This is the chocolate most often called for in cake and cookie recipes. "Bittersweet" and "semisweet" are often used interchangeably, though bittersweet generally has more chocolate "liquor" (the paste formed from roasted, ground cocoa beans). Most semisweet chocolate contains at least 35% chocolate liquor, while some fine bittersweets contain 50% or more. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate have a deep, smooth, intense flavor that comes from the blend of beans used rather than added dairy products. Sugar, vanilla, and cocoa butter are added to the liquor to lend an even richer taste. Back to the top

A general term for sweetened dark chocolate with a minimum of 35% cocoa solids.

poisonous perennial Old World vine having violet flowers and oval coral-red berries; widespread weed in North America

having a taste that is a mixture of bitterness and sweetness

(a or n) a type of apple relatively low in acidity but high in tannin - will taste astringent (bitter) but not too sharp

Bittersweet chocolate, not to be confused with unsweetened or semisweet chocolate, is primarily used for baking. A slightly sweetened dark chocolate, it has many uses such as making shiny chocolate curls as garnishes or rich, dense chocolate cakes. Both it and semisweet chocolate are required by the U.S. FDA to contain at least 35% chocolate liquor.