First, the aroma beckons. The intense scent drawing you in is unmistakably that of rich chocolate. But you detect exotic hints of clove, coffee, orange peel, even cedar. The bar is dark and shiny, scored into sections. It breaks cleanly, with a definite snap. At this point you don’t even need to taste it to know you’re dealing with extremely fine chocolate. This is the dark bittersweet kind that delivers its flavor without the intrusion of a milky taste or an overdose of sugar. You take a bite, and as it softens and melts in your mouth, its complexity is comparable to a good red wine. The chocolate feels satiny, utterly smooth and flawless. The flavor lingers, but you must have another taste.
And you can be frivolous about it, no longer worrying, as you might have just a few years ago, that if you polish off this excellent chocolate you might not find more. Supply and demand are merging, and chocolate that’s worlds away from the run-of-the-mill bar is in every fine-food shop.
“There was always this given in the industry that Americans only liked sweet milk chocolate,” said John Scharffenberger, a founder of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker in San Francisco, which introduced a brand last year that rivals European chocolate.
“But the level of consumer interest has taken us completely by surprise. Americans never had much of the better dark chocolate before, and they seem ready for deeper flavor and more complexity.”
Although 73.5 percent of the American market still prefers milk chocolate over dark, that number has slipped from 80 percent a decade ago, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, a trade group in McLean, Va. At the same time, total chocolate consumption has continued to grow, inching up to 12.1 pounds a person in 1997 from 11.5 pounds in 1990. But that’s just chocolate chips compared with the rest of the world; the United States still trails 10 other countries on a list headed by England, which has a per-capita consumption of 30 pounds.
Maybe the problem has been the kind of chocolate Americans have been eating.
Until the last few years, European and South American chocolatiers were the only ones producing chocolate with the best cacao beans and few additives, and it could be difficult to find in American markets.
But today fine chocolate like Valrhona from France, Callebaut from Belgium, Lindt from Switzerland and El Rey from Venezuela are increasingly easy to find. And they have been joined by American chocolates just as powerfuland often at prices just as high. Confectioners are using better grades of chocolate in filled assortments and fancy truffles.
Look what’s happened with Scharffen Berger. The company makes only dark chocolate, originally developed for chefs in an industrial 6-pound slab that could be whacked apart only with a cleaver. The company soon added smaller, more manageable bars of its bittersweet and unsweetened varieties and has just introduced a semisweet. Now two-thirds of Scharffen Berger’s sales are to retail customers willing to pay $3.50 or more for a 3-ounce bar.
It is high-quality, European-style chocolate intended for baking that gave many Americans their first taste of serious chocolate, often in restaurants. Chefs have become as fussy about their chocolate as they are about their herbs.
QUALITY FACTORS
What makes all these chocolates superb? It starts with the selection of the cacao beans and how they are fermented, roasted and blended, experts say. The finesse with which the chocolate is processed and how much sugar or other ingredients are added all affect the aroma, flavor and texture.
Like winemakers, chocolate-makers start by homing in on the best beans from particular regions and microclimates. Most of the world’s chocolate is made from forestaro beans, the equivalent of the cheaper robusta beans that dominate the coffee business. Forestaro is the most disease-resistant, highest-yielding cacao, from trees grown in Brazil and West Africa, but it is not the most flavorful and tends to have a rough, astringent taste.
Trinitario, from Central America, has a more pronounced flavor and is usually blended with forestaro to give it character. Criollo, grown mostly in Venezuela and Central America but also in Indonesia, is the richest and most fragrant, but it is also the most fragile, rarest and costliest. Most chocolate is a blend, and the more trinitario and criollo, the better the flavor.
Once the bumpy football-size cacao pods are harvested, the beans are taken out and left to ferment for a few days in the tropical heat. Fermentation turns them from violet to brown and encourages the characteristic aromas and flavors of chocolate to develop. Next, the beans are dried, then roasted.
The finest European and European-style chocolates are made from beans that have been roasted longer and at lower temperatures than most American manufacturers use, so the chocolate delivers more nuanced flavors. The quicker, higher-heat roasting generally employed in the United States tends to result in more bitterness, which is masked only by adding more sugar and ingredients like vanilla. Some American chocolates are overloaded with vanilla.
After roasting, the beans are cracked open and their husks winnowed away, leaving the essence of chocolate, called the nibs. These are ground, heated and turned into chocolate liquor, a thick, non-alcoholic substance that is about half cocoa butter, which is melted and separated out. The rest of the liquor is finely ground and can be turned into cocoa powder or mixed with cocoa butter, sugar and other ingredients.
At this point the chocolate goes through a final refining, or pulverizing, process called conching. The longer the chocolate is conched, the more velvety it will feel. The highest-quality chocolate may be conched for three days.
Manufacturers do not reveal how long they conch their chocolate, but it has become easier to determine the quality of a chocolate even before the bar is unwrapped. The best bars now have a percentage on the wrapper indicating the amount of chocolatethe combination of cocoa butter and cocoa solidsit contains, and that’s a guide to sweetness and quality.
