Chocolate

Chocolate basically consists of two components: cocoa solids (including cocoa butter) and sugar. Chocolate with a cocoa-solid content of 85 per cent or over is considered unpalatable because it is too bitter. Extra-bitter chocolate ranges from 75 to 85 per cent cocoa solids, but is palatable. A bitter chocolate will be in the 55–75 per cent range, when it should hold 31 per cent cocoa butter. Valrhona ‘Grand Cru’, which falls into this category, is probably the best for cooking. There are also bitter-sweet and semi-sweet chocolates: the bitter-sweet varieties must always include a minimum of 35 per cent cocoa butter within the solids, which makes it easier to work with.