Column: How to taste chocolate like a champion

There is no time like Halloween to forget my self-control and increase my chocolate consumption.

Guilty pleasure, weakness, reward — call it what you want.

From a smooth, milk chocolate Hershey’s Bar to Toblerone white chocolate to dark raspberry Godiva truffles, chocolate has me at the wrapper.

Crowd your candy dish with a variety of chocolate treats when Halloween candy goes on sale.

Chocolate isn’t just meant to be eaten. It should also be enjoyed with all five senses.

Whether you are digging into dark chocolate from the finest French chocolatier or giving yourself a break with a Kit Kat Bar, use your five senses to elevate the enjoyment.

Once you taste chocolate like an expert, you can find your chocolate niche.

Figure out the flavors that enhance the cocoa just the way you like it.

Chocolate can be enhanced with everything from ginger to sea salt to even wasabi.

Whether going door to door for tricks and treats or hosting fondue fun, make chocolate an even sweeter experience. Taste like an expert, today.

1. Look

Your eyes should be the first tools for detection. Is the chocolate smooth, ridged or bumpy? 

Tempered chocolates are shinier, better for molding and dipping for an aesthetic final appearance and glossiness.

Ask yourself if there are other ingredients being infused with the cocoa to give it a certain look.

Color can tell a lot about how the chocolate has been stored and if it is at the correct temperature for tasting.

2. Smell

As with wine, your nose knows how to detect taste and the combination of flavor.

Like that familiar smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, we become familiar with different textures and types of treats.

Even the seemingly insignificant sprinkles of additional ingredients and spices that have been added for enhancement.

Take the piece of chocolate and rub it with your fingers. Holding the chocolate to your nose, try and detect the different flavors.

Almonds, peanut butter, ginger and chili powder can alter taste intensity and sweetness. 

Milk chocolate might give off a smell of milk, while dark chocolate is likely to have a rich, earthy smell.

An unwanted odor might warrant a check on the expiration date.

3. Feel

Texture can give you hints about what the bar is made of, when it was made and the ideal temperature for enjoyment.

It can also indicate what the chocolate will taste like.

Smooth chocolates will be creamy, making for a melt-in-your-mouth moment.

4. Sound

Snap the bar or piece of chocolate in half.

It might sound silly, but a hard, quick snap is found in most dark chocolates. A fine chocolate mixture should break without any extra crumbling.

5. Taste

Break off a small piece of chocolate and place it on the center of your tongue.

Wait for the flavors to disperse as the chocolate melts on your tongue, noticing how long it takes to break down. 

Different flavors and feels might hit you at different times. The chocolate might start with a certain saltiness, followed by more sweetness.

A truffle might entice you with a hard shell but a smooth center, filled with a differently collaborated cream.

Notice the other flavors, ranging from fruity, nutty, tart or even spicy.

You might sense a blend of different cocoa beans, maybe even some infused alcohol.
Take the time to piece the piece together and get the full-fledged feel.

­— espitzer@indiana.edu