, 2011, from top54u.com: http://health.top54u.com/post/Types-of-Chocolates.aspx
2. LaBau, E. (2011). A Guide to Chocolate Varieties. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from about.com: http://candy.about.com/od/candybasics/a/chocguide.htm
3. McSweeney, L. W. (2003, April 18). Chocolate Simplified. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from suite101.com: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/cooking_basics/99847
4. Types of Chocolate. (2010). Retrieved April 30, 2011, from facts-about-chocolate.com: http://www.facts-about-chocolate.com/types-of-chocolate.html