Baking Chocolate

Couverture is professional chocolate with a higher share of cocoa butter, usually at least 31 percent, than regular baking chocolate. The extra cocoa butter makes it melt more fluidly, so it coats thinly and, when tempered, sets with a glossy shine and a clean snap. Pastry chefs use couverture for enrobing, moulding bonbons and decorations. Compound or coating chocolate replaces cocoa butter with vegetable fat, so it needs no tempering but tastes and melts less cleanly.

The percentage is the total share of the chocolate that comes from the cocoa bean, meaning cocoa solids plus cocoa butter. The rest is mostly sugar, plus milk in milk chocolate. A 70 percent dark chocolate is about 70 percent cocoa and 30 percent sugar, so it is more bitter and intense than a 54 percent chocolate. For most baking and ganache, 54 to 64 percent is the versatile range; 70 percent and above suits desserts where a strong chocolate flavour is wanted.

Tempering melts chocolate fully, cools it to form stable cocoa butter crystals, then warms it slightly to working temperature. Typical working temperatures are 31 to 32 °C for dark chocolate, 29 to 30 °C for milk chocolate and 28 to 29 °C for white chocolate. First melt to about 45 to 50 °C. Exact curves vary by brand, so follow the temperatures printed on the Callebaut, Valrhona or Cacao Barry bag. Mycryo powdered cocoa butter, added at about 1 percent of the chocolate weight, is a simple way to temper.

Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity, which gives a darker colour and a smoother, milder flavour. Natural cocoa is acidic and lighter in colour. The difference matters in baking: recipes that use only baking soda usually need natural cocoa, because the soda reacts with the acid, while recipes with baking powder work well with Dutch-process cocoa. Valrhona cocoa powder is a Dutch-process cocoa.

Store chocolate at 15 to 18 °C in a dry, dark place, sealed and away from strong odours, since chocolate absorbs smells. Avoid the refrigerator, because moisture causes sugar bloom. Dark chocolate keeps about 2 years, milk about 18 months and white about 12 months from production when stored well. Close callet bags tightly after each use, and keep cocoa butter cool so it does not take on other flavours.

Shipping is a flat $16.50 anywhere in Canada and free on orders over $199 before tax. Orders are processed in 2 to 3 business days (cut-off 10:00 AM MST, Monday to Friday) and Canadian transit takes 2 to 6 business days. We also ship to the United States, with duties and taxes shown at checkout. See the Shipping page for full details.