Step 1:Choosing chocolate
Choose a chocolate you like, of course. But if you want to choose like a pro, you might want to use the score chart below. It has these 6 key factors:
Appearence: Chocolate should be lustrous and evenly coloured, with no blooms on it ... no, I don't mean that flowers will appear! Bloom here means some grey streaks of dots.
Aroma: Chocolate should smell rich and flavourful. It should not smell of some chemical scent. (Yuck!) The smell should not be too strong, either.
Snap: That's a funny word, isn't it? No, it doesn't mean to hear how it breaks! It means you should see how it breaks! Chocolate should break firmly into two instead of crumbling into pieces. Do not try this directly after you took it out of the fridge, as it might affect the result.
Texture: Chocolate should be smooth and creamy instead of greasy and melting into a gooey paste on your hand. It should melt in the mouth and melt evenly. Melting unevenly may be because of the chocolate not mixed properly.
Flavour: Ah, finally! The main part! The tasty (or yucky) chocolate should taste harmonious and well-balanced, not too sweet or too blend. Any other flavours (e.g. nuts, caramel, candy coating) should not overpower the chocolate flavour. After all, this is a chocolate bar, remember.
Aftertaste: The flavour should linger in your mouth pleasantly, not a burning feeling.
(Tip: Compare chocolate bars of the same brand instead of different ones.)
To print the score sheet, download it below.
| chocolate_tasting_score_chart.doc | |
| File Size: | 21 kb |
| File Type: | .doc |
Step 2: Storing chocolate
Store chocolate bars in room temperature. If it is melting, store it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. If it is too cold, though, it may "suffer" from sugar bloom. That means it will develop tiny white crystals on the surface. Sugar bloom will affect the texture of the chocolate, making it grainy.
Of course, you might want to eat it right away, so let's go to...
Step 3: Tasting chocolate
Chocolate always taste better at room temperture. If you had put your chocolate in the fridge, remove it from the fridge, and wait fpr about 20-30 minutes. That's minutes, not seconds. If the chocolate is served when it's too cold its flavour will not be apparent.
One more thing: Taste your chocolate to the front part of your tongue, because that's where the tongue is most sensitive to sweetness.
Now enjoy your sweet and delicious chocolate!
