Chocolate most commonly comes in dark, milk, and white varieties, with cocoa solids contributing to the brown coloration.

Chocolate exists in several types according to the proportion of ingredients used in a particular recipe. In several instances the use of particular name designations is subject to governmental regulation. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 770 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 934 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Chocolate has no sense of humor, duh its an object not a person!!!!!!! File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 770 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1200 × 934 pixel, file size: 238 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Chocolate has no sense of humor, duh its an object not a person!!!!!!! File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link... For other uses, see Chocolate (disambiguation). ...

Terminology

The cacao bean products from which chocolate is made are known under different names in different parts of the world. In the American chocolate industry: For the town in French Guiana, see Cacao, French Guiana. ...

• Cocoa is the solids of the cacao bean ^{[citation needed]}
• Cocoa butter is the fat component
• Chocolate is a combination of the solids and the fat

Cocoa beans in a cacao pod Cocoa is the dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. ... Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is the pale-yellow, edible natural vegetable fat of the cacao bean. ... For other uses, see FAT. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. ...

Classification

Chocolate is a popular ingredient and is available in many types. Different forms and flavours of chocolate are produced by varying the quantities of the different ingredients. Other flavours can be obtained by varying the time and temperature when roasting the beans. For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ...

• Unsweetened chocolate is pure chocolate liquor, also known as bitter or baking chocolate. It is unadulterated chocolate: the pure, ground, roasted chocolate beans impart a strong, deep chocolate flavour. With the addition of sugar, however, it is used as the base for cakes, brownies, confections, and cookies.
• Dark chocolate is chocolate without milk as an additive. It is sometimes called "plain chocolate". The U.S. Government calls this "sweet chocolate", and requires a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European rules specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids.
• Milk chocolate is chocolate with milk powder or condensed milk added. The U.S. Government requires a 10% concentration of chocolate liquor. EU regulations specify a minimum of 25% cocoa solids.
• Semisweet chocolate is often used for cooking purposes. It is a dark chocolate with a low (typically half) sugar content.
• Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor (or unsweetened chocolate) to which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla and sometimes lecithin has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable in baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolates are sometimes referred to as 'couverture' (chocolate that contains at least 32 percent cocoa butter); many brands now print on the package the percentage of cocoa (as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter) contained. The rule is that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate will be.
• Couverture is a term used for chocolates rich in cocoa butter. Popular brands of couverture used by professional pastry chefs and often sold in gourmet and specialty food stores include: Valrhona, Felchlin, Lindt & Sprüngli, Scharffen Berger, Cacao Barry, Callebaut, and Guittard. These chocolates contain a high percentage of cocoa (sometimes 70% or more) and have a total fat content of 30-40%.

• White chocolate is a confection based on cocoa butter without the cocoa solids.
• Cocoa powder There are two types of unsweetened baking cocoa available: natural cocoa (like the sort produced by Hershey's and Nestlé) and Dutch-process cocoa (such as the Hershey's European Style Cocoa and the Droste brand). Both are made by pulverising partially defatted chocolate liquor and removing nearly all the cocoa butter. Natural cocoa is light in colour and somewhat acidic with a strong chocolate flavour. Natural cocoa is commonly used in recipes which call for baking soda. Because baking soda is an alkali, combining it with natural cocoa creates a leavening action that allows the batter to rise during baking. Dutch-process cocoa is processed with alkali to neutralise its natural acidity. Dutch cocoa is slightly milder in taste, with a deeper and warmer colour than natural cocoa. Dutch-process cocoa is frequently used for chocolate drinks such as hot chocolate due to its ease in blending with liquids. Unfortunately, Dutch processing destroys most of the flavonols present in cocoa.^[1]
• Compound chocolate is the technical term for a confection combining cocoa with vegetable fat, usually tropical fats and/or hydrogenated fats, as a replacement for cocoa butter. It is primarily used for candy bar coatings, but because it does not contain cocoa butter, in the US it is not allowed to be called "chocolate." Popular in Britain, the European Union for a time required that it be called "vegelate", but it can now be called "family chocolate". Unfortunately in America, to the untrained observer the adjective used for this substance appears to merely be the adjectival form of chocolate: "chocolatey". The candy bars sold in America often no longer have true chocolate as a major component. This is especially true for much candy passed as "white chocolate" , which need not contain anything from the cacao bush at all. This can translate to poor taste, texture and possibly health concerns, particularly when partially hydrogenated oils are used to replace cacao butter.

