CHOCOLATE EXPERT GUESSES CHEAP VS EXPENSIVE CHOCOLATE

This fascinating episode of Chocolate Expert Guesses Cheap vs. Expensive Chocolate, by the popular YouTube Channel Epicurious, allows us into the mind chocolate of expert Amy Guittard of Guittard Chocolate Company to guess which chocolate is more expensive.

Guittard breaks down baking chips (aka chocolate chips), white chocolate, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder. For each type, the connoisseur looks at and taste tests each chocolate before guessing which chocolate costs more. Once the prices are revealed, Guittard explains why a specific chocolate costs more and dives into specifics on how each chocolate is prepared.

Here are some points Amy has put aside for us viewers to note when tasting or buying different chocolate.

Baking Chips – What to look for:

• A white-ish 'bloom' may be a sign of improper storage.
• An overpowering sugar flavour may indicate a cheaper product.
• Coarse Grind is a sign of rushed processing and leads to uneven melting.

Milk Chocolate – What to look for:

• Better dairy may produce a better product.
• Rough edges when breaking the chocolate piece indicate larger particles and grainier chocolate.

White Chocolate – What to look for:

• "White chocolate" is a minimum 20% cocoa butter
• An off-white colour may indicate fewer additives
• Cocoa butter melts at body temperature. If the chocolate doesn't melt easily, there may be additional oils in it, like vegetable oil.

Cocoa Powder – What to look for:

• Lingering full flavour indicates higher quality.
• "Dutched" cocoa powder will be darker and have a more mellow flavour.
• Burnt taste may be a sign the process was rushed.

Dark Chocolate – What to look for:

• Air bubbles may be a sign of a lack of attention to detail, or a flaw in the process.
• A "moreish" flavour encourages you to eat a lot.
• A "sipping chocolate" will satisfy you after a few bites.