Thursday, November 13, 2014

Chocolate & Subtypes For Chefs To Recognize

By Jennifer Marie Anderson


Chocolate is seen as one of the most appealing ingredients for many chefs. Whether it's a matter of creating pastries, cakes, or what have you, it's clear that chocolate is not only one of the most satisfying ingredients but it could wind up being one of the most versatile. Of course, this is heavily dependent on the type of chocolate used for a certain recipe. In order to understand which chocolate types are the most common, in the culinary arts, here are a few points to mention.

Unsweetened chocolate should be noted, first and foremost, because of how it is utilized. If you have ever tried this product, on its own, you may find that its taste is not exactly sweet but exceptionally deep. However, you have to keep in mind that unsweetened chocolate is, more often than not, utilized in order to create treats and desserts we can recognize. Chefs will often take this type of chocolate and bring it into the processes needed to bake cookies, brownies, and what have you.

A level up from unsweetened would be semi-sweet chocolate, which is probably the most common type that inexperienced chefs will turn to. It's not difficult to see why, since this type of chocolate is not only able to be baked - chocolate chip cookies come to mind - but it can be eaten on its own as well. It's also worth noting that its flavor is just pronounced enough to where other flavors won't overpower it, which makes it that much more of a capable option.

Finally, think about incorporating white chocolate if you have the taste for it. Keep in mind that since white chocolate does not necessarily have cocoa solids - these are key for chocolate, in general - it can still be used for culinary purposes. In addition, it has a somewhat lighter taste to it, meaning that those who aren't into conventional chocolate may use this instead. It can also make for a tremendous icing or coating if you are looking for ways to finish off cake, pastries, or other treats.

Seeing as how chocolate has its place in cooking, it's important to look at the various subtypes it is made up of. As you can see, each of them possess their own differences, some of them more unique than others. Regardless, you should not set aside one option, since it may very well be the best one to bring the finest tastes out of your sweets. If these options are focused on, it will not be long until your culinary efforts are made that much sweeter.




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