In this Issue:

Chocolate

Varieties

More is not always better. When it comes to cacao percentage, finding the perfect percentage for you is more important than finding the highest cacao percentage available.

In the United States, a set of federal regulations, called the Standards of Identity, govern the composition and nomenclature of chocolate. Chocolate can be legally defined to fit into one of the different chocolate categories defined below. However, the Bittersweet and Semi-Sweet category encompasses a broad range of chocolate with different levels of cacao content.

The following standards apply to all chocolates:

Unsweetened Chocolate (100% Cacao Content)

  • Unsweetened Chocolate is also called chocolate liquor. It is made from finely ground roasted cocoa nibs.
  • Can be natural or dutch (alkalized).

Bittersweet Chocolate (35-99% Cacao Content)

  • Many types and brands of chocolate will fit into this category ranging from 35% cacao content to 99% cacao content. It must also contain at least 35% unsweetened chocolate and less than 12% milk solids.
  • This category has many names including Bittersweet, Semi-Sweet, Dark, Extra Dark or Extra Bittersweet Chocolate.
  • Generally, Bittersweet chocolate has an unsweetened chocolate content of 50% or more and Semi-sweet chocolate contains 35-45% unsweetened chocolate.

Sweet Chocolate (15-34% Cacao Content)

  • Sweet Chocolate contains at least 15% unsweetened chocolate and less than 12% milk solids. Sweet Chocolate is more commonly called Dark Chocolate, although it has a lower cacao content than Bittersweet Chocolate.

Milk Chocolate

  • Milk Chocolate contains at least 10% unsweetened chocolate, 12% milk solids, and 3.39% milk fat.

White Chocolate

  • Previously there were no legal standards to define White Chocolate. The Standards of Identity recently created a legal definition to provide consumers with more information. White Chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids, and 3.5% milk fat.


Sources: The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company & Webstop

PWS 11