Bittersweet chocolate is very dark, with a high chocolate liquor content -- it ideally maintains a well-balanced flavor base of strong chocolate and has a pleasant sweetness. Bittersweet chocolate is a blend of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, a minimal amount of sugar, vanilla and lecithin. If desired, semisweet and bittersweet chocolates can be substituted for each other in recipes with little difference noted. Bittersweet chocolate is used in all sorts of chocolate confections, desserts, and is great eaten out of hand. Stored in the correct conditions, due to its high cocoa content, Bittersweet chocolate can be kept for a long time. For those that love the taste of chocolate, bittersweet cannot be beat.

Bittersweet chocolate usually has between 50 percent and 100 percent cacao content. 

Semisweet chocolate is a dark chocolate that focuses on a marriage of bitter chocolate and sugar sweet. Semisweet chocolate is produce by combining chocolate liquor, a small amount of sugar, cocoa butter, and usually vanilla and lecithin. Semisweet chocolate can be exchanged for bittersweet chocolate in recipes. If kept under optimal conditions, Semisweet chocolate will last for a few years. Used for many chocolate confections and pastries, Semisweet chocolate is also excellent for eating out of hand.

Semisweet chocolate usually has between 35 percentage to 49 percentage of cacao content. 

Milk chocolate is a creamy, sweet blend of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, powdered milk solids, and usually some vanilla and lecithin.

Milk chocolate contains less chocolate liquor and more sugar than bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, and is therefore lighter in color, sweeter in taste, and higher in calories. milk chocolate cannot be substituted for bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in recipes.

Milk chocolate is available in a range of chocolate liquor percentages, and as a Couverture, and is used in many desserts, confections, and pastries. It is also enjoyed out of hand. If stored in the correct conditions, Milk chocolate can be kept for up to a year. Though bittersweet and semisweet are growing in popularity, milk chocolate is still the preferred chocolate in America.

Milk chocolate usually has between 30 percent to 40 percent of cacao content and dark milk chocolate usually has between 45 percent to 70 percent cacao content.  

White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and usually vanilla and lecithin. White chocolate contains absolutely no chocolate liquor. White chocolate is therefore not categorized as chocolate by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to its lack of chocolate liquor and is thus labeled as "Confectionary" or "Confectionary Coating".

Do not confuse it with "Summer Coating" which contains vegetable fats in place of cocoa butter, which gives white chocolate its chocolate flavor. White chocolate must be expertly tempered to get a nice finish and texture due to its cocoa butter content.

White chocolate cannot be substituted for any other type of chocolate in recipes. White chocolate can be obtained in Couverture quality, and this can be enjoyed out of hand. White chocolate, when stored properly can be kept for a long period of time.

White chocolate, technically not chocolate at all has therefore no cacao content.

Percentage in a chocolate derived from the cocoa bean inclusive of added cocoa butter. The '% cacao' excludes sugar, vanilla beans, soya lecithin as well as any other flavors or additives, natural or artificial.

The higher the percentage on the package, the more chocolate there is in the product.  La Bellaria currently uses milk chocolate with 38 percent cacao, semisweet chocolate with 64 percent cacao and bittersweet chocolate with 72 percent cacao.

NO, our pure chocolate does not require any additives or preservatives.

NO, the emulsiers used in our chocolate are solely derived from pure and natural vegetable sources.

"Bloom" is cocoa butter from within the chocolate that rises to the surface when the chocolate is exposed to warm temperatures and then cooled. While unappetizing to look at, it is completely safe and will disappear when the chocolate is heated.

Chocolate is best stored at cool room temperatures (60-70°F), well wrapped to keep moisture out, and kept away from highly scented foods or aromatic products that may be absorbed by the chocolate.