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Cocoa butter and cocoa solids
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)
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What do you think of this?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Langdon Stevenson on -
Glad you found my reply useful.
I call the part of the cacao nib that isn't fat "non-fat cocoa solids", or NFCS for short.
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Permalink Reply by ChocoFiles on -
From Langdon "what exactly does "Percent" indicate? And how about "Cacao fat"?"
Percent = the percentage of all cacao that is printed on the label
Fat = from the nutrition facts. Calculated from Fat grams / serving size and changed from a decimal to a percentage. e.g.- 14 g fat in a 40 g serving = o.35 or 35% fat
I'll try to explain somewhere where these numbers come from. Thanks for the advice.
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Permalink Reply by ChocoFiles on
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Green & Black's White was a mistake that shouldn't have been in there. That was done early in my data collection process and has now been removed, as will any other White bars. White can't be included because of the other added fats. Thanks for pointing that out. Please let me know of any other discrepancies or errors.
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Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on -
Langdon:
Technically true, Minifie et al and the USDA refer to the edible fat component. However, I am not aware of any commercially available cocoa butter that is not "contaminated" (in the sense that you use the word) by at least some amount of volatile aromatics. I was making the point with references to Lowe's impression that adding cocoa butter muted the flavor of chocolate - I was pointing out that cocoa butter does have flavor. I may not have chosen the clearest way to express that thought.
:: Clay
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Permalink Reply by Langdon Stevenson on
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"I was pointing out that cocoa butter does have flavor."
Even so, Clay, x amount of cocoa butter has much less flavour than the same amount of cocoa liquor. So it's fair to say, as Lowe did, that extra cocoa butter weakens the flavour.
In some bars, where only a small amount of cocoa butter is added, the weakening effect might be negligible, but in other bars (like Choklat 70%, for example, which contains 30% added cocoa butter) the effect is undoubtedly significant, whether the cocoa butter is deodorized or not.
Also, much chocolate is made with deodorized cocoa butter anyway - e.g. milk and white chocolates.
It also seems safe to assume that origin bars would often contain deodorized cocoa butter, too - because no serious chocolate maker would want the flavour of their "Chuao" (or whatever) beans competing with flavourful cocoa butter from a completely different origin (very few artisan manufacturers press their own cocoa butter).
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Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on
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Langdon:
I wasn't arguing the amount or intensity of the flavor of a cocoa butter, just that cocoa butter has flavor. I agree that the affect adding a deodorized cocoa butter has on the flavor of a chocolate depends on how "flavorful" the chocolate was to begin with and how much cocoa butter gets added.
You are right, few origin chocolate bars contain undeodorized cocoa butter made from the same beans as the liquor. The only origin chocolate maker in the US that I know of that has a butter press is Askinosie.
FWIW, it's my opinion that in order to be truly called a "single" origin chocolate it's necessary to use butter from beans of the same origin (deodorized or no), not butter from an unknown source. If the chocolate maker is making a single-plantation bar, then the butter needs to be from beans from the same plantation, not the same region or country, in order to be a "true" "single-origin."
:: Clay
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Permalink Reply by Langdon Stevenson on
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"I wasn't arguing the amount or intensity of the flavor of a cocoa butter, just that cocoa butter has flavor."
Forgive me for misunderstanding, Clay, because I thought that was precisely what you meant when you said here that "If the cocoa butter is pressed from the same beans that the chocolate is made from and the butter is not deodorized then the flavor isn't diluted." -
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Permalink Reply by Jeffry Lukito on -
"So why do think there's generally higher fat content in higher percentage bars? By adding extra cocoa butter the makers are decreasing their profit margin. It doesn't seem like it's for taste because IMO extra cocoa butter weakens the taste."
IMO, whether the cocoa butter is deodorized or not, I think each manufacturer uses whichever to achieve the flavor they wanted.
It may be true that cacao powder is more flavorful than cocoa butter, but I think chocolate is not just about "chocolatey" flavour burst.
The notes, the mouthfeel, and the aroma might be enhanced or muffled by the ingredient they use.
Too much cocoa powder might overpower the taste details and notes of flavor. That may be one of the reasons why they decided to use cocoa butter instead of powder.
CMIIW.
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Permalink Reply by Jcandy on -
I wouldn't be surprised if makers add cocoa butter solely to appeal to a certain clientele, namely those who favor texture over flavor and to ease the transition into higher percentages for those folks who are just too
reticent of going that route. chocolate can have a fantastic texture without
overloading the fat content with cocoa butter or vegetable oils or other
"texture-enhancers." Particle size achieved through the grinding and
refining has much to do with the finished texture. A rough estimate of 50% is
even easier to calculate. I forget which beans have more fat but I think it is
forastero from Ghana.
At least I remember that the butter content in those beans is supposed to be
harder, which makes them more suitable for milk.
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