What is the Difference Between Dark Chocolate and Cooking Chocolate

The main difference between dark chocolate and cooking chocolate is that dark chocolate is a slightly bitter chocolate without any added milk solids while cooking chocolate is a type of dark chocolate that is intended to be used as an ingredient in baking.

Dark chocolate and cooking chocolate are two types of chocolates with a low sugar content. Therefore, they are healthier for you than regular sweet and creamy milk chocolate.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Dark Chocolate
     – Definition, Features
2. What is Cooking Chocolate
     – Definition, Features
3. What are the Similarities Between Dark Chocolate and Cooking Chocolate
     – Outline of Common Features
3. What is the Difference Between Dark Chocolate and Cooking Chocolate
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Dark Chocolate, Cooking Chocolate

What is Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is a slightly bitter chocolate without any added milk solids. The main ingredients of dark chocolate are cacao beans, sugar, flavourings like vanilla and emulsifiers like soy lecithin. The taste of the chocolate depends on the cocoa and sugar content; the less sugar and more cocoa it has, the more bitter it will taste. Generally, dark chocolate has a less sweet, bitter taste than milk chocolate.

There are many types of dark chocolates, classified as sweet, semi-sweet and bittersweet. Moreover, in commercial dark chocolate bars, the cocoa content can range between 30% (sweet dark chocolate) to 80% or higher (extremely bitter dark chocolate).

Dark chocolate is ideal for baking and melting in various desserts recipes. You can also chop, shave, grind or melt them and use them in glazes, ganache, mousse, chocolate chip cookies, and puddings. You can also eat it straight out of the package, without any preparation or use in desserts. Since dark chocolate doesn’t contain milk, you can even use it for vegan recipes. 

What is Cooking Chocolate

Cooking chocolate is a type of dark chocolate that is intended to be used as an ingredient in baking. Cooking chocolate has many other names, including baking chocolate, bitter chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate. Moreover, cooking chocolate usually contains 100% chocolate without any added sugars or flavours. It typically contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It is made from chocolate liquor formed into chocolate bars or chips. Since most cooking chocolate varieties are bitter, we have to use them in recipes with added sugar.

Cooking chocolate comes as chips or blocks of dark, white or milk chocolate. Some cooking chocolate varieties also contain sugar. We can also classify cooking chocolate in the market as sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet, and unsweetened. This classification is based on the sugar content. It’s also possible to classify them according to the cocoa content. Moreover, cooking chocolate is easy to use, and you can use it in any mixture.

Although cooking chocolate is intended for cooking, you can eat it without any preparation or use in recipes. Since it contains a lower content of sugar, it will be healthier for you. But the taste of cooking chocolate is not for everyone. If you love the taste of sweet and creamy milk chocolate, you won’t love this taste.

Similarities Between Dark Chocolate and Cooking Chocolate

• Dark chocolate and cooking chocolate have a low sugar content.
• Both can be used in cooking.
• We can classify them into sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet, and unsweetened chocolate.
• Since they do not contain milk solids, they are suitable for vegan recipes.

Difference Between Dark Chocolate and Cooking Chocolate

Definition

Dark chocolate is a slightly bitter chocolate without any added milk solids while cooking chocolate is a type of dark chocolate that is intended to be used as an ingredient in baking.

Relationship

Dark chocolate can be used for cooking, and cooking chocolate can come as dark, milk, or white chocolate.

Conclusion

The main difference between dark chocolate and cooking chocolate is that dark chocolate is a slightly bitter chocolate without any added milk solids while cooking chocolate is a type of dark chocolate that is intended to be used as an ingredient in baking.

Reference:

LaBau, Elizabeth. “Dark Chocolate: a Quick Guide to the Basics.” The Spruce Eats, Available here.
“Everything You Need to Know about Cooking with Chocolate.” Hotelchocolat, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Dark chocolate bar” By Simon A. Eugster – This file has been extracted from another file: Schokolade-schwarz.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Cooking Chocolate bars on the blue wooden background” By Marco Verch (CC BY 2.0) via Foto.wuestenigel