Q: How should I store my chocolate?

A: Chocolate is best stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight and strong smelling foods and at a temperature below 70 degrees F. If absolutely necessary, chocolate can be kept in the refrigerator. It should be wrapped tightly before going into the refrigerator and allowed to come to room temperature before unwrapping and using.

Q: Is there a conversion method for using Bittersweet chocolate when my recipe calls for Semisweet or vice versa?

A: Scharffen Berger Chocolate has a unique, fruity flavor. When a recipe calls for either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, it may not have been written with the flavor of Scharffen Berger chocolate in mind. There is no official definition of either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. You may want to use the following guidelines when you use Scharffen Berger chocolate in a recipe that calls for either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate:

If a recipe calls for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and you use Scharffen Berger’s 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, reduce the chocolate by 30 to 35 percent and add 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar.

If a recipe calls for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate and you use Scharffen Berger’s 62% cacao semisweet chocolate, reduce the chocolate by 10 to 15 percent and add 1 teaspoon sugar.

In practical terms, if you want a sweeter result, use chocolate with a lower percentage cacao. Conversely, if you wish to create a less sweet product, use chocolate with a higher percentage cacao. Experiment with different cacao percentages each time you bake and find what flavor you like the best. Experiment and have fun!

Q: Can you replace unsweetened chocolate with bittersweet in a recipe?

A: To substitute unsweetened chocolate with bittersweet or semisweet, you need to make adjustments to both the sugar and the fat levels in the recipe. This does not work for all recipes, but it will for many. For each ounce of unsweetened chocolate in the recipe, use 2-1/2 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, decrease the sugar in the recipe by 2-1/2 to 3 tablespoons, and decrease the butter by 1/2 tablespoon. Use this formula as a guide rather than a hard and fast rule.

Q: Why are Home Chef Bars 9.7 ounces and how do I measure them for recipes?

A: When we developed our chocolate, we wanted to emphasize our debt to the small European artisan chocolate producers after whom we have modeled our chocolate. We think the metric system allows for more precise measurement.

However, most of our customers are in the U.S. and struggle with a 9.7 ounce bar where the pieces are scored in approximately 2 ounce chunks.

When you break the 9.7 ounce bar into the 2 ounce segments, while you might not get an exact measurement, it will taste delicious in your recipe.

Q: How do you use your chocolate sauce?

A: The sauce is semi-soft at room temperature and can be easily molded and rolled into truffles, or gently heated to use as a sauce.

Our chocolate sauce has a higher concentration of chocolate, which causes the consistency to be thicker than a syrup or fudge and is used best as a ganache.

To use it as a sauce, simply heat a portion of the sauce in a double-boiler or a microwave (in 5-10 second increments as indicated on the jar). When the sauce is easily pliable, transfer a small amount into a microwave safe dish to heat for another 10 seconds. (Be careful not to overheat the sauce: it can burn.) Once the sauce is in its liquid form, it can be easily poured over cakes or ice cream as a topping, or used alone for a delicious fondue.

After opening, the jar should be refrigerated.

Q: What is tempering? Why do you temper? How do you temper chocolate?

A: Tempered chocolate is chocolate that has been treated in such a way that its crystalline structure changes. The result is hard, shiny chocolate that snaps crisply when broken, feels dry to the touch and smooth in the mouth, will not bloom when kept away from heat, and melts at a specific temperature (1-2 degrees below normal body temperature).

Most chocolate you buy is already tempered. Chocolate can go out of temper. If you are making candy or dipping strawberries in chocolate, tempering is an important step. If you do not temper the chocolate properly, the coating may appear streaked and won't have that attractive snap when you bite into it.

To temper chocolate, first chop up the chocolate you want to temper. Save a few chunks for later in the process. Then, melt all but the few chunks of chocolate over a double boiler to 110 degrees. By melting chocolate to 110 degrees F, you dissolve all crystals and start from scratch.

Take the chocolate off the heat. Add the chunks of chocolate you held back and, stirring, let it cool to about 80 degrees F.

Reheat the chocolate using a flash method over the hot water in the double boiler. Heat it 3 to 5 seconds at a time, take it off the heat, put it back on, rather than just sitting the bowl back on top of the hot water, until the mixture reaches 91 degrees F.

At this point your chocolate should be well tempered. To test, spread a thin layer of chocolate on a plate and cool it. A fan helps at this stage. When the chocolate on the plate is cool, it should be hard, not sticky, and shiny, not streaked. If this is the case, your chocolate is properly tempered. If it is not, begin the process all over again.