Storing Chocolate

Chocolate should always be stored in a cool dry place, away from strong smells as it absorbs flavours very easily. If you live in a very hot climate, you may have to store it in the refrigerator. Before doing so, wrap it well in plastic and put it in a hermetically sealed container. Allow it to come back to room temperature very slowly before unwrapping it. (Think of a bottle of wine coming out of the fridge into a warm room, condensation appears on the glass almost immediately – if this were allowed to settle on chocolate it would cause a sugar bloom (the moisture causes sugar crystals in the chocolate to migrate to the surface and then recrystallize) which would be disastrous.