Chocolates to Express your Love & Affection to Someone Special

Types of Chocolate

Here, you will find the world's best chocolates created with love - for your love. If you first need to learn about the types of chocolate available, read on.  Being more informed will help you make the right decision.

White Chocolate

Chocolate made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk, emulsifier, vanilla and sometimes other flavorings. Does not contain any non-fat ingredients from the cacao bean and thus it has an off-white color. In some countries white chocolate may not be called 'chocolate' because it has a low content of cocoa solids. It has a mild and pleasant flavor and can be used to make Panna Cotta, Chocolate Mousse and other desserts.

Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate is sweet chocolate with 10-20% cocoa solids (which includes cocoa and cocoa butter) and more than 12% milk solids. It is usually not used for baking, except for cookies.

Dark Chocolate

This type of chocolate is sweetened chocolate with a high content of cocoa solids and very little if any milk. It may contain up to 12% milk solids. Dark chocolate can either be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet or unsweetened. First try semi-sweet dark chocolate for any recipe that specifies 'dark chocolate.'

Sweet Dark Chocolate

Sweet Dark Chocolate is similar to semi-sweet chocolate, thus it is not always possible to distinguish between the flavor of sweet and semi-sweet chocolate. If a recipe asks for sweet dark chocolate you may also use semi-sweet chocolate. May contain up to 35-45% cocoa solids.

Semi-sweet Chocolate

Semi-sweet chocolate is the classic, dark, baking chocolate that one can buy in most stores. It is regularly used for, among other things, cakes, brownies and cookies. It may be used in lieu of sweet dark chocolate. It has a good, sweet flavor and contains up to 40-62% cocoa solids.

Bittersweet Chocolate

Bittersweet chocolate is a dark, sweetened chocolate that must contain at least 35% cocoa solids. Good quality bittersweet chocolate usually contains 50% to 85% cocoa solids depending on the maker. If the content of cocoa solids is high the content of sugar is low, giving a rich, intense and more or less bitter chocolate flavor. Bittersweet chocolate is often used for baking/cooking. If a recipe specifies bittersweet chocolate do not substitute with semi-sweet or sweet chocolate.

Unsweetened Chocolate

A bitter chocolate which is only used for baking. The flavor is not good, so it is not suitable for eating. Use it only if a recipe specifies 'unsweetened chocolate'. It contains almost 100% cocoa solids, about half of it might be fat (cocoa butter).

Now that we know the types of chocolate, we can make an informed decision ......

Gourmet Chocolates from ZChocolate

Chocolate by Type/Brand

White Chocolate	Milk Chocolate
Dark Chocolate	Sweet Dark Chocolate
Semi Sweet Chocolate	Bittersweet Chocolate
Sugar-free Milk Chocolate	Sugar-free Dark Chocolate
Unsweetened Chocolate	Godiva Chocolate
Ghirardelli Chocolates	Lindt Chocolates

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