Four Telltale Signs Of Good Quality Chocolate

Chef Bakhtiani’s chocolate philosophy

Chocolate became Bakhtiani's medium primarily because of its versatility. According to the chef, chocolate and art involve shared techniques that elevate both disciplines to new heights of creativity such as stencilling, moulding, and airbrushing among others. Like finding the right shade of colour for a particular setting, chef Bhaktiani likens pairing chocolate with interesting ingredients that work with the flavours of each bar. Every chocolate has its nuances but some hallmarks remain for good quality chocolate.

Signs of good quality chocolate

1. Aroma
Next, you need to judge its aroma. Good quality chocolate will smell fruity and earthy, like the aroma of the cocoa fruit, rather than burnt and sugary.

2. Appearance
First and foremost, you need to observe how the chocolate looks. It should be smooth with a sheen that indicates it was tempered correctly. Air bubbles or cracks may indicate incorrect storage or tempering techniques. Look out for that lovely brown “chocolate” colour as well.

3. Taste
As soon as you bite into good quality chocolate, it should feel smooth and velvety with a rich taste with floral or fruity undertones from the cocoa it’s made from. It should allow other flavours to come through.

4. Texture
Quality chocolate made with cocoa butter will melt evenly in your hands and mouth. If it feels grainy or waxy, it most likely has high vegetable fat content. Additionally, the chocolate should snap cleanly when broken in half rather than bending or crumbling.

Most importantly: Balance is key.

Chef Bakhtiani emphasises that there is no such thing as right or wrong chocolate as much as it is about balanced chocolate. The smell, aroma, and taste of good quality chocolate should feel like a balanced symphony of flavours. The flavour should be multi-layered, with notes of different ingredients, nuts, and spices coming through. Even the percentage of cocoa contributes towards the balanced taste. Milk chocolate generally has 30% cocoa whereas dark chocolate has over 45% cocoa.

Does the source of the chocolate matter?

When sourcing his chocolate for a new collection, chef Bakhtiani isn’t looking at a particular country’s chocolate because he thinks it’s superior to the rest; he looks for a particular flavour profile. Ether sources chocolate from India as well. He feels highly optimistic and excited about India’s future in the chocolate game. He observes that the agriculture of cocoa beans is still in its growth phase so its cocoa beans aren’t as refined as in other countries which preserves its nuances and notes.

At the end of the day, Chef Prateek Bakhtiani strongly suggests that people should enjoy whatever chocolate makes them feel happy. “If you enjoy premium chocolate, go for it. If you enjoy Cadbury, you should eat that.”