Common Cocoa and Chocolate Products

Cocoa beans are grown in the tropics, but they are processed into cocoa and chocolate products where they are consumed, throughout Europe, North America, and other regions of the world. Cocoa and chocolate products can be categorized as cocoa products, chocolate products, and confectionery coatings. Cocoa products are unsweetened. They include cocoa nibs, chocolate (cocoa) liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter. Chocolate products are sweetened. They are highly processed and more refined than cocoa products, and while they vary in price, expect to pay a premium for them. Chocolate products include bittersweet dark chocolate, sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and couvertures. Confectionery coatings are low-cost products made from cocoa, vegetable fats other than cocoa butter, and sugar. Both chocolate products and confectionery coatings can be purchased as blocks (often 10 or 11 pounds/4.5 or 5 kilograms) or drops, also called coins or chips. Because they are small in size, drops are convenient to melt and use.