Storing Chocolate

If chocolate is exposed to high temperatures during storage, the cocoa butter will separate from the solids, collecting and hardening on the surface. This unattractive streaking is called bloom. Bloomed chocolate is harmless enough in recipes where the chocolate will be melted to reincorporate the cocoa butter. But if the chocolate is crumbly and grainy, the chocolate is the victim of sugar bloom, a sign that the chocolate was stored in a moist environment. The chocolate will never melt smoothly, so discard it.