I like to visit various blogs about chocolate and chocolate candy, but sometimes feel like I need a "chocolate dictionary" to translate! I've decided to tackle this translation problem head-on and share my results, just in case you feel the same way.
My first question: what exactly does all this mean, describing the appearance of quality chocolate?
Chocolate should be flawless, evenly colored and there should be no cracks or air pockets, streaks or sugar bloom.
"Snap" is something else used to describe chocolate, and it's what you need to do to discover some of these aspects of chocolate's appearance.
At room temperature, your chocolate bar should have a crisp snap to it. It shouldn't bend and then snap, or be rubbery. It shouldn't splinter or crumble.
Once you've snapped it, you can see inside. It should be evenly colored throughout, with no streaks or sugar bloom.
What's sugar bloom? It's a dull white or gray surface film resulting from damp storage conditions or temperature changes that can cause condensation on the outside of your chocolate. The moisture melts the sugar in the chocolate, which then crystallizes and causes a dusty effect on the outside.
Next time I'll discuss aroma. How can chocolate smell fruity, smoky, or earthy?
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