The best way to enjoy chocolate is to eat it straight from the bar. Sadly, this isn’t always possible. However, with the right storage solution, you can ensure that you always get the perfect bar of chocolate. In this article, I will talk about the different elements to take into consideration when storing chocolate at home, so that you get the perfect bar of Chocolat Philippe chocolate every time.
Up front, the worst way to store chocolate is in the refrigerator. The fridge is a death trap for chocolate! Chocolate is made of fat, which means when it’s cold, the fat molecules harden, making it impossible for the chocolate to melt in your mouth properly.
Chocolate is also hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water from the air. The cocoa butter inside the chocolate, reacts like any fat with water (they shift), resulting in a white layer on your chocolate. Cocoa butter also absorbs smells and flavours from its surroundings more than other fats, which is why chocolate that’s been stored in the refrigerator tastes a little unusual!
Even though your fridge is way too cold, it’s also not good to store chocolate in a hot environment (like inside a car, or on your kitchen bench in summer), as it can cause the chocolate to become soft and the flavour will ebb away. Even worse than hot or cold is actually fluctuating temperatures. If your chocolate gets too hot it will melt (obviously), but then if you let it harden again in the fridge, the chocolate will be out of temper and you will be left with white streaks in the chocolate (from the sugar), and a chocolate bar that has lost both texture and flavour.
Taking all these elements in consideration, the best way to store chocolate at home is in an air-tight container, in a cool place (around 18C), away from sunlight. I keep all my chocolate in air-tight containers in a cool wine fridge. This avoids temperature changes, avoids humidity, and avoids sunlight.
Stored like this, good quality chocolate can last for months. For instance, all of my single origin bars consist of only 2 ingredients: cocoa (bean & butter) and sugar. The purity of those bars means that a Chocolat Philippe bar can last up to 24 months when perfectly stored.
Now that you understand the mechanics of how best to store your chocolate, you can feel free to reflect on how none of this matters if you eat it all in one go anyway! Besides, getting through your supply quickly means you’ll be ready for our next batch of intriguing single origin bars.
Learn more about how best to store your chocolate from our chocolate expert, Monsieur Philippe. Visit our contact page to get in touch.
