Gourmet Chocolate

Gourmet chocolate come sin a wide variety of types. Do you know all of the variations of gourmet chocolate?

Gourmet Chocolate

Right, so we all know what it means when the package says gourmet chocolate. But, what about all of the different kinds of chocolate within the definition of gourmet chocolate? Sometimes we get so used to seeing something that we tend not to question it. If you are a real connoisseur of gourmet chocolate, you should probably have an idea about what is meant when someone says "gourmet chocolate." You probably also know the difference between milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, white chocolate, etc. Some of the differences between theses types of gourmet chocolate are subtle, but important.

Breaking Down Gourmet Chocolate

The following is a quick summary of some of the basic kinds of gourmet chocolate that we might find in gourmet chocolate gifts or in the baking aisle at the grocery store.

Unsweetened - made from solid chocolate liquor and nothing else. Its bitterness makes it unsavory on its own, but is mainly used as a flavoring for baked goods such as brownies and cakes. To produce it the beans are roasted and pressed between heated rollers. It is the the most pure form of chocolate.
Semi-Sweet - the same methods for making unsweetened are also used to produce this type, with only a little sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter added. It is mainly used for things like fondues and for the garnish of other chocolate recipes.
Sweetened - in this there is even more sugar and cocoa butter added which results in a rich and creamy chocolate. It has a milder taste which makes it perfect for commercial chocolate products like candies and bars.
Milk - this too has sugar and cocoa butter, but it has the added ingredient of milk solids. It too is used for making candy bars and other of our favorite chocolate gifts. This chocolate was not invented until 1876, when Daniel Peter finally figured out how to add milk to chocolate without the chocolate itself breaking down - it also made it more accessible to the masses because of it now lowered price.
White - this is not really chocolate at all because it is made without cocoa solids. Ingredients are only cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. Its resulting color is off-white and has a very mild flavor.

There are even gourmet chocolate products on the market like Ghirardelli chocolate chips. In fact, Ghirardelli makes a lot of gourmet chocolate baking products. They even make a gourmet hot chocolate mix! So the next time you're at the grocery store, pick up your Ghirardelli gourmet chocolate product of choice.

The next time you are purchasing a gourmet chocolate gift or something for yourself you will know a little more about what is stated on the label! You are well on your way to becoming an expert in gourmet chocolates!

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