Member-only story
Does Cocoa Percentage ACTUALLY Matter?
Recipe books and health gurus will often tell you that anything below 70% cocoa solids isn’t worth looking at. Are they right, though?
Chocolate is uniquely interesting. It’s one of the most dichotomous foodstuffs that human beings have ever discovered and created.
At one end of the scale you have dark chocolate. Some call it the only kind of chocolate. You’ll see it used in high end restaurants and prized patisseries, boasting its strength and bittersweet flavour. Similarly, you’ll see militant health bloggers and passionate vegans discuss the nutritional benefits of eating it regularly.
At the other end of the scale you have white chocolate. Revered by children and those of us with an insatiable sweet tooth. It is often viewed with distaste, seen as something beneath that of the sophisticated adult palate. You might find it in brightly coloured packaging, flavoured with cheap vanilla extract, or used as a throwaway decorative tool.
Are we too forgiving of one and too harsh on the other? Is dark chocolate ever a bad option? Can white chocolate ever be considered real chocolate?
Ultimately, in buying or cooking or eating, does cocoa percentage matter?
