Dark Chocolate – The Powerhouse of Intense Flavor
Dark chocolate, also called plain chocolate, is produced using only cocoa butter, with no milk fat included. It is made from chocolate liquor to which some sugar, more cocoa butter and vanilla are added. This variety stands as the ultimate choice for serious bakers who crave that deep, complex chocolate taste that can’t be matched by lighter alternatives. Dark chocolate can be eaten as is, or used in cooking, for which thicker baking bars, usually with high cocoa percentages ranging from 70% to 100%, are sold.
What makes dark chocolate particularly fascinating is its incredible range of flavor profiles. The flavor profile of dark chocolate can vary widely based on the cocoa content of the chocolate. It is often slightly-sweet and chocolatey, with notes of baked brownie, red fruit, and brown spice (think cinnamon or allspice). Due to its chocolate-forward flavor profile, dark chocolate is great for baking when your recipe needs a rich, chocolatey flavor. From the subtle sweetness of a sixty percent bar to the bold intensity of ninety percent cacao, each percentage offers a unique tasting experience that can transform your brownies from ordinary to extraordinary.
Bittersweet Chocolate – The Baker’s Best Friend
Bittersweet chocolate is a variety of chocolate with a cacao percentage of around seventy percent. The high cacao content makes the chocolate flavor deep and less sweet, with a slightly dry or crumbly texture. This sophisticated variety has become increasingly popular among home bakers who want to create desserts with more nuanced chocolate flavors. Bittersweet chocolate must contain at least 35 percent cocoa according to the FDA, but most bittersweet bars contain 50 percent, with others having as much as 80 percent cocoa. This type of chocolate often has a deeper, more bitter flavor than other types of chocolate.
The beauty of bittersweet chocolate lies in its versatility for both eating and baking. Unlike its sweeter cousins, it provides a perfect balance that doesn’t overwhelm other ingredients while still delivering that rich chocolate punch. Bittersweet chocolate has a rich, intense flavor with a slightly bitter taste. This is thanks to the higher cocoa content and lower sugar content. Bittersweet chocolate is often used in baking, cooking, and confectionery to add depth and complexity to desserts, sauces, and other dishes. Many professional chocolatiers consider it the gold standard for ganache and truffle making.
Semisweet Chocolate – The Crowd Pleaser
Semisweet chocolate contains at least 35 percent cocoa solids, but there are no official guidelines that govern what can be called “semisweet.” Semisweet chocolate falls somewhere between bittersweet chocolate and sweet dark chocolate. This variety represents the sweet spot between milk chocolate’s sweetness and dark chocolate’s intensity, making it incredibly popular for everyday baking projects. Semisweet chocolate usually has a cocoa percentage range of 40% to 60%. Semisweet chocolate usually has a cocoa percentage range of 40% to 60%. Our Semisweet Baking Bar has a cocoa percentage of 55%.
What makes semisweet chocolate so beloved by home bakers is its forgiving nature and universal appeal. It’s sweet enough to satisfy most palates while still providing genuine chocolate flavor that won’t disappoint chocolate lovers. Semi-sweet chocolate is a kind of dark chocolate, but due to the market’s variability in flavor and quality, there is no standard for how much sugar is in semi-sweet, though it does commonly have vanilla added. Whether you’re making your grandmother’s famous chocolate chip cookies or experimenting with a new mousse recipe, semisweet chocolate rarely lets you down.
Milk Chocolate – The Comfort Classic
Milk chocolate contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids (or condensed milk), making it sweeter and creamier than dark chocolate. This beloved variety holds the crown as the world’s most popular chocolate type, and for good reason. Milk chocolate is perhaps the most popular type of chocolate. It actually contains only 10 to 40 percent cacao mixed with sugar and milk (either condensed milk or milk solids). Milk chocolate is much sweeter than dark or bittersweet chocolate and has a lighter color and less-pronounced chocolate taste.
While some baking purists might turn their noses up at milk chocolate, it brings unique qualities to certain recipes that darker chocolates simply cannot match. Milk chocolate’s creamy sweetness makes it a versatile choice for a variety of baked goods. It’s ideal for: Cookies: Milk chocolate chips are a classic addition to cookies, offering a sweet contrast to the dough. Cakes and Cupcakes: Use milk chocolate for a softer, sweeter chocolate cake or as a filling for cupcakes. Chocolate Bars and Barks: Milk chocolate’s smooth texture makes it perfect for homemade chocolate bars and barks, especially when combined with nuts or dried fruits. Frosting and Fillings: Milk chocolate creates a lighter, sweeter ganache or frosting that pairs well with vanilla or caramel-flavored cakes.
