How to Store Fine Chocolate

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Dec 21st 2009 at 10:04AM

It can be seriously disappointing to unwrap a chocolate candy only to find it covered in gray spots and gone past its prime. Thankfully, though, chocolate will stay fresh and flavorful for quite awhile if you store it properly.

The best place to store chocolate is in a cool, dry, dark place -- like a pantry in the basement. You want it cool enough not to soften the chocolate but not so cold (like in the refrigerator) that condensation will form when you take it out. Condensation dehydrates chocolate and downgrades the texture and flavor, and it can also cause "sugar bloom," the unsightly white or grayish spots caused when the sugar rises to the chocolate's surface.

Also, chocolate will absorb the smells and flavors of the foods stored with it, so although it doesn't normally have to be kept in an airtight container you might want to seal it up if you'll be keeping it in a pantry with something pungent, like onions.

As a general rule, fine chocolates (especially those with fillings) should be eaten within a few weeks to a month for the best flavor and texture. When stored properly, however, milk chocolate can last up to a year and dark, unsweetened chocolate slightly longer.

Note: If you must store chocolate in the refrigerator (i.e. you live in a very hot and humid climate) then keep it in an airtight container and let it come to room temperature before opening or unwrapping it (to help prevent condensation).

Tags: chocolate, chocolates, main-pedia, storage, sweets, sweets-pedia

Filed under: Dining

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Polycoon Dec 29th 2009 11:53AM

Rigel Celeste needs to go back to grade school and take a basic English course. She has in her story relegated chocolate to a living thing able to possess something: "chocolate's surface." Maybe Rigel was asleep when the teacher explained that the "apostrophie s" indicates possessive. . . . Or has our embattled education system given up teaching proper English in order that "no child left behind?"

GM Dec 29th 2009 1:24PM

I'm not sure that is a valid criticism. Chocolate does have a surface, and I believe it is proper to say "the chocolate's surface" meaning the surface of the that chocolate.

Rather than just criticize, perhaps you might suggest an alternative phrase to convey the same idea.

I was just surprised to hear chocolate is still safe after a year of exposure in a pantry. Won't the various ingredients decompose or mold?

Polycoon Dec 29th 2009 7:33PM

According to the information containe in this 78 year old brain only living things can possess. The cat's paw, my grandfater's clock, Mike's car and so on. Even though it may be more cumbersome the phrase in question could have been presented as "the surface of the chocolate." I'm also a lover of that comodity and favor the dark and maybe slightly bitter variety. Even in pancakes. The falvor of the pancakes is so much better with some shavings from a block of Gherdelli's dark chocolate baked right into it.. YUM!

GM Jan 1st 2010 12:19PM

I'm not that far behind you, but I am very sure that possession is no limited to things.

From http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/possessives.htm:

"Forming Possessives
Showing possession in English is a relatively easy matter (believe it or not). By adding an apostrophe and an s we can manage to transform most singular nouns into their possessive form:

the car's front seat
Charles's car
Bartkowski's book
a hard day's work"

Why take the cumbersome approach when a simple apostrophe s will do?

HueyLouie Dec 29th 2009 7:02PM

Now I know what to call the sugar that came to the top, sides, and bottom of our C-ration tropical chocolate. Vietnam, 1968 with the C-rations dated 1945-6! I don't like chocolate but traded it for other goodies! Thanks for the unique info.

HueyLouie Dec 29th 2009 7:44PM

Sorry, Polycoon, you're wrong. Remember 'he, she, or it'? The good thing about the golden years is the privilege to be wrong, and proud of it!

Paralegal Dec 30th 2009 2:52AM

Regardless of the possessive, I store my chocolate in the fridge (that is near freezing) or in the freezer. I do not mind the white spots that appear when the chocolate warms, as I know the chocolate is not spoiled or a risk for me to eat. BTW...I, too, was taught that a possessive is only for the living (human, creatures, and plants). But, who really cares?!!?! We all got the point. How 'bout, "... 'sugar bloom,' are the unsightly white or grayish spots on chocolate caused by the sugar rising to surface" or "are the unsightly white or grayish surface spots on chocolate caused by the rising of sugar. "

LL2580 Jan 4th 2010 7:14AM

I own a small chocolate company and have been in the business for over 16 years. Chocolate does have a year shelf life. However, the term sugar bloom is not correct. The white bloom is not caused by sugar coming to the surface, but the cocoa oil evaporating and leaving a residue. the residue is very fine and can often be brushed away.

Emma Jan 9th 2010 4:16AM

Hi LL2580,

I too own a small chocolate company, however, I have only been in the business for a few months. I wondered if you might tell me how YOU store your chocolate. We stored some chocolate in an airtight plastic container, but when we went to use it, it had a plastic taste to it. Do you have any suggestions for what to store the chocolate in that won't give it a funny taste?

Paul Jan 4th 2010 10:27PM

Polycoon pretends to be intelligent and understanding of the use of possessive in the English lanquage, but has failed the test. Inanimate objects such as a chocolate bar DO possess chemical and physical properties such as surfaces, and the use of possessive in the article to refer to the chocolate's surface is correct.

I see increasingly more incorrect uses of apostrophes such as when people use them for plural (which should NOT use an apostrophe), due the the decline in the educational standards in this country and perhaps the poor software spell checkers and illegal alien infestation who do not understand ANY English.

Sorry Polycoon, YOU are the one who needs to review your elementary school English curriculum.