Flavours such as mint, orange, or strawberry are sometimes added to chocolate. Chocolate bars frequently contain added ingredients such as peanuts, nuts, fruit, caramel, or even crisped rice. Chocolate liquor, also known as cocoa liquor and cocoa mass, is a smooth liquid form of chocolate. ... For other uses, see Cake (disambiguation). ... A plate of frosted chocolate brownies In American cooking, a chocolate brownie, also known as a brownie or a Boston brownie, is a small, rich, chocolate, baked cake-slice, named after its rich brown color. ... A confection selection The term confectionery refers to food items that are (or at least are perceived to be) rich in sugar. ... This page is about edible cookies. ... ... Powdered milk is a powder of a substance that when mixed with water creates a milk drink. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Lecithin is mostly a mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e. ... Valrhona is a French chocolate manufacturer based in the small town of Tain LHermitage in Hermitage, a wine growing district near Lyon. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Lindor. ... The company logo features an Ibex, chosen for its ability to navigate rough terrain. ... Callebaut is a Belgian company and a major producer of chocolate for consumers and for professional chocolatiers. ... Guittard Chocolate Company produces premium-quality couverture chocolate using original formulas and traditional French methods. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is the pale-yellow, edible natural vegetable fat of the cacao bean. ... Dutch process chocolate is chocolate that has been treated with an alkalizing agent to modify its color and give it a more mild flavor. ... The Hershey Foods Corporation ( NYSE: HSY) is the worlds largest chocolate company. ... For alternative meanings see acid (disambiguation). ... Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), or sodium hydrogen carbonate, also known as baking soda and bicarbonate of soda, is a soluble white anhydrous or crystalline compound, with a slight alkaline taste resembling that of sodium carbonate. ... Alkaline redirects here. ... A leavening agent (sometimes called just leavening or leaven) is a substance used in doughs and batters that causes a foaming action. ... Compound chocolate is a cheap chocolate replacement made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. ... Cocoa beans in a cacao pod Cocoa is the dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. ... This article is about lipid molecules, for FAT see File Allocation Table. ... Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction in which unsaturated bonds between carbon atoms are reduced by attachment of a hydrogen atom to each carbon. ... The term vegelate is sometimes used pejoratively to describe chocolate that contains fats other than those derived from the cocoa bean (cocoa butter). In some nations, including Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom, some popular chocolate products contain a proportion of vegetable fat (normally up to 5... A Twix bar, broken in half Candy bar is the most popular term in the U.S. for confectionery usually packaged in a bar or log form, often coated with chocolate, and sized as a snack for one person. ... “Mint” redirects here. ... Binomial name (L.) Osbeck Orange—specifically, sweet orange—refers to the citrus tree Citrus sinensis (syn. ... For other uses, see Strawberry (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. This article is about the legume. ... For other uses, see Nut (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... A piece of caramel confectionery. ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ...

United States

In the U.S., the FDA regulates the naming and ingredients of cacao products:^[2][3]

In March 2007, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, whose members include Hershey, Nestlé, and Archer Daniels Midland, began lobbyingthe FDA to change the legal definition of chocolate to let them substitute "safe and suitable vegetable fats and oils" (including partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) for cocoa butter in addition to using "any sweetening agent" (including artificial sweeteners) and milk substitutes. Currently, the FDA does not allow a product to be referred to as "chocolate" if the product contains any of these ingredients. (2007P-0085, Copy of 2007P-0085 Appendix C-- search for cacao) Hydrogenation is a class of chemical reactions which result an addition of hydrogen (H2) usually to unsaturated organic compounds. ...

Definition

Chocolate is a product based on cocoa solid and/or cocoa fat. As it is used in a vast number of other foods, any change in the cost of making it has a huge impact on the industry, incentivising interpretations of the term that are cheaper to produce. Adding ingredients is an aspect of the taste. On the other hand, reducing cocoa solid content, or substituting cocoa fat with a non-cocoa one, reduces the cost of making it. There has been disagreement in the EU about the definition of chocolate; this dispute covers several ingredients, including the types of fat used, quantity of cocoa, and so on. But in 1999, the EU atleast resolved the fat issue by allowing up to 5% of chocolate's content to be comprised of one of 5 alternatives to cocoa butter; illipe, palm oil, sal, shea, kokum gurgi, or mango kernel ^[4].

A recent workaround by the US confection industry has been to reduce the amount of cocoa butter in candy bars without using vegetable fats by adding polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), which is an artificial castor oil-derived emulsifier that simulates the mouthfeel of fat. Up to 0.3% PGPR may be added to chocolate for this purpose. ^[5] Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (PGPR) is an artificially derived emulsifier that is mainly used to replace some of the cocoa butter in chocolate used in lower grade candy bars. ...

Notes