The Wonderful World of Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is a truly decadent treat that has a nice little side benefit of making a positive impact on the health of those who indulge in it. Not to be confused with its close sibling milk chocolate, dark chocolate does not contain the milk solids that are mixed in with the lighter and sweeter version. However, even within the categories of chocolates, there are variations that offer their own unique tastes and properties. If you are a fan of dark chocolate, learn more about it what it is and where you can find it.

Dark chocolate has a rich dark brown color to it and is categorized by the amount of cocoa solids are in the chocolate. The range of the percentage of cocoa solids in a bar usually starts at 30 percent. It can be as high as over 80 percent. In the United States, it only has to be a 15 percent concentration in order to be classified as dark. The European standard is a bit higher, and the cocoa solids must be above 35 percent. People can tell the difference when they look at the color and from the way the chocolate tastes. The lower percentages are a little lighter and will have more of a sweet taste to them. As you go higher in the percentage range, the taste becomes more bittersweet and the color darker. Also, in the higher ranges, the chocolate is a lot more brittle to the touch.

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