Cocoa butter and cocoa solids

Hans has a very thought provoking article in Cocoa Content called "Why cocoa content matters". In it he shows a very insightful way to determine the amount of cocoa butter. Here's the essence of it:

Cocoa content only tells you how much of the bar’s weight is comprised of cocoa solids. Now, it’s important to understand that “cocoa solids” refers to the chocolate’s combined weight of cocoa butter and dry cocoa particles (i.e. cocoa powder). You can find the amount of cocoa butter from the amount of fat, though. Once you have that you can determine the percentage of the rest of the solids.
Follow these steps from the nutrition label:
1. Note the serving size, since it varies.
2. Note the Total Fat The Fat is from cocoa butter
3. Divide the Total Fat by the Serving size (Fat/Size), then multiply by 100 to get the percentage of fat
4. Subtract the percentage of fat from the cacao percentage and the difference will tell you what percentage of the bar consists of dry cocoa solids. Cocoa butter percentage + cocoa solids percentage = Total cacao percentage.
For example, consider a bar of Lindt Excellence 70%. The Nutrition Facts show the serving size as 42g, with 17g of fat. Divide 17 by 42 and multiply the result by 100, and you’ll get 40. This means there’s 40% cocoa butter. Subtract that number from 70, which in this case is 30% dry cocoa solids . (40 + 30 = 70)
-----------------------------

What do you think of this?

Tags: butter, fat

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lowe on December 20, 2008 at 1:59pm: I'm not sure who you're asking permission of or who would grant it, but you can surely use any information that I've provided.

Would you please post the URL of your site here, though, so that we can all see it?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ilana on December 23, 2008 at 11:48am: Hi, sorry. The way it appeared was : the original post and then a place to comment, and then all the comments... So my comment came last but was meant to refer to the original post. I would like to post information on the amounts and importance of cacao butter in my site because people are so confused about cocoa "solids", 60% is thought by some of my customers to have more cocoa butter than 70% because "70% has more cocoa solids"... I would love to add links to anone's site on my link page also. Sorry if this is a confused mess- I am rushing!!
link's on my homepage.
Thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on December 23, 2008 at 4:30pm: I've started a new Forum thread titled Deconstructing Cocoa Content to address the specific need for a page that members can link to and point others to visit to learn "the truth" about cocoa content.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nancy on April 14, 2009 at 7:54pm: hello all,
This sounds a trifle complicated, but good to know. I personally prefer many other brands above Lindt, I find them a little dry. Has anyone tried the Bernard Callebaut chocolate?

He makes it with the French traditional style and it is very good. I am not sure how much cocoa butter is in it, come to think of it.

for fun and good taste too....candy; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Sawyer on June 3, 2009 at 5:35pm: Dig math,explanation is insightful. Thanks for the post.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SofiaRaj Chocolates on July 9, 2009 at 2:46am: Hi Olorin!!!
Think about it this way. The average person on the street, when asked to describe a bar of chocolate, tends to mention texture first and then flavor, which could be attributable to a number of things:

a) cocoa butter's low melting point causes the texture to be noticed first
b) chocolate's flavor takes some time to fully develop, so to render a final opinion before the flavor develops is not really useful
c) natural preference towards fatty foods

You can find your solution to visit...

Chocolates; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mark Heim on October 5, 2009 at 1:04pm: Not all the fat in a chocolate bar, even dark chocolate, is always cocoa butter. Many makers use some added milk fat in the form of AMF. Although this will soften the snap a bit, it helps prevent fat bloom.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on October 5, 2009 at 1:06pm: AMF is an acronym for what? Anhydrous milk fat? Butter oil is also commonly used.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mark Heim on October 7, 2009 at 8:42pm: Yes, anhydrous milk fat, or butter oil. The only other fat source allowed in chocolate standard of identity. Except for oil migration from nuts or nutpastes.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Samantha Aquim on March 29, 2010 at 11:05am: Are we not forgetting the natual fat in the liquor? Or should it be considered insignificant?; ▶ Reply to This