White Chocolate – The Controversial Delight
White chocolate is easy to identify because of its cream or ivory color. It is made by combining sugar, cocoa butter, milk, vanilla, and lecithin (an emulsifier that helps the ingredients blend together). These ingredients give white chocolate its sweet vanilla aroma. Despite ongoing debates about whether it’s “real” chocolate, white chocolate has carved out its own important niche in both baking and snacking. White chocolate is unique because it does not contain any cocoa solids. The cocoa solids are what give chocolate it’s dark brown color and chocolatey taste that we all know and love.
The beauty of white chocolate lies in its ability to pair with bold flavors that might overpower other chocolates. Because it is very sweet, white chocolate shines with bitter, tart, or nutty flavors that offset its sweetness. White chocolate is ideal for making dipping and drizzling sauces, mousses, pastry creams, and confectionaries. Think of white chocolate as a blank canvas that allows other flavors to shine while providing that luxurious, creamy texture that melts beautifully on the tongue. White chocolate often has a flavor profile that can be described as predominately sweet, with bold notes of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Good quality white chocolate will have a rich, soft, and creamy texture — a characteristic that comes from its cocoa butter base and high sugar and milk content.
Ruby Chocolate – The Instagram Star
In 2017, a fourth type of chocolate, ruby chocolate was discovered by Belgian chocolate maker, Barry Callebaut. With its red-pink hue, this distinctive chocolate is noticeably different than its other chocolate counterparts. It is not colored white chocolate, but rather a color derived from a specific type of cacao — the ruby cocoa bean (a bean typically grown in Ecuador, Brazil, and the Ivory Coast.) This newcomer to the chocolate world has taken social media by storm with its natural pink color that photographs beautifully. Of all the newer chocolate trends, ruby chocolate has gained the most traction since it debuted in China in 2017.
What sets ruby chocolate apart isn’t just its stunning appearance but its unique flavor profile that’s unlike any traditional chocolate. Made from 47.5% cacao content and 26.3% milk, ruby cacao has flavors of intense fruitiness and fresh sour notes. This trendy new type of cacao is great for creating bold, fruit-forward chocolate treats and colorful Instagram-worthy chocolate confections. Ruby chocolate tastes like a fruity version of white chocolate, highlighted by notes of raspberry and lemon. The combination of under-fermented cacao beans and citric acid provide the fruity flavor, while the sugar and milk balance it out with sweetness. It’s become particularly popular among pastry chefs looking to create visually striking desserts that taste as good as they look.
Unsweetened Chocolate – The Pure Powerhouse
Unsweetened chocolate, also known as baking chocolate or bitter chocolate, is a pure form of chocolate. It is made from cocoa solids and cocoa butter without any added sugar. It is mainly made up of cocoa solids, the non-fat part of cocoa beans ground into a paste. This is chocolate in its most concentrated form, containing absolutely no sweeteners or additives. Unsweetened chocolate is a special type of chocolate made from 100% cacao. There is absolutely no added sugar. Unsweetened chocolate is made by grinding cacao beans into cocoa mass, also known as pure chocolate liquor. During this process, the cocoa butter is removed, leaving a very rich, dark chocolate flavor with absolutely no sugar and minimal fat.
While you wouldn’t want to snack on unsweetened chocolate straight from the package, it’s incredibly valuable for specific baking applications. It has a bitter, unsweetened flavor that can be unpleasant to eat on its own. Unsweetened chocolate is also relatively dry and crumbly as well due to the lack of milk solids, sugar, and cocoa butter. Bakers sometimes prefer to use unsweetened chocolate when making a recipe that includes a lot of added sugar or other sweeteners. This allows for precise control over sweetness levels while maximizing chocolate intensity, making it perfect for recipes where you want pure chocolate flavor without competing sweetness.
Organic Chocolate – The Conscious Choice
Organic chocolate is chocolate which has been certified organic, generally meaning that there are no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides used in growing the cocoa beans producing the chocolate. As of 2016, it was a growing sector in the global chocolate industry. Organic chocolate is a socially desirable product for some consumers. This variety represents more than just a farming method – it’s a statement about environmental responsibility and health consciousness that’s increasingly important to modern consumers.
The appeal of organic chocolate extends beyond environmental concerns to include flavor considerations. Many organic chocolate producers focus on single-origin beans and traditional processing methods that can result in more complex, nuanced flavors. The chocolate candy bars are certified organic by the USDA and are project verified as non-genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Aiming to provide a nostalgic chocolate candy product with simple and organic ingredients, Justin’s new chocolate bars are kosher, gluten-free and free from stevia or sugar alcohols. Justin’s hopes to tap into the permissible indulgence trend with simple, organic ingredients. This attention to quality ingredients often translates to better performance in baking applications, where pure flavors can truly shine.
