Chocolate

Mmmmm... Chocolate. Delicious and intoxicating. Definitely a subject close to our hearts. Chocolate comes from the fruit of the Cacao tree. It is packaged in many forms and types. So let's take a look below to become familiar with them all.

Unsweetened

This is pure chocolate with no sugar added. It is too bitter to eat by itself. Unsweetened chocolate is available molded into 1 or 2 ounce blocks and packed four to eight in a box.

Semisweet

Semisweet and Bittersweet are the chocolates most used in baking. Sugar, lecithin, and vanilla are added to unsweetened chocolate to create these. One of the most familiar forms of Semisweet chocolate is chocolate chips. It is also available in molded squares.

Bittersweet

This is a Dark Chocolate that isn't as sweet. It also comes in molded bars.

Milk Chocolate

A very sweet chocolate with milk added to give it a creamy taste. This type of chocolate is most often used in making candy and not so much in baking.

White Chocolate

This is not really chocolate at all, but a blend of cocoa butter, sugar, milk and flavorings. It is available in a number of forms, including chips.

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa Powder is what is left after the cocoa butter has been removed.
There are two types of Cocoa Powder. Natural and Dutch Processed.

Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. It is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. 
It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and dissolves easily in liquids.   Its delicate flavor makes it ideal in baked goods like European cakes and pastries.  Companies that make Dutch Processed cocoa powder inclued: Droste, Lindt, Valrhona, Poulain.

Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. The flavor makes it well suited for use in brownies and cookies. When natural cocoa (an acid) is used in recipes calling for baking soda (an alkali), it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven. Popular brands are Hershey's and Ghirardelli.

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