The Food and Drug Administration requires that all semisweet and bittersweet chocolate contain a minimum of 35 percent chocolate, a decidedly low standard. Sweet chocolate must have 15 percent, and milk chocolate only 10 percent. The manufacturers of low-grade chocolate stick to the minimum and bulk up the product with sugar, emulsifiers, vegetable oil and other fats and fillers. (White chocolate is technically not considered chocolate because it contains no chocolate liquor. The cheapest white chocolate may even be made without any cocoa butter.)
The finest semisweet and bittersweet chocolates are 62 percent to 72 percent chocolate, leaving little or no room for junkthe rest of the bar is basically sugar. On the other hand, once ingredients like nuts and liqueurs, praline and fruit peel are added, the percentage of pure chocolate decreases. Top-quality milk chocolate may only have 54 percent chocolate solids.
The numbers game began with Valrhona about 10 years ago, and now others use it increasingly, including Lindt and several American companies, such as Scharffen Berger, Chocolove and Richard H. Donnelly. Usually if no percentage is given, you can assume it is less than 60, often considerably less.
Another indication of quality is naming the source of the cacao beans on the label. Valrhona offers chocolates from different regions and various blends, from the Caribbean and South America. Its Caraibe chocolate, for instance, is labeled pure Caribbean trinitario. As with wines or coffee, each delivers a different flavor profile.
HOW TO JUDGE CHOCOLATE
Once you unwrap chocolate, you can gauge it by eye: The best is flawlessly smooth, with a lustrous sheen. This applies not just to plain bars but also to dipped or molded chocolate candies and truffles. Dull or grayish spots or streaks may be a sign of inferior quality or poor handling and storage.
You also judge chocolate by the way it breaks at room temperature. It should not crumble or splinter but should have what is called “snap,” a clean brittleness. The milk solids added to milk chocolate soften the texture and prevent it from having the same snap as dark chocolate.
The aroma should be intense, even fruity, winy, spicy or with a hint of cedar or tobacco. You should not detect musty, charred or chemical smells.
And let’s face it, if you like chocolate, the proof is in the eating. The rich intensity of the chocolate should be balanced, but never overwhelmed, by sweetness. Nor should it be too bitter, although that’s a matter of personal preference. If you’re used to run-of-the-mill chocolate, a high-octane chocolate might overwhelm your taste buds at first.
Then there’s texture. Because chocolate melts at close to body temperature, it should start to melt in your mouth, with a smooth creaminess and nothing waxy, gritty, gummy or greasy about it.
Hints of spice or of fruit like berries or citrus often add complexity to the chocolate, as does a touch of nutty, licorice or caramel flavor. Some lively acidity, an attribute you might seek in good coffee or fine red wine, can also enhance chocolate. The aftertaste should linger pleasantly. Only by tasting, as often as possible, can you begin to fathom the variations from brand to brand and even among the styles offered by a single brand.
With great chocolate, even the unsweetened type can provide pleasure. Unsweetened supermarket chocolate is inedible. But a few small bites of 99 percent chocolate, for example, with a coffee or Cognac can be thoroughly satisfying-extreme chocolate for those who dare.
CHOCOLATE KIOSKS NEXT?
Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate Co. (www.hwvi.com) is going to challenge Valrhona’s position as varietal king with its new chain of retail kiosks set to open in malls in the Midwest later this year. Hawaiian chocolate is the only chocolate grown in the United States and has won praise from well-known chefs and other celebrities.
WHERE TO FIND CHOCOLATE
Good-quality baking chocolate is sold at most specialty shops and many supermarkets. Elaine Gonzalez, author of “The Art of Chocolate,” suggests buying the imported bars of chocolate sold in supermarkets’ candy aisles for baking purposes. Gonzalez also notes that buying in bulk isn’t a bad idea. Dark chocolate has a shelf life of about a year if stored in a cool, dark place.
Here are a few places to find chocolate.
– Scharffen Berger chocolate (above) is sold at The Chopping Block, Marshall Field’s Marketplace departments on State Street and in Oak Brook, Treasure Island stores, Chalet on the Gold Coast, Sam’s Wines & Spirits, some Whole Foods Markets and the Epicure shop at Neiman Marcus, among others. Prices range from $6.50 to $9 for 9.7-ounce bars. Smaller 3-ounce bars cost $3.25 to $3.70. Treasure Island also sells it in bulk for $8 per pound. Chalet on the Gold Coast also is selling the 1-ounce bars for $2, as are most Whole Foods Markets.
– Callebaut semisweet chips are available at The Chopping Block, where a 1-pound bag costs $5.50. Treasure Island sells Callebaut in bulk in a variety of flavors at $6 to $7 per pound. It is also sold at Wild Oats in Hinsdale.
– El Rey is sold at Wild Oats in Hinsdale, some Whole Foods Markets, including the Gold Coast store, and Sam’s Wines & Spirits. It’s $2 to $2.50 for a 3.5-ounce bar.
