How To Eat More Chocolate

From Tips to Recipes, We’re Taking You on a Journey To Consume It All

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Updated on 02/3/22

Chocolate is synonymous with decadent, rich, indulgent, and silky smooth, to name a few. But, with countless varieties and ways to enjoy it, we often only save it for special occasions or the infamous midnight munchies. We're here to say enough is enough. We want chocolate all day, every day. Okay, that may be a bit aggressive, but you get the point.

Whether you're team white chocolate or dark chocolate or anywhere in between, we want to take you on a journey to consume it all. Buckle up as we talk about how to buy, taste, bake, eat, and get lost in mesmerizing videos of flowing chocolate. Because the cocoa bean deserves more. And, YOU deserve more.

0:57

How to Melt Chocolate Without a Microwave

From Bean to Bar

Chocolate is the product of a long refining process that begins with cacao beans, a fruit of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground. Afterward, the resulting products include cocoa butter, a smooth, solid fat used in foods, liquor, or ground roasted cocoa beans. The main cacao-producing countries are the Ivory Coast and Ghana, although there are numerous smaller markets in South America and Africa.

The types of chocolate that come from this process is determined by the various amounts of cocoa butter and chocolate liquor (a misleading term, since this is a step in manufacturing, containing no alcohol) the chocolate contains, as well the amount of sugar and any other ingredients added to the mixture. Generally, the higher the percentage of cocoa bean in the bar, the more bitter the chocolate and the more intense the flavor.

Common Varieties

Cocoa Powder: Contains primarily cocoa solids, with only about 10 to 15 percent cocoa butter vs. the 50% or more in regular chocolate. Dutch-processed cocoa tends to taste milder, while natural cocoa powder can have a sharper, more acidic flavor.
White Chocolate: The European Union rules state white chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa butter and at least 14% milk solids. It has a sweet, buttery flavor with hints of vanilla and fresh milk.
Milk Chocolate: In the U.S., milk chocolate must be at least 10% cocoa solids and 12% milk solids. It is on the sweeter side, with notes of cooked milk, caramelized sugar, and a vanilla aftertaste
Blond Chocolate: Gaining traction through social media in 2021, this is simply white chocolate heated and stirred until it caramelizes, turning it a golden color and giving it a toasty, almost graham cracker-like flavor.
Bittersweet Chocolate: The FDA requires bittersweet chocolate to contain at least 35% cacao, but most manufacturers make their bars with 50 to 60%.

Semisweet Chocolate: The term "semi-sweet" isn't regulated by the government, but most bars have between 15 and 35% cacao. Semi-sweet chocolate also tends to have a bit more sugar than bittersweet, though this isn't always the case.
Dark Chocolate: This can range from 60% to 100% in cocoa, encapsulating bittersweet and semisweet. It doesn't contain milk solids or the sugar content found in the sweeter chocolate flavor in most candy bars, giving it a bitter, more intense flavor.
Cocoa Nibs: Nibs are simply crushed bits of the meat from those raw cacao beans. They have the bitter, complex flavor of unsweetened dark chocolate, with a firm but chewy texture similar to roasted coffee beans.

Hot Chocolate

A tall mug of sultry hot chocolate is easy to love, especially when it comes with all the fixings. As the temperature drops and the winter blues creep in, we find delight in the cheer hot chocolate season brings.

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Hot Chocolate Bombs in a cups and on platters

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Sipping Our Way Around the World

Hot Chocolate Mug Cake — The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

Put a Spin on It

Make It a Party

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake makes any occasion (big or small) a special occasion. Some of the most iconic movie moments include chocolate cake—you know the scenes we're talking about: Matilda, Chef, Sixteen Candles, and more. It is a true classic with countless varieties for all palates, cravings, and dietary restrictions.

The Classics

Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake on a platter and cake slices on plates

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

A Recipe for Every Lifestyle

Make It Cute

Pudding & Mousse

So luscious and creamy, you can't stop until you hit the bottom of the bowl. That's exactly what we hope for when we dive into any mousse or pudding recipe. And yes, there is a difference between the two. Pudding is made by cooking a milk and sugar base, then adding cornstarch or eggs to thicken the mixture. The light and airy texture of mousse comes from whipping air into egg whites or cream, then gently folding it into the chocolate mixture.

Pudding

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

The Spruce / Karen Hibbard

Mousse

Take It up a Notch

Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies on a baking sheet, with salt in a small bowl

Candies Galore

There's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to the world of chocolates. Here, you'll find everything from fudgy truffles to fudgy brownies to fudge-like cookies and not-so-fudgey strawberries. These are your go-to gifts and late-night snacks that will put a smile from ear to ear on anyone.

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Truffles

Cookies

Strawberries

Cocktails

We like to drink our chocolate just as much as we like to eat it. From boozy milkshakes to sweet martinis, many cocktails feature chocolate-flavored alcohol. Crème de cacao is used most often because it was the original chocolate-flavored liquor in bars, but other liqueurs, such as Dorda, Godiva, Mozart, and Patrón XO Cafe, are good alternatives that will work in many recipes.

Classics

The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

For the Candy Lovers

Pour all of the glaze in the middle of the cake

Before You Cocoa, Check Out These Tips

Chocolate can be intimidating. Sometimes even confusing when understanding tempering temperatures for different varieties. And, it can definitely be messy. That's where we come in. When chocolate melts, it is ideally a beautifully smooth, shiny, and satiny mixture. With a little bit of patience and a few simple tools, you can achieve patisserie-level results every time.

4:13

Finally Get Chocolate to Listen to You!

Your Equipment Checklist

Do you have what it takes? Of course you do. But we're talking about kitchen equipment. Whether you're looking to create beautiful chocolate-covered confections or simply want to make your best batch of brownies yet, we've got recommendations for you.

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