Also known as
Baking Chocolate, Chocolate Liquor and Pure Chocolate

Description
The making of bitter chocolate is an art and a science. It begins with harvesting pods of the cacao plant (Theobroma cacao), which is native to South and Central America. The pods are then split apart to yield the cacao nibs, which are in turn fermented and then ground into a paste called cocoa liquor. The cocoa liquor is processed to yield a wide assortment of chocolate products. When processed properly, cocoa liquor yields approximately half cocoa butter and half solids. This is what is turned into bitter chocolate.

Bitter chocolate is dark in colour and has an intense, bitter, chocolaty taste. It is chocolate in a pure, unadulterated form, and some people find it too bitter to eat plain, as it has a high cocoa percentage. The flavour of the chocolate varies depending on the type of the cacao bean used and the way it is handled and processed. Bitter chocolate is used for baking and cooking and it might be sweetened depending on the recipe requirement.

Chopped bitter chocolate

Cut the chocolate vertically with a sharp knife into ½ -inch thickness and then horizontally cut to form chunks of ½” by ½”. It is added to cakes as chunks, to get a fudgy or gooey texture.

Grated bitter chocolate

Take a grater and slide the chocolate from top to bottom to get thin strings of chocolate. This is used for garnishing and decoration.

Melted bitter chocolate

Take a double boiler and put chunks of bitter chocolate in the bowl. Keep stirring continuously with the help of a spatula until it melts. Alternatively, you can put chunks of chocolate in a bowl and microwave on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove and mix well. If it has still not melted, microwave on high for a few more seconds. It is used to make cakes, cookies and mousses. It can also be used to garnish and decorate desserts.