Most people are familiar with the two most-popular types of chocolate: dark and milk chocolate. However, there are several other standard types that deserve attention including bitter chocolate.

What Is It?

Bitter chocolate is the most pure type of chocolate that is sold. It is created directly from the cocoa bean and has no added ingredients. Cocoa beans are harvested raw, fermented and roasted. Once roasted, the beans are broken out of the hull and the cocoa nibs are ground and compressed into a liquid known a cocoa liqueur. This liqueur contains nothing but cocoa solids and cocoa butter, both naturally present in the processed cocoa bean. Bitter chocolate is fully created when the conching process is finished, which smooths the texture to make it more palatable and creamy. Before conching, bitter chocolate can be turned into pure cocoa powder, or finished as a bitter chocolate solid. At this stage, some manufacturers do, however, add extra cocoa butter for a smoother texture.

Bitter chocolate is less familiar to many people because it is not considered an eating chocolate. Instead, it is mainly used for baking and for mixing with other ingredients to make chocolate confections, including dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Bitter chocolate is not very palatable without added sugar.

Variables in Quality

Because bitter chocolate is created in such a simple and straightforward way, the variables that lead to differences in quality are usually very detail-oriented. There is usually no additions to bitter chocolate, so any flavor or texture variation comes from the manufacturing process itself. This is especially the case when it comes to conching. The conching process involves both heat and temperature. Any misjudgment of either factor can cause the bitter chocolate to separate, granulate or scorch. In most cases, people who do not like darker chocolate pick up on an end note of extreme bitterness that can be created when conching is done incorrectly. Of course, without any sugar added, even well made bitter chocolate will be naturally, well, bitter. However, the bitterness should be pure and discernible, mellowing with the addition of sugar, vanilla and other ingredients.

Liqueur or Bitter Chocolate?

In some recipes, chocolate liqueur is called for, while other recipes favor bitter chocolate. In reality, the flavors are the same. Bitter chocolate is nothing more than chocolate liqueur that is finished to its hardened state. Chocolate liqueur and bitter chocolate can be used interchangeably but the other ingredients may need to be slightly altered to account for the difference in texture. When the bitter chocolate is melted, no change at all should be necessary.

While bitter chocolate might not be something that most people would want to pop straight into their mouth, it’s an important component of all other types of chocolate and the foundation of which any quality chocolate is made. If using bitter chocolate, be sure to add sufficient sugar for the taste you are going for. To lighten bitter chocolate milk solids add a creamy texture and vanilla brings out undertones that many palettes appreciate.