Have you ever wonder what is the quality criteria to be checked to identify a quality chocolate?
In order to find answers to this question, the chocolate has to appeal to all 5 senses.
The Smell
Chocolate is a very fragrant product. The stronger and more persistent the smell is, the better it will be. Chocolate absorbs odors like a sponge thus if you realized, the scent of the chocolate is unusual, it would be a great idea to throw the chocolate away.
The Sight
Chocolate has to be glossy. If the chocolate surface turns white, this indicates bad preservation. In the case of milk chocolate, the color shall not be too light, nor too dark whereas, in the case of dark chocolate, the color shall be dark brown. The more mahogany shades the chocolate has, the finer it shall be.
The Hearing
Quality chocolate should be crisp and firm thus it would be interesting to listen to the sound it makes when you break it. If the breaking sound is crisp, clear, and sharp, it would mean it is quality chocolate while poor quality chocolate would make a dull sound when you break it.
The Touch
As highlighted before, quality chocolate should crisp and firm. In order to test the quality of chocolate, proceed as follows: Put a square of chocolate on the palm of your hand and close your hand. Wait for 20 seconds. If the chocolate square has not melted, it means it is bad quality chocolate.
The Taste
The texture of the chocolate should be smooth and silky. Good chocolate would melt in the mouth and is never be gritty. This has to do with a high content of cocoa butter, which guarantees good final quality. The taste of good chocolate should remain for a while and not fade away too immediately.