Certified chocolate taster Nitin Chordia busts some myths about chocolate
1. All dark chocolates are bitter
Fine and well-made chocolates show many flavour notes. Bitterness is indeed an important characteristic of cocoa, and is complemented by the various notes/aromas in cocoa. However, sugar also forms a part of the dark chocolate experience. Bitterness can be controlled based on what the chocolatier wishes to offer.
2. Chocolates with a higher percentage of cocoa are of better quality and deliver better flavour
This might mean they are healthier, as the high cocoa content results in reduced sugar. However, the amount/extent of processing also has an impact on the retention of nutrients in chocolate.
3. A white coating means the chocolate has gone bad
This is caused mainly due to fat or sugar separating during transport, faulty storage conditions or a tempering defect. But this does not make the chocolate inedible or unsafe.
4. Terrior doesn’t affect the flavour profile of chocolate
Chocolates made with beans from one country, or even one farm, can have many differences and similarities. Of course, if two or more flavourful beans are blended together, the results can be just as complex, but in new and intriguing ways.
5.All dark chocolates are healthy
In fine chocolates, less is more. If a chocolate is 45 per cent dark, it means that the remaining is sugar. Chocolates can be called healthy when they have no more than three or four ingredients and are at least 75 per cent dark.
