How to choose a good chocolate

The composition

The most valuable ingredients in chocolate considered cocoa butter and cocoa mass. If the package says that they are a part, then it is not confectionery tiles, but a real chocolate.

Some manufacturers cunning and replace cocoa butter other vegetable fats (palm or coconut oil) or use cocoa butter equivalent. This word is hiding a lot of substances, such as oil sal tree, shea butter. The product of their contents can not be chocolate.

Instead grounded cocoa can add cocoa powder. This reduces the cost of the product but worsens palatability chocolate usefulness decreases.

Also in the chocolate typically includes soy lecithin. It is considered a natural ingredient, is not harmful in reasonable doses does not affect the quality of the product. Lecithin acts as a thickener and is applied to chocolate work much easier during the manufacturing process.

Flavors, colors, smell and taste enhancers in product quality should not be.

As for supplements, then some rules that combine with chocolate is better and what is worse, no.

We use lyophilized (dried with cold) or freeze-dried berries, which retain all the trace elements, add zest, salt, nuts, raisins, and spices - pepper, cinnamon. Some manufacturers have mastered a very daring combinations such as chocolate and cheese or bacon, which are popular with food lovers.

Milan Privalov, founder of confectionery factory "Simbirskoye studio"

Look at the expiration date

Standard shelf life of the classic chocolate bars Set to guests and is 12-18 months. But if the product with additives, it is necessary to take into account what there stuffing. Dairy souffle, creams, waffles and reduce the shelf life of dried fruit.

Consider appearance

The main signs of quality chocolate - a smooth glossy surface. If the tiles are matte, possibly used in the production of low-quality raw materials. Or the product has been some external influences: melted or, conversely, froze.

At the break of the tile structure should be homogeneous, if it is not porous chocolate.

Sometimes it happens that on the reverse side there is a small chocolate bar streaks. This is a good sign. He says that the product has been prepared by the right technology, there is no or little soy lecithin.

Gray plaque fibered structure, uneven shapes indicate that the chocolate is likely improperly kept.

Pick up

Real chocolate melts very quickly. But if he softened immediately, as soon as you take it in hand, it's not a very good sign. Most likely, the product has been properly tempered during production. Temperament - a process of crystallization of cocoa butter in chocolate, occurring according to a certain scheme.

Chocolate should melt in your hands, but not immediately, but some time later.

If the chocolate does not melt at all, it does not leave any traces, it is also a bad sign. In its structure, most likely it contains a lot of lecithin, which changes the structure of the product.

Good chocolate is broken with a distinctive crunch. It says that it contains cocoa butter and cocoa mass.

Taste

Often the presence of vegetable fats can be felt on the tongue. If the chocolate taste of machine or industrial oil, a sign of the content of palm oil.

Once I bought an all-natural chocolate, where vanilla "Bourbon" was used. But either because of violations of technology or due to improper storage vanilla peeled. There was chocolate heterogeneous structure. I have the teeth squeaked chocolate liquor, and it was very tasteless, despite all the "natural" product.

Milan Privalov

There should always be a balance between tasty and useful. If you feel an imbalance, something unusual discomfort during use of super-expensive products, it means that something is wrong.

4 popular question about chocolate

What kind of chocolate is more useful - a bitter, dark or milk?

These chocolates differ in content of cocoa products. The bitter of not less than 55%, in the classic - from 35 to 55-60%, in the milk - less than 35%. In the latter more sugar and milk (it may be whey or milk). That is why a diet is considered bitter chocolateIn which there are no milk.

White chocolate - it really chocolate?

Yes. In it must necessarily contain cocoa butter, cocoa grated there, but a lot of milk. Due to this, it turns white. Furthermore, such a chocolate typically comprises sugar, vanillin or vanilla "Bourbon" lecithin.

How to store chocolate?

The most comfortable for him temperature - from 5 to 18 degrees. So keep chocolate in the freezer is not desirable.

If you still prefer the cold dessert, store it in the most secluded corner of the refrigerator: where there is no condensation, hiding from the light. Otherwise, the appearance of the chocolate quickly change. He does not lose its quality, but covered with gray bloom.

What should be the wrapper for chocolate?

Required foil or flow-pack - Specialized film, which also protects the chocolate from damage and sunlight. Top - paper or paperboard.