10 Types Of Chocolates We See Around

One of the wonderful things about chocolate is that, it comes in a lot of different forms.Chocolates are a kind of sweet food made from roasting and grounding of cacao seeds. They may or may not be sweet, depending on the chocolate being made. It is eaten as a confectionery. They are made as solid blocks, as powder or even as paste. Some of these forms are ingredients for making a cake or hot chocolate milk and typically as a flavouring agent, in many other foods.

So here is a list of 10 types of chocolates you should know about!

1. Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate is an indulgent, melt in the mouth treat. Creamy and smooth in texture, milk chocolate is loved the world over.Milk chocolate contains about 10% of pure chocolate with some extra doses of added cocoa butter and sugar. They are initially made for people who were allergic to cocoa and contains more of vanilla flavour. They usually melt in the mouth and are most often used for making toppings for baked treats or as fillings and icings. If you have sweet tooth, then milk chocolate is the one for you.

2. White Chocolate

White chocolate is a chocolate confection made from cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. It lacks the cocoa solids found in other types of chocolate. It is characterized by a pale ivory color. It is mostly used for frosting and for other decorative purposes on cookies and buns. If you would be okay with a chocolate looking like substitute, white chocolate is for you. They are not really accepted as chocolates, except that it looks like one.

3. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is also known as the bitter chocolate. It is 35% pure chocolate with very small amount of sugar in it. They are dark looking and are typically less sweeter than semisweet. Dark chocolate is a healthy option among the many types and are known to have high antioxidant content, that will promote a healthy heart.If you are looking to eat something and yet stay healthy, dark chocolate is a recommended choice.

4. Unsweetened Chocolate

Unsweetened chocolate is the simplest chocolate ever. It is made with cocoa solids and cocoa butter, with about 55% cacao bean. It contains 0% sugar. Unsweetened chocolate powder is mostly used in cakes and cookies. Unsweetened chocolate is known to boost brain power and also improve the artery health. So, if you are looking to binge eat, this one is a guilt free choice.

5. Couverture Chocolate

Couverture is a high-quality chocolate with high percentage of cocoa butter and mild dose of chocolate liquor. It has to be tempered and thus needs better attention during its preparation. If it is not tempered properly, the chocolate will not set well. When done perfectly, it radiates a glossy shine and can literally melt in your mouth.

6. Gianduja Chocolate

Gianduja chocolate is the rich smooth confection that is made from blending hazelnuts into a paste. It is mixed with cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter. It comes in semi-solid cream like texture and can be cut easily to shapes you like. Paste form is what we see as Nutella in the market.

7. Candy Coating Chocolate

The candy coating that you see is the chocolate is the one made form dark, milk or white chocolate. The main difference is the cocoa butter. The candy coating chocolate may contain oils like palm oil. Like their name, they are used for coating and give the right dose of chocolate for the candy.

8. Semi-Sweet Chocolate

These are the standard ones that you will see in a baker’s kitchen. They are used for making choco chip cookies. It is dark chocolate, made with cocoa solids, sugar and other emulsifiers. The sweetness however will differ with the brands.

9. Bittersweet Chocolate

Bittersweet chocolate is typically chocolate liquor. It contains cocoa butter, vanilla extract and lecithin. It is therefore less sweet because of the less than a third of sugar. It is also used for baking and can be exchanged in place of semi-sweet chocolate.

10. Compound Chocolate

Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter.

So, the next time you start baking, ask yourself if you are using the right chocolate. You don’t also have to feel guilty about eating them often!