Chocolates have come a long way and they are certainly no stranger in the world of desserts. Yet sometimes, we find ourselves undecided on the difference between couverture or compound chocolate. Here is an interesting read to help you differentiate those two.
Chocolates are a real treat and it’s the perfect gift for many occasions! From romantic occasions to festive celebrations, you can guarantee these events are sweetened up with chocolates.
And especially when it comes down to baking, to create the most stunning chocolate desserts and pastries, pastry chefs can decide if they would like to use couverture chocolate or compound chocolate. Staying long in the industry, these chefs can tell apart these two, knowing what they both are and when is the best time to use them. But for someone who is a beginner who only knows chocolates as… well, chocolate, it might be hard to know the difference between couverture and compound chocolate.
In terms of their ingredients, both couverture and compound chocolate share a common source, that is the cacao plant (also known as the cocoa plant or ‘theobroma cacao’).
1. How they are made:
What is couverture chocolate?
The couverture chocolate is made from chocolate liquor or cocoa mass. To get this chocolate liquor or cocoa mass, sundried or roasted cocoa beans are grinded into a rich, and velvety smooth paste. What is interesting to know is that the chocolate liquor has both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in it.
What is compound chocolate?
Then you have the compound chocolate which is very different in how they are made (probably, in a hardier manner as compared to the couverture chocolate). Cocoa powder that is made from the remnant cocoa solids after the cocoa butter has been separated from chocolate liquor, is used to make compound chocolate. And in the place of coca butter, vegetable fats such as cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, or soybean oil can be found in compound chocolate too.
2. In terms of tempering them:
The process of heating and then cooling chocolate for you to get the appropriate texture and consistency you are looking for cast them into chocolate candies and treats is called ‘tempering’.
Taking this tempering process into consideration, it worth knowing that you simply cannot use couverture chocolate without tempering it—you must temper it. Tempering chocolate is a crucial stage in working with couverture chocolate. Whether you are a Pastry Chef or chocolatier or just an enthusiastic chocolate lover, when you are tempering chocolate, you are technically raising and lowering the temperature of the chocolate to alter its crystal formation.
Too technical? The word ‘temper’ is derived from metallurgy (the science of working with metals) and means ‘to improve the hardness by reheating and then cooling.’ This is exactly what happens with chocolate. Well, just know that you are tempering the couverture chocolate to give it its glossy finished look and a distinctive snapping sound when it is broken.
Compound chocolate, however, just needs to be melted for it to be used. While it is a whole lot easier to work with, where no tempering is required—just melt and it is ready to use, with that convenience, it just means compound chocolate lacks the glossiness. And there is also no satisfying “snap” sound when you break a piece of compound chocolate!
3. In terms of mouthfeel and taste:
The couverture chocolate just melts in your mouth and leaves behind a silky aftertaste while the compound chocolate tends to leave behind a mild greasy aftertaste. The reason compound chocolate leaves such an aftertaste is due to its vegetable fats content.
That is why we find so many Chefs choose to go for couverture chocolate in their dessert making. And it is also one of the reasons why their chocolate desserts taste so irresistibly divine. For one, couverture is pure chocolate or real chocolate, while compound chocolate is not.
Using couverture chocolate, you get to enjoy the rich taste of chocolate with every bite, and this holds true no matter the chocolate dessert you are sinking into. It is the wonder that couverture holds in them and lends their baked delights and mesmerizing chocolate desserts their rich taste and defining aroma.
4. In terms of pricing:
Does spending more means better quality? This can be subjective, and it is always a plus point to really examine matters carefully, so you make a right decision for yourself. When comes to the pricing of couverture chocolate and compound chocolate, this is probably the biggest difference between these two chocolate forms. Undoubtedly, couverture chocolate will be inevitably costlier since it contains chocolate liquor in its purest form. Meanwhile, the compound chocolate is a lot cheaper.
Should you really want the best for your creations, you could consider in investing for couverture chocolate to give the bang for your buck. At least you know what you are getting for will be worth it. And if you are wondering if you could just use compound chocolate for everything? Well, yes, you can. But it does not taste as good as the real chocolate.
5. In terms of usage:
The couverture chocolate just melts in your mouth and leaves behind a silky aftertaste while the compound chocolate tends to leave behind a mild greasy aftertaste. The reason compound chocolate leaves such an aftertaste is due to its vegetable fats content.
Because couverture chocolate is known for its rich taste and glossy texture, it is often used for coating, decorating, or dipping. You will also find couverture chocolate to be used in good-quality (maybe even premium) chocolate cakes and desserts. On the other hand, you will come to notice that compound chocolate is being used in imitation chocolates or in chocolate desserts that are of a lower quality, as to make it more affordable for those who still want to enjoy some chocolates.
Now that we have talked about the differences between these two, we like to let you on with something sweet… a new addition to your baking needs…
Happiness comes with a really special whip topping.
Writing on this article, we couldn’t help but notice that many of our readers were also intrigued by our chocolate whip topping, Rich’s Whip Topping Chocolate. To put it simply, it is a ready-to-whip chocolate-flavored whip topping. It’s a whole lot of convenience and chocolatey goodness packed into a carton. And there’s a reason why it’s been in the market for a while now too!
Should you find yourself intrigued by this happiness-fuelled carton, do read on why you need Rich’s Whip Topping Chocolate for your creations. We always get requests on simple recipes that home-bakers could easily remember and whip up any time. To that, we say, have you seen our recipe section dedicated to chocolates? If you haven’t, you sure will now. Explore them here, why don’t you? (For a quick read to learn three easy chocolate recipes, read 3 Types of Irresistible Chocolate Recipes for Your Soul.)
From chocolate fudges (also read The Best Chocolate Fudge for Beginners), biscoff chocolate cakesicles, chocolate pralines, chocolate cookies, you are bound to find something you love for your chocolate-loving heart.
Also, some interesting facts to know about chocolate in general!
The reason why chocolates melt in such a satisfying way on our tongues is thanks to the fact that it is the only edible substance to melt around 33.9°C, just below our body temperature. And while these delicious morsels have been getting a bad rep lately as unhealthy, research has shown that chocolates can be enjoyed in moderation as a part of a balanced and heart-healthy lifestyle.
Studies have also revealed that one of the major saturated fats in chocolates does not raise cholesterol like other hard fats and should be enjoyed in moderation. It’s all about portion control! And if you’re feeling down in the dumps, have some chocolates! It is a mild anti-depressant that emits serotonin and endorphin, feel-good hormones, in the brain. How amazing is that?
Spread the happiness with us.
Liked what you have read so far? We have been busy (in a good way) over the last year planning, writing, and overseeing the trends that are taking place in the baking community.
And wow, aren’t we thriving! There are heaps of our favorite articles, and not just limited to chocolates, our popular reads include the things you can do with Portuguese Egg Tarts! Check out these good reads:
- Our Top 5 Portuguese Egg Tart Recipes — The Portuguese Egg Tart is one of the most popular tea-time pastries to snack on in the world. Through this recipe guide, you will find our Top 5 Portuguese Egg Tart Recipes and generally, you will want to prepare these delicious recipes for your everyday baking.
- Portuguese Egg Tart Recipes You Have To Try Right Now — If anything can take anyone back to a memory, it is food. Where there’s food, we have pastries, and the Portuguese Egg Tart is just one of the few things that can put a smile on your face. Read this article to know what’s good!
That said, we have a Fun Facts section dedicated to explaining the why’s- and how to’s- in your day-to-day baking and cooking needs. It also provides you with some insight and things you could possibly know more about our offerings. Go on then, keep discovering things with us.
