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The Academy of Chocolate States the following about fine chocolates: "Fine Chocolate" is with at least 60% cocoa solids for dark chocolate or 30% cocoa solids for milk chocolate, with no added vegetable fat and no artificial preservatives or additives. The emulsifier, lecithin, is allowed, as is real vanilla. Vanillin and "Vanilla flavor" are not permitted.
A mass market chocolate bar contains the following:
- 1% Lecithin,
- 3% Vegetable fats,
- 11.4% cocoa solids,
- 20% milk solids,
- 64.6% is sugar.
Whereas a fine chocolate bar contains the following:
- 1% Lecithin,
- 50-70% of cocoa solids, which includes at least 31% cocoa butter.
- 30-50% of sugar.
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The various possible fillings of gourmet chocolates:
Boilings.
Boilings include caramels, butterscotch, and fudge, and are based on sugar and glucose. Butter and other milk products provide the texture variation, while the temperature at which the mixture is boiled accounts for the softness or hardness of the final product. The boilings inside those gourmet chocolates will keep you coming back for more! Boilings are popular in the U.K., U.S., and in Europe!
Creams and Fondants.
These are made with sugar, water, and confectionery glucose, and consist of sugar crystals in a sugar syrup that often incorporates fruit and other flavorings. It is then coated in a tempered chocolate.
This term literally means "crunchy" and refers to melted sugar with the addition of crushed almonds or hazelnuts, depending on the country that they are from.
Gianduja.
This is very finely ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts, and sugar mixed with dark or milk chocolate. It is often present in small, rounded, triangular blocks which are wrapped in foil.
Marzipan.
This is melted sugar mixed with finely ground almonds--often flavored with pistachios. It is usually coated in tempered chocolate.
Praline.
This is very similar to a gianduja except that it is usually coated in milk or dark chocolate. Praline was so popular in Belgium that it became the generic term for a particular type of Belgian chocolate, characterized by its sweet whipped creamy center.
Nougat.
It is a mixture of whipped egg white, boiled sugar or honey, nuts, and candied fruit. This is also known as Montelimar, after the French town, famous for its manufacture, Torrone in Italy, and Turron in Spain.
Truffles.Chocolate truffles have become synonymous with luxury and a delicious taste experience. Truffles are made in a wide variety of tastes. In many chocolate houses, the chocolatier's finest ingredients are reserved for the truffles. And could we live without these mouth-watering gourmet chocolates? I couldn't, those truffles are just too good and a little indulging in such a small delight wouldn't hurt... (I find it to be quite a moral lifter!)
Ganache.
A ganache is the center part of a truffle. It is a mixture of chocolate and cream. It may be rolled in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or finely chopped nuts to create a simple truffle, but normally, it will be dipped or enrobed in a coating of tempered chocolate. The ganache is often flavored and may be covered with a shell of white, milk, or dark chocolate.
And not to forget the alcoholic gourmet chocolates!
Dark and milk chocolate are mainly used to enrobe the liquor inside these gourmet chocolates. However, dark chocolate is used more often. The outside is hard and a somewhat thick covering, in order to hold in the liquor. The most known liquor that are used are the pear, apple, cherry, Cognac, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and Brandy liquors.
For those gourmet chocolates that are made with cherry liquors, you may find those that actually have a cherry in them with the liquor as well. Yum!
