Chocolate loses its flavor and texture

I regularly buy Ghirardelli double chocolate chips. Most of the time they have a complex and delicious flavor. But sometimes the texture is harder and they have lost the complex/delicious flavor.

I don't want to use them for baking. Is there anything you can do to restore chocolate? For instance, I'm wondering if I could warm them up to near the melting point to restore the flavor?

I suspect they are ruined when they are exposed to high temperatures - as when I've had a high quality chocolate bar (or chips) melt - a similar thing happens. Cold temperatures (below freezing) also seem to be bad.

chocolate

Best Answer

It sounds like Chocolate bloom

My guess would be that when you observe this after cold storage, it is sugar bloom due to condensation cycling in your freezer & likely fat bloom when exposed to heat, though it could be both.

The chocolate should be salvageable by melting in a double boiler.

Further Explained from wikwpedia:

"Chocolate bloom is either of two types of whitish coating that can appear on the surface of chocolate: sugar bloom... and fat bloom"

"Sugar bloom is caused by moisture. Condensation on to the surface of the chocolate or moisture in the chocolate coating causes the sugar to absorb the moisture and dissolve. When the moisture evaporates, the sugar forms larger crystals, leaving a dusty layer. It is caused by:

Storage of chocolates in damp conditions
Use of hygroscopic ingredients (low grade or brown sugars)
High-temperature storage conditions of chocolate-covered confectionery, where the centers have a high relative humidity and the water vapor given off is trapped in the wrappings

Fat bloom in chocolate is due to the cocoa butter which has separated toward the surface.2It is caused by:

Poor (incorrect or incomplete) tempering of the chocolate
Incorrect cooling methods, including covering cold centers
Warm storage conditions
The addition to chocolate of fats incompatible with cocoa butter

Image Source

Pictures about "Chocolate loses its flavor and texture"

Chocolate loses its flavor and texture - Piece of tasty chocolate cheesecake with coconut flakes in cafe

Chocolate loses its flavor and texture - Six Cupcakes Near White Wall

Chocolate loses its flavor and texture - Closeup cross section of lemon with fresh ripe juicy pulp

Quick Answer about "Chocolate loses its flavor and texture"

It is caused by: Storage of chocolates in damp conditions. Use of hygroscopic ingredients (low grade or brown sugars) High-temperature storage conditions of chocolate-covered confectionery, where the centers have a high relative humidity and the water vapor given off is trapped in the wrappings.

Can chocolate lose its taste?

Chocolate's expiration date is really just an indicator of when its quality will start to decline. If it looks, smells and tastes normal, you're in the clear. Cracks or dots on the chocolate may signal it's a bit stale and has seen better days.

How do you know if chocolate is bad?

If you're seeing cracks or dots on the surface of the chocolate, odds are it's dried out quite a bit since its days as fresh chocolate, and has gone stale. And if there's mold on the chocolate, throw it away immediately. If it looks like regular chocolate, it will almost definitely taste like chocolate.

Why does chocolate get ashy?

Chocolate bloom is either of two types of whitish coating that can appear on the surface of chocolate: fat bloom, caused by changes in the fat crystals in the chocolate; and sugar bloom, due to crystals formed by the action of moisture on the sugar.

MASTER CHEF - 8 Textured Choclate Cake 😍😍

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Darya Sannikova, Ella Olsson, David Jakab, Karolina Grabowska