Chocolate

The flavor and consistency of chocolate desserts is determined almost entirely by the chocolate itself. While at one time American chocolate was distinctly inferior to European chocolate, there are now very high-quality producers in the United States. The best method for determining the quality of a brand of chocolate is simply to taste it.

Most chocolate sauces call for bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. One is not necessarily more bitter than the other—the names simply differ depending on the brand. Chocolate labeled bittersweet or semisweet contains cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar. The cocoa liquor is responsible for the color, bitterness, and depth of flavor of chocolate, while the cocoa butter gives it finesse and a smooth texture. In Europe the manufacturer is required to put the percentage of cocoa liquor on the label, and high-quality manufacturers in other places have continued this tradition.