Thinking of giving chocolate as a Christmas gift this year? If that’s your plan, be sure to follow these tips to assure you get a great product. Because inferior chocolate might as well be coal in your stocking.
Check the price – As tempting as a deal may be, it’s important to remember that superior chocolate is going to be a bit pricey. Good quality chocolate is going to be more expensive than commercial grade. Don’t go on price alone though, as some chocolatiers try to pawn off commercial grade chocolate as higher quality, especially in “pretty” treats like bon bons or truffles.
Look at the ingredients – Good chocolate will have cocoa solids and cocoa butter (the actual components of the cocoa bean) as the top ingredients. If the ingredient list is full of items you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce, look elsewhere. True quality chocolate is simply cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and possibly vanilla, lecithin (an ingredient that keeps the chocolate from separating) and sugar. Milk or milk solids may be included in milk or white chocolate.
Check the dates – The more recently the chocolate was made, the fresher it will be, resulting in higher quality. This is a big factor for retail chocolates, which are expected to have a long shelf life. Dark chocolate should be used within a year, and milk chocolate within six months.
Use your nose – Chocolate should smell like … chocolate. That may sound silly, but a lack of smell indicates that the chocolate is old or of poor quality. Chocolate absorbs the flavor and odor of its surroundings, so if it smells like anything else, it hasn’t been properly stored.
Evaluate shine – This one can be tough if the chocolate is in a wrapper, but if you can, check the chocolate’s surface. It should be glossy, and free of blemishes.
Give it a break – Again, this one is tough if the chocolate is in a wrapper, but if you can, try breaking the chocolate. High quality chocolate will make a clean, snapping sound when it breaks. If the chocolate bends or falls apart, walk away.
Perform a taste test – All the technical details are useless if the taste of the product is inferior. This one comes down to personal preference, but there are several indicators. Good chocolate should begin melting in your mouth immediately, and the texture should be creamy and smooth. Low-quality chocolate can be grainy, and taste a bit “off.”