Storing Bar Chocolate
There are four basic rules for keeping your chocolate in good condition and ready for consumption. Storage should be similar in manner to how you would store fine wine. Here they are:
Rule #1:
Store your chocolate at a temperature of between 65°F and 70°F.
Rule #2:
Store your chocolate in a dry place (preferably below 50% humidity.)
Rule #3:
Keep your chocolate out of direct sunlight.
Rule #4:
Keep your chocolate away from strong odors.
Chocolate’s Life Span:
Following these rules will give you about the following "life expectancy":
- White chocolate: 3-4 months (shorter shelf life due to higher milk solid content)
- Milk chocolate: 9-12 months
- Unsweetened, bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate: 15-18 months
FAQs:
Question: Should bar chocolate be refrigerated?
Answer: Bar chocolate is very stable and does not need to be refrigerated if the room temperature is reasonably cool. However, if you do not have a place to store the chocolate that will have a temperature in the 70°F or lower range, you may want to consider refrigeration. While refrigeration can prolong the chocolate’s shelf life (up to 25%,) there are two pitfalls you should avoid. The first is to keep moisture away from the chocolate. Leave the chocolate it its wrapper and then wrap it in foil. Next place it a sealable plastic bag or other airtight container before putting it in the refrigerator. The second problem to protect against is storing chocolate beside strongly scented food items (like onions or garlic) in your refrigerator because chocolate is notorious for absorbing scent. When you are ready to use the chocolate, take the sealed container out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit until it comes up to room temperature (about 2 hours). This will keep any moisture from forming directly on the chocolate. It is not recommended that you refrigerate the chocolate a second time.
Question: Can bar chocolate be frozen?
Answer: Sure…just take the same precautions with wrapping as you would with refrigeration. (see answer directly above) When you are ready to thaw the chocolate, move it to the refrigerator for about 6 hours, still in its sealed wrappings, and then set it out for another 2 hours until it reaches room temperature. Freezing can increase the life span of the chocolate by up to 50%. Do not refreeze it.
Question: If I buy that "special" chocolate bar but it melts, is there any hope of restoring it?
Answer: You can cool the bar until it returns to a solid state. It will still be edible (the taste may or may not be altered) but the appearance might suffer. When returning it to a solid form it may develop what is referred to as "bloom," a cosmetic condition that looks as though the chocolate is cloudy or with streaks or spots.
Question: What is "bloom" on chocolate?
Answer: Cocoa butter, sugar, milkfat and other ingredients are added, melted and held at certain temperatures when chocolate is made. If the cocoa butter for some reason does not crystallize correctly, the cocoa butter crystals end up on the surface of the chocolate and the reflection of light off these crystals creates a clouded or discolored hazy white surface.
Bloom can also result when chocolate is subjected to heat after it has been formed into bars. When melted chocolate hardens again, it will display bloom. Chocolate will melt at body temperature, around 95°F to 100°F. Even though chocolate is not fully melted, at temperatures above 70° part of the chocolate may no longer be completely crystallized. When stored at temperatures between 85°F to 90°F, the chocolate can develop bloom within weeks. In addition to temperature, the kind of cocoa butter used in making a particular chocolate can influence the likelihood of it developing bloom. Malaysian and Indonesian cocoa butters are considered harder and more resistant to bloom, while Brazilian and other South American cocoa butters are considered soft. Ivory Coast and other African cocoa butters are in the midrange of melting points.
By the way, you can get rid of bloom by melting the chocolate and tempering it all over again.
Question: Do the answers above apply to chocolate products other than pure bars, like chocolates with filled centers, truffles, etc.?
Answer: Not necessarily … it depends on the nature of the fillings, additives and flavorings used. You should check with the manufacturer about specific products.