– Felchlin dark chocolate from Switzerland is sold at Midwest Imports, 1121 S. Clinton St. A 5.5-pound block costs $22.88.
– Valrhona chocolate costs $7 per pound at Treasure Island stores. Whole Foods’ Gold Coast store sells an 8.75-ounce bar for $7. A 3.3-ounce bar costs $3 at Sam’s Wines & Spirits.
– Mail-order sources are another good bet. Here are two companies to call for product information or a catalog:
– The Baker’s Catalog, 800-827-6836, sells Van Leer, Peter’s Chocolate, Merckens, Guittard and Scharffen Berger.
– Country Kitchen Sweetart Inc., 219-482-4835, sells Peter’s Chocolate and Merckens.
– Sweet Celebrations, 800-328-6722, sells Valrhona, Callebaut, Lindt, Merckens and Peter’s Chocolate.
COUNTESS TOULOUSE-LAUTREC’S FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours-overnight
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
This “flourless cake” is adapted from “Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Chocolate Desserts,” by Maida Heatter. Don’t worry if it seems underbaked and may have cracks on top. After chilling, it firms up.
1 pound good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 14 sticks (5 ounces) butter, cubed, softened
4 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon flour
18 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar or to taste, see note
Whipped cream
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Butter 8-inch springform pan. Fit bottom with round of parchment paper; butter paper.
2. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until nearly melted. Remove from heat; stir to melt completely. Stir in butter a piece at a time. Transfer mixture to large bowl; set aside.
3. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour. Fold egg yolk mixture into chocolate.
4. Beat egg whites and salt in bowl of electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of whites into chocolate to lighten. Fold in remaining whites just until both mixtures are incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan; gently rotate pan to level batter.
5. Bake cake 15 minutes. Remove from oven; cool to room temperature. Cut cake away from sides of pan with sharp knife. Cover; refrigerate in pan at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Cut around pan again. Remove sides; invert cake on rack. Lift off bottom of pan; peel off paper. Invert cake; cut in wedges. Serve with whipped cream.
Note: The amount of sugar depends on the bitterness of the chocolate. If you are using chocolate that is labeled 70 percent chocolate solids, you will need the 6 tablespoons of sugar. With 62 to 65 percent chocolate, use 3 tablespoons, and with chocolate that is less than 62 percent or that does not have the percentage on the label, use 1 tablespoon.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……….. 360 Fat ………… 27 g Saturated fat .. 16 g
% cal. from fat …. 63 Cholesterol .. 115 mg Sodium ……. 175 mg
Carbohydrates ….. 32 g Protein ……. 4.6 g Fiber …….. 2.7 g
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 16 minutes per batch
Yield About 2 dozen cookies
These cookies, developed in the Tribune test kitchen, have a meringue-like outer crust but the center is soft and chewy.
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt semisweet chocolate and butter in small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.
2. Beat eggs in bowl of electric mixer on high speed, 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until almost white in color, about 4 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat until smooth. Stir in bittersweet chocolate and nuts by hand.
3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until almost firm when touched with finger, about 16 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes; transfer to wire rack.
Nutrition information per cookie
Calories ………. 110 Fat ………. 5.8 g Saturated fat .. 2.4 g
% cal. from fat ….. 44 Cholesterol .. 15 mg Sodium ……… 35 mg
Carbohydrates ….. 14 g Protein ….. 1.9 g Fiber ………. 0.7 g
DARK CHOCOLATE TART
Preparation time 25 minutes
Chilling time 30 minutes
Cooking time 50 minutes
Yield 10 servings
Adapted from “Ducasse Flavors of France,” by Alain Ducasse with Linda Dannenberg.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cubed, slightly softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces good-quality bitter-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
1 cup creme fraiche, see note, or whipped cream
1. Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter using pastry blender or 2 knives. Stir in egg; mix until dough comes together. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface; fit dough into 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart shell with aluminum foil or parchment paper; fill with dry beans or pastry weights. Bake 15 minutes, remove foil and weights. Bake until golden, 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.
3. Place 7 ounces of the chocolate in medium bowl. Heat milk to boil, pour over chocolate and stir gently until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in egg yolk. Cool completely.
4. Pour chocolate mixture into tart shell. Bake until filling is just set, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Shave remaining chocolate with vegetable peeler; sprinkle over top. Serve with creme fraiche.
Test kitchen note Creme fraiche is a thickened cream that has a slightly tangy flavor and rich texture. Look for it in some supermarket dairy sections or in specialty stores. (If you are unable to find creme fraiche in your dairy section, you can make your own. Stir together 1 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons buttermilk in non-reactive bowl or jar. Cover; let stand at room temperature until very thick, 8-24 hours. Stir mixture, cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.)
Nutrition information per serving
Calories ……….. 375 Fat ………… 26 g Saturated fat .. 16 g
% cal. from fat …… 60 Cholesterol .. 100 mg Sodium ……. 30 mg
Carbohydrates …… 34 g Protein …….. 5 g Fiber …….. 0.7 g
