Choosing and Using Baking Chocolate

Nothing says Valentine's Day like chocolate. We are not just talking about a box of chocolates, but also homemade chocolate treats baked from the heart. From unsweetened to semisweet to white, Consumer Reports suggests which baking chocolate you should choose for your Valentine's desserts.

The type depends on what you are making. A Consumer Reports editor and a trained chef tell you that you don't have to use the most expensive one! Paying more won't necessarily get you a better-tasting chocolate. Either way, if you are going to use it in a recipe, chances are most people won't be able to tell the difference. Instead, save the really fancy stuff for garnishes or snacking.

Baking chocolate, even for the most elaborate desserts, falls into one of these categories:

Want to make brownies or fudge? Use unsweetened chocolate. Also called bitter chocolate, it contains no sugar, flavourings or added fat and gives your recipe an intense chocolate flavour.

Cocoa powder is made from the "liquor" of ground cocoa beans, processed to remove most of the fat and ground into a powder. Thanks to its long shelf life, it is easy to keep on hand and can be used for hot chocolate and a variety of desserts. You can buy natural or Dutch-process, which is less acidic. But if your recipe calls for baking soda, don't use Dutch-process cocoa. Because it isn't acidic, it won't react with the soda and your batter may not rise!

Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate is made of sugar and at least 35% chocolate liquor. It is excellent for brownies, cakes and dips.

You will see plenty of white baking chips or chunks in the baking aisle, but real white chocolate contains cocoa butter. So check the label.

Milk chocolate is made of milk solids, sugar and fat. Its sweet taste is perfect for desserts where the flavour can stand on its own.

And of course, the magic ingredient in any chocolate dessert is LOVE.

Whatever you buy, wrap your chocolate twice and store it in a cool, dry place. If you refrigerate it, keep it away from anything that could transfer an odour, such as cheese or fish.