Real Chocolate: How can you tell?

Question: What is real chocolate?

Gayle: Real chocolate always contains cocoa butter which is the fat derived from the cocoa bean.

Question: So, if there's no cocoa butter, it's not real chocolate. So how can you tell if the chocolate you're eating has cocoa butter?

Gayle: Cocoa butter melts at body temperature. So that’s why real chocolate -- really good chocolate -- melts in your mouth.

Question: So, it's that simple?

Gayle: Yes! If a chocolate melts in your mouth, it's real chocolate.

Question: Okay, so what is fake chocolate made of?

Gayle: The proper term for fake chocolate is "compound chocolate". Compound chocolate is chocolate without cocoa butter. A cheaper source of fat replaces cocoa butter.

Question: So how can you tell if you've got fake... I mean, compound chocolate?

Gayle: Compound chocolate won't melt in your mouth because the cocoa butter's been removed.

Question: But won't cheap sources of fat melt in your mouth too?

Gayle: No. Cheaper sources of fat melt at higher temperatures.

Question: Okay, so where do we find compound chocolate?

Gayle: Compound chocolate is mostly used for things that are shipped in the summer, like cookies coated in chocolate.

Question: That makes sense. Why else would someone use it?

Gayle: Compound chocolate is the easy way out. It's less work, but also less flavor. It's easier to work with if you're making chocolates at home.

Question: How so?

Gayle: Real chocolate needs to be tempered, which means using a thermometer. That's because the fat crystals in cocoa butter are sensitive to heat. Compound chocolate can be melted without regard to temperature.

Question: So you don't need a thermometer to make compound chocolate...

Gayle: One more thing... When you see real chocolate that has a dull or streaked look, it's because the cocoa butter has separated to the surface.

Real Chocolate: Final Thoughts