Photo: peter pearson / Flickr

Some home bakers have used cooking chocolate all their lives and wouldn’t think of using anything else, while others say that there’s no point in cooking with chocolate if it’s not ‘real’. And just what is ‘the real thing’? It’s dark chocolate that contains more than 75 per cent cocoa – many chefs will tell you that the higher that percentage, the better. Read on to find out more about making your chocolate choice.

Why use cooking chocolate?

Cooking chocolate is especially designed to withstand the high temperatures involved in cooking without getting burnt or otherwise damaged. This means that it makes life a lot easier for beginner or nervous cooks, but also that it doesn’t taste quite like other chocolate. Because cooking chocolate has a weaker flavour than darker chocolate, it doesn’t work as well in flavouring chocolate desserts or sauces, but might be used for dipping or coating.

Why use ‘the real thing’?

Photo: _e.t / Flickr

The answer to this is all about the taste and texture. Dark chocolate used in cooking provides an intense chocolate flavour but also keeps the ‘melt in the mouth’ quality that makes it everyone’s favourite treat. It may cost a lot more to use dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids, but you’ll soon find that because it’s so rich it goes a long way when used to flavour a chocolate recipe.

The verdict

While there are some people who think that chocolate is chocolate and are happy with any kind used in a recipe, most of us prefer a richer, more genuine taste. If you’re cooking with kids, consider cooking chocolate, but if you’re making a decadent dessert or doing some serious baking, then learn to cook with genuine chocolate the right way, and you’ll never go back.

Tags: baking, dark chocolate