A Reader Writes, “I would appreciate a comparison list showing the cocoa content of various brands of chocolate. If you have this information available, would you send to me?” This is a very good question because it is impossible to answer in a generally meaningful way. The ONLY way to know the exact cocoa content of a bar of chocolate is...

... if the manufacturer lists the percentage on the label. For example, Lindt sells (at least) three bars that are generically labeled “bittersweet” as well as ones labeled 70% and 85%. If you look at the labels on the three bittersweet bars, on two of them sugar is the first ingredient and on the third, cocoa is first. All you know is that the first two will be sweeter than the third, and that one of the first two is likely to be sweeter than the other.

There are US government standards for minimum cocoa content for every type of chocolate. However, these are minimum standards and US companies that manufacture to the minimum standard do not, as a rule, disclose actual percentages. European labeling laws require more complete disclosure—with virtually all chocolate bars (not candy bars) mentioning minimum cocoa content (which is the combination of cocoa solids and cocoa butter).

Once you know the cocoa content you can guess the approximate ratio of cocoa solids to cocoa butter in an eating chocolate—about 50/50. In a couverture, the cocoa butter content is higher so that the warm, tempered chocolate is more fluid and can therefore coat pieces and molds more easily and evenly.

If you’re a fanatic about it, you’ll know that fats generally contribute 9 calories per gram with carbs/sugar contributing 4 calories/gram (if I remember correctly), so you can look at the nutrition information label and calculate the relative percentage of calories per ingredient, arriving at the approximate cocoa butter and sugar content in a serving. Cocoa powder does contain some carbs, so the calculation is only approximate, but it will give you a good general idea.

Previous Questions and Answers:

1. What percentage of cocoa is in a semi-sweet chocolate bar ? How about Bittersweet ? How about Mile ? The reason I ask is because typically, recipes call for semi-sweet chocolate, but don't mention the cocoa content. If I want to buy Lindt chocolate, which percentage bar do I buy which is equivalent to semi-sweet ? Thanks, Chuck
   Posted by  on  09/15  at  10:58 AM
2. I am vitally interested in the caffeine content of chocolate--especially Ghirardelli's hot chocolate mix as well as their cocoa. Thank you............waiting to hear
   Posted by  on  12/09  at  06:59 AM