Chocolate is one of the most popular foods in the world. It’s hard to resist its rich, sweet taste.
There are four main types of chocolate. It can be consumed as a dessert, in drinks, used in cooking or eaten as a chocolate bar.
The main four types of chocolate are;
- Milk Chocolate
- Dark Chocolate
- White Chocolate
- Ruby Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate contains mostly sugar, so it is sweeter than dark or white chocolates.
Milk chocolate develops its flavour from cacao, milk powder or cream, and vanilla. Sometimes other flavours are added, such as fruits or nuts.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolates have more cocoa solids than milk chocolates, which will taste richer and less sweet than milk chocolates.
Dark chocolate is a very popular option amongst those who enjoy eating chocolate as a small treat. It contains more than fifty per cent cocoa solids and little to no milk.
White Chocolate
White chocolate is made with cocoa butter but no cocoa solids and very little sugar, so it doesn’t develop a very strong taste. It’s sometimes called ”milkless” chocolate because it contains neither milk nor dairy products.
White chocolate is not for everyone because it has a mild flavour. Those who love white chocolate enjoy the smooth texture and soft sweet taste.
Ruby Chocolate
Ruby chocolate is a new type of chocolate that is gaining popularity in the UK.
Ruby chocolate first came on the chocolate scene in 2017, introduced by a Belgian-Swiss cocoa company, Barry Callebaut.
Labelled as the fourth type of chocolate, after milk, dark and white, Ruby chocolate is naturally pink in colour.
The chocolate is made from Ruby cocoa beans, a proprietary variety of the cacao used to make chocolate.
Ruby chocolate has a fruity taste with notes of strawberry and cherry.
Baking Chocolate
Baking chocolate, also known as couverture chocolate, is unsweetened chocolate that does not contain any extra added sugar.
It is used in recipes where the cocoa butter needs to be melted and tempered to give it a glossy, shiny appearance.
It’s also commonly used in baking or cooking because it allows for more control over baked goods’ final flavour and texture.
Semisweet Chocolate
Semisweet chocolate is a combination of dark and milk chocolate that contains more than 35 per cent cocoa.
It has the sweetness of milk chocolate but the more intense flavour of dark chocolate. It’s often used in baking and cooking because it melts easily without altering its texture or taste.
Bittersweet Chocolate
Bittersweet chocolate has a low sugar content and a high amount of cocoa, usually above 70 per cent.
It contains very little or no milk powder and has a high content of cacao that makes it taste bitter when eaten alone.
Bittersweet chocolate is often used in baking, where its intense flavour can balance out the sweetness of a dessert.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa Powder is a common variety of chocolate and one that’s consumed all around the world.
You can use hot water to make a delicious drink called hot cocoa (hot chocolate), or you can put it in ice cream to make chocolate ice cream, or add it to milk and oats to make chocolate overnight oats. It’s also frequently added to recipes for baked goods, such as brownies or cookies.