Lesson—Tasting Chocolate

Cocoa Liquor
Cocoa Liquor (also called chocolate liquor) has nothing to do with alcohol - the liquor term refers to the fact that cocoa beans when ground become a liquid as the cocoa butter is heated and released from the cells in the grinding process. Similar to what happens when you grind nuts. Cocoa Liquor is simply roasted and ground cocoa beans, which contain cocoa bean solids and cocoa butter. The flavor of the chocolate is determined by its origin, fermentation by the farmer, roasting and conching of cocoa beans by the chocolate manufacturer. Home cooks are familiar with this product: it is sold as "unsweetened" chocolate in the grocery store.

Cocoa Butter
The flavors of the cocoa butter, while more subtle than the cocoa liquor, can vary depending on its origin. Rather than having an impact on the flavor, what the cocoa butter brings to chocolate is “mouth-feel.” That is, how the cocoa butter distributes the flavor around your mouth. Cocoa butter also produces a slight “cooling” sensation in your mouth that you might have noticed. The cocoa bean contains approximately 50 – 53 percent cocoa butter.

Sugar and Sweeteners
Sugar is to chocolate what salt is to other foods. A little enhances the flavor of the cocoa liquor, but too much makes it unpalatable. High-grade cane or beet sugar is used in the manufacturing of fine chocolate. Chocolate sweetened by other types of sweeteners are now readily available on the market if you have dietary or ethical restrictions.

Milk or Cream
There are different milk products used in the manufacture of milk chocolate. These include condensed milk, dry milk powder, dry cream powder, or milk crumb (which is a process that brings a rich caramelized flavor to the milk chocolate).

Spices
Spices can include such ingredients as Vanilla or Vanillin (an artificial vanilla), cinnamon, cassia oil and other essential oils.

Lecithin
Lecithin is added during conching as an emulsifier and stabilizer in order to improve the fluidity and texture of the chocolate. Texture also plays a role in flavor, so I have included it as a flavor ingredient. Many fine chocolate makers and manufacturers are switching from GMO soy lecithin to lecithin from other natural sources.

Fat Substitution for Cocoa Butter
There are a number of tropical fats, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil, that are used in place of cocoa butter in the manufacture of compound chocolate coatings to reduce costs, improve production time (no tempering) and increase storage limits. These products cannot use the name "real chocolate" and are sold as "Compound Coating," "Decorator's Chocolate," "Confectioner's Coating," "Summer Coating" or "Paté Glacée." If you are not sure if you are buying real chocolate or confectioner's coating, look at the ingredients—real chocolate does not contain any fats or oils except cocoa butter.