• 
  

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Facts: Surprising Things You May Not Know About Chocolate

By Chef Carole Bloom

All chocolate begins with cocoa beans, the fruit of the cacao tree. The tree, Theobroma cacao, produces pods that hold cacao beans. These trees grow only in tropical regions around the world. The Ivory Coast in West Africa is the largest producer of cocoa beans.

The cocoa bean is a rich source of naturally occurring polyphenol antioxidants. Both dark chocolate and cocoa powder typically have the highest amount of these antioxidants of any chocolate products because they contain the highest level of ingredients directly from the cocoa bean.

Champagne and sparkling wines do not pair well with milk or dark chocolate because of their acidity, which reacts with chocolate, causing a tart taste to occur. Instead, try white chocolate with champagne and red wines with dark chocolate.

There is a new category of chocolate called 'dark milk chocolate.' This is milk chocolate with a higher than normal percentage of cocoa components (normal is 10 to 12%), up to 42%, which gives these chocolates deep flavor.

Extra-bittersweet, bittersweet, and semisweet are all dark chocolates. The difference is the amount of sugar that each contains with extra-bittersweet having the least.

Chocolate is not high in cholesterol. The cocoa butter in chocolate contains stearic acid, which has a neutral effect on cholesterol levels and is not recognized as a source of trans fat.

Many people think white chocolate isn't really chocolate, but the U.S. FDA now says it can be called chocolate if it is made from cocoa butter, which comes from the cocoa bean. However, there are several imitation white chocolates that don't contain cocoa butter. These may taste different, so be sure to read the label. Real white chocolate is rich and creamy and tastes a bit like other chocolates.

Chocolate does contain caffeine, but only a small amount. The average serving of milk chocolate has less caffeine than a cup of decaffeinated coffee. So it's fine to eat chocolate anytime during the day or night.

Chocolate is more versatile than ever - it's being combined with surprising flavors such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, lavender and saffron to create new and different ways to enjoy America's favorite flavor.

Chocolate is not shiny on its own. It needs to go through a process called 'tempering.' This involves heating, cooling, and heating again to specific temperatures to stabilize the mixture and create a glossy, appealing appearance and a pleasant mouth feel. Dark chocolate can be kept indefinitely if stored properly in a cool, dark, dry place, well wrapped in foil. A wine cellar is the ideal location. Milk and white chocolate may have a more limited storage time.