I. The Name “Chocolate”
EU directive specifies a minimum of 35% cocoa solids to be able to use the sale name “ Chocolate” or it will only be considered as “Candy.” In November, 2015, Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Agency also declared that Taiwan will follow CODEX and updated the food labels in all retail commodities in between “chocolate” and “chocolate flavored candy.”
Act | Date of entry into force | Final date for implementation in the Member States |
Directive 2000/36/EC | 03.08.2000 | 03.08.2003 |
A. SALES NAMES & DEFINITIONS
3. Chocolate (a) designates the product obtained from cocoa products and sugars which, subject to (b), contains not less than 35 % total dry cocoa solids, including 14 % of dry non-fat cocoa solids; |
4. Milk chocolate (a) designates the product obtained from cocoa products, sugars and milk or milk products, which, subject to (b) contains: not less than 25 % total dry cocoa solids, not less than 14 % dry milk solids obtained by partly or wholly dehydrating whole milk, semi- or full-skimmed milk, cream, or from partly or wholly dehydrated cream, butter or milk fat, |
With that being said, Diva Life Chocolatier has been using 100% cocoa butter since day one to make the highest quality of Belgium chocolates; provides the finest chocolates by European rules and Codex. The melting point of cocoa butter is just below the human body temperature -- explaining why it literally melts in your mouth.
Reference Index:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2000:197:0019:0025:EN:PDF
II. One piece dark chocolate per day, a doctor away
III. Bitter V.S. Less Sweet
Often times, people think bitter chocolates contain higher percentage of cocoa solids, therefore, bitter chocolates are better! In fact, a good chocolate or better chocolates MUST NOT taste bitter! A higher percentage chocolates only means we add less sugar in making chocolates, which makes the chocolates taste LESS SWEET, but definitely now bitter! (same logic with tasting wine, will you think a bitter wine is a good wine?!)
Because the opposite of “less sweet” in meaning is NOT bitter, therefore, it does not make bitter chocolates a good chocolates. Contrarily, a good chocolate MUST NOT taste bitter not unsmooth. It should taste a bit pure or fruity sour, sweet and smooth.
IV. How do you tell a good chocolate?
A good chocolate must be slightly shiny and mahogany brown in color. Must not be dull or too dark. Because of its fine coating, a good chocolate must not be brittle but must melt in the mouth. Must never be bitter or astringent. The taste of a good chocolate must linger and be mouthwatering.
V. Chocolate will NOT make you fat!
10 grams of milk chocolates contain only 40 calories; serving the same minimal amount of calories as 50 grams of spinach does. With regular exercises and a maintaining health lifestyle, chocolates will not make you fat!
VI. Chocolate does NOT cause acne
Chocolates do not aggravate acne. Experiments conducted at the University of Pennsylvania indicate that consumption of chocolate will have no effect on the cause of acne. Professional dermatologists today do not link acne with diet.
VII. Chocolate pairing
Champagne and sparkling wines do not pair well with milk or dark chocolate because of their acidity, which reacts with chocolate, causing a tart taste to occur. Instead, try white chocolate with champagne and red wines with dark chocolate.
It’s now very trendy to combine chocolates with caviar too, try 1 round bar of white chocolates plus 5 g caviar, you will learn the new meaning of “happiness”!
How to combine chocolate and caviar?
One of the “sweet and salty” combinations proved to be very tasty is chocolate and caviar. Analysis of both ingredients showed that they have flavor components in common. This combination set the base of the Food-pairing hypothesis. Originally, the combination was made with dark chocolate. For the visual aspect this was replaced by white chocolate, which is as good as indicated by the Food-pairing tree. (see food pairing chart below)