What's in Your Chocolate

Have you ever looked at  chocolate's list of ingredients  and wondered what in the world  the terms actually mean? Take a  look below for chocolate  ingredients explained.

Cacao liquor or Cacao Solids: These two terms refer to the same thing - the total cacao content in the chocolate. Cacao butter is also accounted for when referring to cacao liquor or cacao solids. The cacao liquor or solids are obtained after the roasting, husking, and grinding of the cacao beans, and are the first step in the manufacturing of chocolate.

Cacao Butter: Sometimes labeled only as cacao liquor or cacao solids, cacao butter is the butter fat extracted when ground cacao liquor is subjected to a hydraulic press. Since a hydraulic press can only extract about 50 percent of the liquor's cacao butter, it is understood that there is a significant amount of cacao butter still present in the liquor.

Vanilla: Usually in the form of an essence or extract, vanilla is a common flavoring in the manufacturing of most chocolate.

Vanillin: Synthetic version of vanilla. Used as a flavoring in many lower quality chocolates. Also found in higher quality chocolates.

Vegetable fat: Common addition by lower quality chocolate manufacturers to replace low quantities of cocoa butter. Sugar: added in the form of cane juice, molasses, and glucose, sugar is a common addition to most, if not all, chocolate. Sugar-free chocolates are also available, generally sweetened with artificial alternatives such as saccharin.

Butter Oil: Common addition by lower quality chocolate manufacturers to replace low quantities of cocoa butter.

Hydrogenated Oil: also a common addition by lower quality chocolate manufacturers to replace low quantities of cocoa butter.

Lecithin: natural soy derivative used for emulsification in the manufacturing of chocolate.

Flavorings: common term used to describe the addition of fruits, spices, and other flavorings. Watch out for 'artificial flavorings' - they are a clear sign of lower quality chocolates.