Chocolate Storage: How to Keep Gourmet Chocolate Tasting Great

When you treat yourself to gourmet chocolate, you’ll want to ensure that you’re getting the best flavors out of each chocolate bar. That means you should be storing your chocolate in ideal conditions. Factors like heat, cold, moisture, and sunlight can all affect the integrity of chocolate, so storing chocolate bars in the wrong place could lead to a disappointing experience when you’re ready to dig in. Follow these guidelines to ensure that you get the most out of your eating experience. 

Check the Expiration Date

Chocolate generally has a long shelf life, but it’s important to know when each bar was produced so you know the exact expiration date. Different chocolate bars contain different ingredients like milk, nuts, and spices that may shorten their shelf life. 

Store Chocolate in Cool, Dark Places 

You won’t want to simply leave chocolate out on the counter. Not only will you risk others digging into your stash, but you may also risk melting or blooming, which can affect the flavor and texture of your chocolate. Chocolate bars have been tempered to maintain a beautifully smooth and shiny finish, which delivers the rich and silky mouthfeel you crave from gourmet chocolate. If stored in temperatures that are too hot or too cold, chocolate will lose this smooth finish and feel grainy or overly dense. Chocolate keeps best at temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees, away from direct sunlight. 

Keep Chocolate Out of the Fridge

When you think of cool, dark places for food storage, your mind may go to the fridge. However, the high humidity and excessive cold of the fridge makes it an unfriendly place for chocolate. Still, if your home is generally warmer than 75 degrees, you may store chocolate in the fridge in an airtight container. You’ll just want to bring it up to room temperature slowly and make sure it is no longer chilled when you’re ready to eat it. Chocolate should always be served at room temperature to unlock the full spectrum of flavors and aromas within. Zotter Chocolate delivers a delectable variety of handmade chocolates right to your door with our no-melt guarantee, which keeps your order in ideal conditions throughout its journey. Browse our store to discover the Hand-Scooped Chocolates, bean to bar single origin chocolates, and drinking chocolates that cater to your palate.