Dark Passion

Uncover the mystery of chocolate with simple recipes from Denver’s top chocolatiers

By Kate Bailey

Photography by Martin Crabb

Chocolate: 5 basic types

Unsweetened - Pure chocolate with about 50 to 58 percent cocoa butter. This is the most bitter version of chocolate with no sugar added. The original Aztec xocolatl (bitter water) was made with unsweetened chocolate, and it is said that the Aztec ruler Montezuma drank 50 goblets a day.

Chocolate: 5 basic types

Bittersweet - Made with at least 35 percent chocolate liquor. The most common form of baking chocolate and the most prized by chefs, chocolatiers and patissieres. The best bittersweet chocolates have a smooth, glossy finish, a satisfying “snap” when broken and complex flavor nuances.

Semi-sweet to Sweet - Made with 15-35 percent chocolate liquor.

Milk - Dry milk is added to sweetened chocolate. Quality milk chocolate should have at least 12 percent milk solids and 10 percent chocolate liquor. Mass-produced versions, like those used by Hershey’s and Mars, have added chemicals and stabilizers.

White Chocolate - This is not technically chocolate because it doesn’t contain any chocolate liquor. It is a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids, lecithin and vanilla. Quality versions provide a lovely, subtle flavor and a creamy texture.

Once considered a powerful elixir of the Aztec gods, chocolate is now a flavor loved and savored by millions around the globe. From its origins in the tropics of Central and South America, this bitter bean inspires fiery discourse, arouses lovers’ passions and provides sublime solace for the sad and lonely. True chocolate is a remarkable substance, one with complex flavors and smooth textures.

To create a high-quality chocolate, carefully selected beans of the cocoa pod are fermented, dried, roasted and cracked. Next, the nibs (inside the shell) are ground to extract some of the cocoa butter, leaving a thick, dark brown chocolate liquor. Finally, the liquor is conched, whereby the substance is blended and heated, ridding it of moisture and acids, and then combined with sugar or sugar and milk (except for unsweetened), and poured into molds.

Though navigating the world of artisan chocolates may seem daunting, local expert Will Poole of Wen Chocolates, wenchocolates.com, believes that “it is really about returning to your inner child, you must get your fingers dirty.” Taste as many different kinds as you can. Each one will have its own nuances—some may hint of black cherries, others of coffee or spices.

Once you have found a chocolate you like, test it out in the recipes on the following page. Then branch out and experiment with unexpected ingredients. Try mixing in savory spices like curry or cardamom; the zest of exotic citrus fruits like kumquats; teas, such as Earl Grey or Jasmine; or heady liquors like cognac and Frangelico. “Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect,” says Poole, who just opened a Wen Chocolates retail shop in LoDo, “At the very least you will end up with a great chocolate sauce.”