What type of chocolate bar do you like? If you answered ‘milk’ or ‘dark’ or even the ever perplexing ‘anything above 72%’, I implore you, even beg you to develop a sharper chocolate profile. There are many levels to chocolate that goes beyond the amount of cacao percentage and whether or not it contains milk. If you’re eating chocolate for health reasons alone, then the target of 72% cacao or higher is sufficient. But unless you’re eating an ounce or two a day, I highly suggest that you eat chocolate for it’s flavor profile.
In order to develop your chocolate profile you need to eat chocolate scientifically. You need to take notes, and be mindful of the different tastes and when those tastes begin and when it ends during the tasting experience.
First, make a list of the possible flavors in chocolate. Your list may include the following descriptions:
1. Chocolate
2. Bitter
3. Astringency
4. Acid
5. Fruit
6. Floral
7.Caramel
8. Other (such as buttery, woodsy, smokey, sour etc.)
The above should be evaluated using a scale factor from 1-10, with 1 being weak and 10 being very strong. Then there are other comments such as the following:
9. Mouth feel-Gritty, Smooth or Chalky?
10. Other comments (such as ’I would/wouldn’t buy this’ or ’This chocolate would be great to use in Aunt Martha’s chocolate cake recipe’, etc.)
11. Overall Rating from 1-10.
You should taste similar chocolates in one sitting. Comparing similar chocolates, such as two different bittersweet chocolates, two different 65% chocolates, or two different chocolate bars with almonds, etc. You’ll be able to tell exactly what elements makes for some great tasting chocolate.
Personally, I like bittersweet chocolate with high fruit notes, smooth mouth feel, low astringency, mid bitterness, never sour and my milk chocolates to have high chocolate notes, extremely smooth mouth feel, caramelly.
Stay tuned for part two of ‘How to Taste a Chocolate Bar’.
