What Chocolate to Use

Asked by pramin2089. Answered on 27th July 2015

Full question

Hi, Nigella always mentions in her chocolate recipes to use good quality chocolate. Can you please tell me how to choose a good quality chocolate? I live in the USA, are there any good brands? Thanks, pramin2089.

Our answer

Like many chefs, Nigella prefers if possible to use a dark (bittersweet) chocolate with a minimum cocoa solids (cacao) content of 70%. Chocolate is a blend of cocoa solids (what remains of the cocoa bean once the cocoa butter/oils have been extracted), cocoa butter, a little sugar, a little vanilla and emusifiers (usually lecithin, which comes from soy). Using a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids usually means the chocolate has a deep flavour. The cocoa solids content is usually now marked on the bar (may be called cacao or cocoa liquor instead of cocoa solids). Avoid chocolate marked as "baking chocolate" as it is unsweetened and can be too bitter.

In the US a minumum of 62% cocoa solids can be more common for some of the US premium brands of bittersweet chocolate and we have found that this is fine to use if you can't buy one with 70% cocoa solids. We do not have a particular brand to recommend but Ghiradelli and Scharffen Berger are usually good quality. You may also be able to find some of the European brands, with 70% cocoa solids, in supermarkets. Some brands to look for are Lindt, Green & Black's and Callebaut.