Why Does Chocolate Turn White?

We've all seen it, chocolate bars with a white coating on the top of the chocolate. Most of the time we eat it anyway but very few of us actually know what the white substance is. So what is it?

The white substance that sometimes forms on top of chocolate is often called "bloom" by chocolate professionals. Bloom can occur for a few reasons. The first cause of "bloom" is caused when chocolate sweats. The surface moisture of the chocolate makes the sugar in the chocolate dissolve and once the moisture has evaporated again the crystals from the chocolate stay on the surface leaving a white or grey coating. This type of bloom occurs most often when chocolate is stored in an overly humid environment but it can also occur when chocolate is quickly moved from cool to warm environments.

Another reason that bloom can occur in chocolate is when cocoa butter (the fat within the chocolate) separates from the chocolate and becomes visible on the outside of the chocolate. This type of fat bloom happens when chocolate is stored in high temperatures or when temperature changes occur quickly.

Is bloomed chocolate still edible? Yes. Bloomed chocolate can be eaten just like any other chocolate, however, it may taste different. When bloom occurs as a result of sugar the bar may have a different texture being more grainy than the original chocolate. Chocolate that has bloom as a result of fat blooming may feel waxy on the outside. It is perfectly safe to eat chocolate effected by bloom; however, you will find that unbloomed chocolate tastes far better!

How do you stop chocolate from blooming? Always store your chocolate in an area with low humidity and a moderate temperature. You should also move chocolate that has been in the fridge to the counter to cool it to room temperature slowly.

You can find out more about chocolate at En Chocolat

Interested in finding out more about the different types of chocolate? Learn about it here