What is the Difference Between Dark, Milk and White Chocolate?

 
Most people who love chocolate will have a favourite, whether that is dark, milk or white will come down to personal preference, but many probably don't know the fundamental differences between the three types of chocolate available. The crucial element in deciding whether chocolate is classed as dark, milk or white is the amount of cocoa liquor that is added during production.

Cocoa liquor is basically very finely ground cocoa beans, they are processed through a series of grinding stones that cause the beans to heat up and grind down to a thick paste, this is the cocoa liquor.The paste is extremely bitter but when combined with sugars and cocoa butter it creates the delicious product that we all know as chocolate.

Dark chocolate is made from the simple combination of just cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. The amount of cocoa liquor that is added determines how bitter the dark chocolate is, most dark chocolate will have a cocoa content of between 52% and 99%.

Milk chocolate is again made with cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar but also with the extra addition of milk. It is lighter in colour and also uses less cocoa liquor, most milk chocolate will usually contain between 30% and 38% cocoa solids, however, chocolate producer Montezuma's does have a milk chocolate bar in it's range that contains 54% cocoa solids. Most people would say that milk chocolate is their favourite of the three types available as it does have that hit of chocolate that everyone craves but it is also generally smooth and creamy as well.

White chocolate is often not even considered to be chocolate,  this is because no chocolate liquor is used at all in it's production, it is just cocoa butter combined with sugar and milk. Many people like white chocolate because it is sweet and creamy but it does not actually contain any cocoa solids, if cocoa solids are listed in the ingredients it is usually because of the inclusion of cocoa butter.

The three types of chocolate contain many similar components, the reason they differ is due to the amount of cocoa liquor used in the production of each. When more liquor is used dark chocolate is produced, less liquor produces milk chocolate and when no liquor is used then white chocolate is produced.