Couverture Chocolate – The Professional’s Choice
Couverture chocolate is a class of high-quality chocolate containing a higher percentage of cocoa butter than other chocolate which is precisely tempered. This premium chocolate variety is what professional chocolatiers and pastry chefs reach for when they need absolute perfection in their creations. This high percentage of cocoa butter gives the chocolate a glossy finish and a firm snap when properly tempered. It is available in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties. Couverture chocolate is ideal for dipping, enrobing, and candy-making. It is not recommended for baking.
The superior cocoa butter content in couverture chocolate makes it incredibly smooth and workable, but it requires specific handling techniques to achieve its potential. When properly tempered, couverture chocolate produces that satisfying snap when broken and develops a beautiful glossy finish that remains stable at room temperature. While it might be overkill for everyday baking projects, couverture chocolate is invaluable for special occasion desserts, holiday treats, and any time you want to impress with professional-quality results. Its superior melting properties also make it the preferred choice for chocolate fountains and elaborate decorative work.
Raw Chocolate – The Health Enthusiast’s Dream
Raw chocolate is chocolate that has not been processed, heated, or mixed with other ingredients. It is sold in chocolate-growing countries and to a lesser extent in other countries. It is often promoted as being healthy. This variety appeals to health-conscious consumers who believe that minimal processing preserves the nutritional benefits of cacao. Raw chocolate includes many essential antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. This includes protein, iron, and fiber.
Raw chocolate offers a completely different experience from traditional processed chocolates, with flavors that can be surprisingly complex and fruity. The lack of roasting means that the natural flavors of the cacao beans shine through without the caramelized notes that develop during traditional processing. While it might taste unusual to those accustomed to conventional chocolate, many fans appreciate its earthier, more authentic flavor profile. It is often promoted as being healthy. Raw chocolate includes many essential antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. This includes protein, iron, and fiber. For baking, raw chocolate works particularly well in no-bake recipes and raw desserts that don’t require heating.
Vegan Chocolate – The Plant-Based Revolution
Vegan chocolate describes any chocolate that doesn’t contain animal products. To make vegan chocolate, manufacturers use dairy-free milk alternatives such as oat milk, coconut milk or almond milk. The plant-based movement has driven incredible innovation in chocolate manufacturing, creating options that rival traditional dairy-based chocolates in taste and texture. Plant-based eating has become mainstream, with a stable global interest in plant-based chocolate. In Chinese and Italian-speaking countries, we predict a significant growth in demand by 2025. As vegan and flexitarian diets become more normalized, consumer demands for plant-based chocolate-infused snacks and treats are evolving. Not only is the widespread availability of plant-based options expected, but vegan products should also be equally tasty as their animal-based counterparts. Compromising on quality or indulgence is not an option.
What’s particularly exciting about modern vegan chocolates is how they’ve moved beyond being mere substitutes to becoming desirable products in their own right. But vegan chocolate doesn’t always need to have a dairy-free alternative to be vegan. Dark chocolate is typically naturally vegan because milk isn’t used during processing. Many artisan vegan chocolate makers are experimenting with unique plant-based ingredients like cashew cream, coconut milk, and even avocado to create rich, creamy textures that compete with traditional milk chocolate. The variety available today means that choosing vegan chocolate no longer requires sacrificing taste or baking performance.
Gold Chocolate – The Caramel Innovation
At a glance, gold chocolate looks like white chocolate that has been dyed gold. Yes, in its simplest form, gold chocolate is essentially white chocolate combined with caramel. But this new concoction doesn’t rely on colors or flavorings. Instead, during processing, caramelized sugar and caramelized milk are added to create a unique mix of flavors – the taste profile is caramel-forward with notes of toffee, butter cream and a hint of biscuit. This relatively new addition to the chocolate family offers something completely different from traditional varieties.
Gold chocolate (also called blonde chocolate) isn’t quite as sweet as white chocolate, as it contains about 30 percent cocoa butter and 28 percent milk. The development of gold chocolate represents chocolate makers’ ongoing quest to create new flavor experiences that go beyond the traditional categories. Its rich, butterscotch-like notes make it particularly appealing for autumn and winter desserts, where those warm, caramelized flavors can truly shine. There are some specialist chocolate bars in this category, known as ‘toasted white’ or ‘blonde’ chocolate. This particular variety of chocolate brings out biscuity and natural caramel flavor notes. For bakers, gold chocolate opens up exciting possibilities for creating desserts with complex caramel notes without actually having to make caramel from scratch.
Looking at these twelve chocolate varieties, it’s clear that we’re living in a golden age of chocolate diversity. From the intense complexity of high-percentage dark chocolate to the innovative fruity notes of ruby chocolate, each variety brings its own personality to both snacking and baking applications. The chocolate world continues to evolve with trends toward sustainability, health consciousness, and exciting flavor innovations. Whether you’re a casual baker looking for reliable results or an adventurous cook ready to explore new territories, there’s never been a better time to experiment with different chocolate varieties. What surprises will chocolate makers come up with next?
