Does chocolate belong in the fridge or the cupboard?
While this question has caused a debate time and time again, an expert has debunked where your chocolate belongs.
Chocolate, along with many other foods, is a big part of the festive celebrations at the end of the year.
From advent calendars to gifts and even Christmas tree decorations, chocolate will take up space in millions of UK homes in the coming weeks.
To help you store yours correctly, a chocolatier at Lindt has shared exactly where you should keep your chocolate this winter.
Miquetta de Castro is the master chocolatier at the company and says few people realise that where they keep their chocolate matters just as much in winter as it does in summer.
Warmer places such as a shelf above a radiator, a warm airing cupboard or a cupboard beside the oven can all leave chocolate looking dull and feeling less smooth, according to the expert.
The chocolatier said: “Chocolate is surprisingly sensitive to its surroundings, and heat is the factor that affects it most.
“When the heating comes on, the warm spots in a home change, so chocolate that was perfectly happy in September can suddenly be sitting in the wrong place.
“The good news is that a few small changes will keep it at its best all winter.”
Why does heat affect chocolate?
De Castro explains what heat does to chocolate: “The smooth texture of good chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which is set into a very precise structure while the chocolate is made.
“When chocolate gets too warm, that cocoa butter starts to soften and lose its shape, even if the bar never fully melts.
“Steady temperature is what matters most.
“The repeated warming and cooling as the heating clicks on and off is what causes the biggest change.”
You might notice your chocolate looks different on the surface and the expert shares why this is: “A pale, dusty or streaky surface is known as bloom, which simply means cocoa butter or sugar has risen to the surface of the chocolate.
“It’s most often caused by warmth followed by cooling, exactly the cycle a radiator creates throughout the day.
"Bloom can make chocolate look less glossy and feel slightly less smooth, but it’s completely safe to eat.”
Should chocolate go in the fridge or a cupboard?
Chocolate should be stored in “a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight and strong smells, ideally at around 15 to 18°C”, according to Miquetta de Castro.
While you could store chocolate in an “unheated spare room or a cupboard on an outside wall”, putting chocolate in the fridge “isn’t the answer”.
That’s because the cold temperature of a fridge and the moisture “can affect both texture and flavour.”
Hotel Chocolat is also in agreement, as it previously shared an online guide to storing your chocolate.
It said: “Although you might think storing chocolate in the fridge only alters its texture, refrigerating chocolate can actually impact its taste as well."
“We believe that the most satisfying chocolate has a high cacao content.
“Cacao butter gives your favourite Slabs, truffles, and solid chocolate’s irresistible melt-in-the-mouth texture, However, cacao butter is also very absorbent, meaning it can take on the flavours and odours from your fridge.
“As a result, you could find yourself munching on a chocolate bar which tastes like last night’s leftovers – which is probably not your ideal result.
“That’s not all. There’s a reason why chocolate tastes so good as it’s melting in your mouth – because it’s supposed to!
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“Cold temperatures can prevent your chocolate bar from releasing more subtle flavours, meaning you don’t quite get all the nuanced notes of cacao as you nibble.”
On the change in texture, Hotel Chocolat added: “Another reason why chocolate shouldn’t normally be stored in the fridge is that it alters its texture.
“We believe that chocolate shouldn’t be chilled in the fridge, as it leads to something called ‘sugar bloom’."
“This happens when chocolate is chilled and then exposed to warmer temperatures.
“The condensation on the surface dissolves some of the sugar which then re-crystallises, leaving you with a grainy chocolate and a white surface layer.
“Any creamy, silky textures which you would have otherwise enjoyed are lost, leaving you with a brittle chocolate bar.”
Do you store your chocolate in the fridge or a cupboard? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.
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