FAQ

What is Cacao and what does the % indicate?

• Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a small (4–8 m tall) evergreen tree native to tropical South America , but now cultivated in several tropical locations within 10 to 20 degrees of the equator. Its seeds are used to make chocolate.

Why would I want to use a higher Cacao percentage in my recipes?

• The higher the cacao percentage of chocolate used in your recipe, the richer the chocolate experience.

Does a higher cacao percentage indicate a stronger chocolate flavor?

• Yes, the higher the % of cacao, the more chocolate, versus other ingredients, you get in each bite.

What is the difference between Cacao and Cocoa?

• Cacao refers to the pod, the beans within, and the pure paste of the bean. Cocoa is the powder made from the cacao bean, which is mashed into a paste and then pounded to extract the cocoa butter. It is believed the name “Cocoa” came about as the result of a misspelling by early English traders.

Is chocolate with higher Cacao content darker?

• Yes, a higher cacao % indicates a higher concentration of chocolate components, which means richer and darker chocolate.

How should my chocolate be stored?

• All solid chocolates are best stored at a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a maximum of 50% humidity. Do not store chocolate in the refrigerator, where moisture levels tend to be high. Also, avoid storing your chocolate near anything with a powerful smell, as chocolate tends to absorb surrounding odors.

How do I know whether to use bittersweet, semi-sweet or dark chocolate in my baking recipes?  Are they interchangeable?

• Bakers create recipes using the chocolate that best complements the ingredients and occasion.  For instance, recipes that use chocolate with a higher percentage of cacao often have a stronger, more pure chocolate flavor.  Therefore, high-cacao percentage chocolates are a great complement with coffee-inspired recipes.  By definition, though, the three names are synonyms for each other and are technically interchangeable in recipes.  Bake with whichever cacao content most pleases your palate.

How are eating and baking chocolates different? 

• While it may be true that technically there’s no difference between eating and baking chocolate, it does not mean they are all the same.  Some chocolates, such as NESTLÉ CHOCOLATIER™, are prepared to excel as baking chocolates and are designed to hold up well in heat and in recipes.  Baking chocolates offer a better balance of chocolate to sugar to allow for more sweetness variety and taste preference in a recipe.  Therefore, even though a sweet bar of chocolate may taste great out of hand, this does not necessarily mean that it is great to cook with.   

SOURCES:

• www.joyofbaking.com
• Bigelow, Fran and Helene Siegel.  Pure Chocolate: Divine Desserts and Sweets from the Creator of Fran’s Chocolates.  New York: Random House.  2004.