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Everybody knows there are 3 different types of chocolate in the world: dark, milk, and white chocolate. But how much do you actually know about these types of chocolate? What’s the difference between the three? Can white chocolate even be called “chocolate”? Does dark chocolate contain milk, and on the other hand, does milk chocolate really contain milk? Find your answers in this article.
Generally, chocolate is a term for processed food or beverages made from cocoa products. Cacao beans are fermented, dried, and go through several processes to obtain cocoa liquor, cocoa powder dan cocoa butter.
Cocoa liquor is pure cocoa mass in the form of a paste produced from ground cocoa beans. This paste can then be separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter. These ingredients are then mixed together based on a certain composition to result in the desired chocolate product.
A quick thing to note is that other than dark, milk and white, chocolate is also classified by its cocoa butter content (or lack thereof). Generally, they are classified into couverture, compound, and real or regular chocolate. Couverture contains higher amounts of cocoa butter than real chocolate, making it the most premium type of chocolate. Dark couverture chocolate must contain not less than 35% total dry cocoa solids, not less than 31% cocoa butter and not less than 2.5% of dry non-fat cocoa solids, while milk chocolate couverture must contain not less than 25% dry cocoa solids. Meanwhile, compound chocolate contains vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter, making it able to withstand higher temperatures and does not require tempering.
The three different types of chocolate have different compositions, resulting in different characteristics that make them unique. Here is an explanation about the different kinds of chocolate.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate with the highest cocoa solids content. For this reason, it is dark brown to black in color and tends to taste more bitter than other types of chocolate. Chocolate companies usually add sugar and vanilla to balance out the bitter taste. This chocolate can also contain an emulsifier, which is added to bind the ingredients together and help it reach the desired consistency.
Does dark chocolate contain milk?
Dark chocolate generally does not contain milk, but there is still a possibility that some chocolate companies may want to add milk to their dark chocolate products. Additionally, some dark chocolate products may be manufactured in the same production line as other products that contain milk, thereby possibly causing contamination. Therefore, it is important for vegans and people who do not consume dairy to look at the composition of the chocolate that they buy, as well as the certifications that the chocolate manufacturer has.
What does the percentage of dark chocolate mean?
In supermarkets, you may have seen packaged chocolate products with a percentage on the packaging. What it means is the composition of total cocoa solids content (including cocoa mass, cocoa powder and cocoa butter) from the product. In Indonesia, a chocolate product is classified as dark chocolate if it contains not less than 35% cocoa solids (according to SNI for chocolate). The higher the percentage, the more cocoa content and the more bitter and intense the taste will be.
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Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate is arguably the most popular type of chocolate in the world. Lighter in color than dark chocolate, it has a creamy texture, a sweet taste, and a milder flavor than dark chocolate. Milk chocolate consists of cocoa solids, powdered milk and sugar, and may contain lecithin.
Does all milk chocolate really contain milk?
The simple answer is “yes”, milk chocolate contains milk, or rather, milk solids. In Indonesia, milk fat can be added or removed, while in Japan, milk chocolate is required to contain not less than 3% milk fat, and in European countries, it’s no less than 4.5 percent.
White Chocolate
White chocolate is a unique and quite controversial chocolate product. The reason being it is not brown in color and does not have the same chocolatey taste you find in other types of chocolate.
This is because it does not contain lean cocoa solids, which are the components of cocoa that give chocolate its color and distinct flavor. The ivory color of white chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which naturally has that yellowish-white tone. This higher amount of cocoa butter makes white chocolate often more expensive than the other types. It is thanks to this fat that white chocolate has a very soft and creamy texture. In addition to cocoa butter, white chocolate also contains sugar, milk, vanilla, and lecithin. This gives white chocolate a sweet and milky taste.
So, is white chocolate really “chocolate”?
White chocolate is still classified as chocolate because it contains a product derived from cacao beans: the cocoa butter. According to SNI, white chocolate is required to contain no less than 20% cocoa fat and no less than 14% milk solids.
Whether it’s dark, milk or white chocolate, PT Freyabadi Indotama is guaranteed to produce the best chocolate for your company. With chocolate manufacturing experience of over 25 years, we are equipped with three factories in Indonesia and Thailand with a high production capacity, as well as an experienced R&D team that has helped us create customized chocolate for various confectionery, ice cream, industrial bakery, and quick service restaurant (QSR) industry players in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.
If you need dark, milk and/or white chocolate that requires a large quantity or customization, feel free to contact us by clicking the button below. Our consultants will be happy to help you.
