Viscosity

The viscosity of chocolate is determined primarily by its fat content. Viscosity is a crucial consideration for dipping or enrobing chocolates. For this purpose, the confectioner generally chooses a low-viscosity chocolate, which sets up to provide a thin shell with well-defined corners. Low-viscosity chocolate helps maintain a low ratio of chocolate to center and prevents the chocolate covering from overpowering the center. A chocolate being used for making ganache or for flavoring fudge does not require the cocoa butter content that a dipping chocolate needs. In fact, a lower cocoa butter content is often desirable for this type of application. Cocoa butter does not contribute chocolate flavor, is expensive, and can lead to separated emulsions due to excessive fat.