 | Connie McCune and her husband Roger McCune are owners of Candy Bouquet and Candy Connection. Both have completed Candy Bouquet International training courses and are bouquet designers. In addition to Candy Bouquet International, they operate Candy Connection which is a “modern retro” candy store. ”Like” Candy Connection on Facebook. |
Candy, Chocolate & Sweets
2012-03-23 10:58:44
What makes different chocolates taste so different? - series - part 2
Q: I am a confessed chocoholic and my friends and family have gotten into a competition finding the most obscure chocolate makers in the world. This has led to some very interesting taste tests! What are the different types of chocolate and what makes different brands of chocolate taste so different?
A: We covered the different types of chocolate last month and now it is time to address the second part of your question.
If you want a very interesting taste test, try a Cadbury’s Chocolate from England and a piece from the United States. There is a noticeable difference between the two, highlighting your point.
Chocolate is much more complex than most people realize and any number of things can affect the flavor and texture. First, how you store chocolate can change the flavor and texture. For example, chocolate stored in a warm environment will go stale much more quickly than if stored in a cool environment. Freezing chocolate can change the texture in some cases.
Naturally, the ingredients used to make the candy have a profound effect on the result. One of the primary differences in different brands of chocolate would be the type, grade and amount of chocolate used in the product. This of course would change everything from the creaminess to chalkiness. Next, the type of sugar also makes a difference in taste, whether
it
is refined cane or beet sugar.
Many other things also play a role. Even in controlled recipes where the exact same ingredients, amounts and methods are used, the product can taste different based on where the ingredients were sourced. Milk’s flavor can vary significantly from country to country and even from region to region, for example.
Finally, our perception of the candy does play a role in the overall effect. You may prefer thick chocolate bars to thin ones with all else being the same because of the way it feels when you bite into it. As for me, it is hard to choose a favorite with so many choices in the world!
