Tasting Handmade Chocolates – A Little Form of Art In Itself

Store It Properly

First, to make sure the shape remains intact or to protect it from melting, we should be careful to store the chocolates properly. We should not store them in the refrigerator, and similarly we should never put them beside the radiator or the stove. Focus should be given to keep it dry and cool, ideally between 17°C and 20°C. The best places can be the basement, the back of the pantry, or alighted in a box on a windowsill. Sealing the chocolate inside an airtight container is also a very good way to keep it from losing its original taste. When you are ready to taste, the chocolate should have come to the room temperature, around 22°C. It may sound preposterous, but a few degrees on either side of the right temperature can cause a big difference in tastes.

Make A Sound Observation:

When you unwrap chocolate, have a closer look at it. Presence of any white patches or a dusty coating might give you the impression of mold. But in reality, it’s an assurance that the chocolate has blossomed — without going into scientific jargon let me just say that the fat or sugars, or both, have gone up to the surface. The chocolate is still edible but it might taste gritty or greasy. These are the chocolates that are best baking, or melting it into hot chocolate. The chocolates that are well-tempered will reflect a shining appearance, and you’ll probably hear an abrupt sound of snapping fingers when you get a piece breaking off from the chocolate.

Notice the color

The hues of the chocolates vary depending on the variety and origin of the cacao beans. Ghana and Tanzania may produce darker chocolates than that from Madagascar, which usually glows off a reddish cast. And the pristine and prestigious chocolates of Porcelana or Peruvian Nacional beans, it would have the amber shade resembling maple syrup.

Go For A Whiff:

I know it sounds horrendous, but still I will request you that before biting it in, have a piece broken off and have a sniff. The edge that you just have cut will award you the staunchest aroma will. It can give you a plethora of flavors added by the chocolate makers – you might get mango, pineapple or raspberries or it can be reminiscent of rubber and smoke and some makers will give you the flavor of even blue cheese. The aromas are markers for the chocolate’s flavors, guiding you to identify them when you actually start tasting.

Now You Can Taste:

Finally you have the chance to pop that piece in your mouth. Wait for a few seconds to give the chocolate the chance to be melted on your tongue. Then you can chew it a few times giving it more time to melt it some more. As you have probably anticipated, after dissolving, there will be mind-blowing flavors, and with the possibility of consisting different flavors. There might be sweet and fruity notes, like blackberries or coconut? Or they could be spicy oozing flavors of cinnamon or black pepper? The truth is, tasting chocolate is absolutely subjective; you cannot select one as right over the other. But if you catalogue the flavors as per your perception of what the best chocolates should taste, you’ll begin to discern which taste gets you flying. If you plan to taste a number of chocolates in one go, you should use palate cleaners (lemon water or plain crackers) between bars.

The Tastes Can Confuse You With The Texture:

If you get creaminess on the palate, it can modify the flavor. But it’s always good to differentiate the feel of mouth-fullness from the flavor in your mind. Because it’s a world of endless possibilities - even a little gritty bars can give you acute, composite flavors when you let them bedazzle you.

 

 

Now you know how to taste chocolate.

Then what makes you wait? Enjoy and get lost in the amazing world of handmade chocolates.