Storing Chocolate

The best way to store chocolate or cocoa is to keep it well wrapped in an airtight container at a temperature of 60° to 75°F/15 to 23°C, with less than 50 percent relative humidity. Chocolate is quick to absorb odors and must not be exposed to dampness. Under these conditions, dark chocolate should keep well for at least 2 years. I have experienced chocolate stored in ideal conditions for several years and it seems to age like a fine wine, becoming more mellow and subtle. Milk chocolate keeps, even in optimum conditions, for only a little over a year, and white chocolate, for about a year.