How the recipe shapes your chocolate

If you already know how roasting transforms cacao, here's the next piece of the puzzle: the chocolate recipe. For lovers of dark chocolate and bean-to-bar chocolate, understanding these four decisions unlocks a whole new way of tasting.

Cacao Percentage: How Much Is Cacao?

That "72%" on a dark chocolate bar tells you how much of the bar came from the cacao bean. Everything else is the remaining 28%. Higher percentages bring more intensity and complexity — and more room for the bean's origin character to shine. Lower percentages are rounder and more approachable. At 100%, there's nowhere to hide.

But the number alone doesn't tell the whole story: a 70% bar from Ecuador will taste completely different from a 70% bar from Madagascar. That's one of the signatures of great bean-to-bar chocolate.

Cacao Butter: The Melt Factor

Cacao butter is the natural fat from the bean: it's what gives chocolate its glossy sheen, satisfying snap, and that signature melt-on-the-tongue sensation. Some recipes add extra cacao butter for a silkier texture.

In the bean-to-bar world, swapping cacao butter for cheaper vegetable fats is unthinkable. When you're working with exceptional cacao, the integrity of every ingredient matters.

Milk or No Milk?

Dark chocolate contains no milk solids, keeping the focus on the cacao. Milk chocolate adds creaminess and sweetness — but often at the cost of origin complexity.

In craft chocolate, alternative milks have opened up genuinely interesting territory. Oat milk powder pairs well with toasty, cereal-forward cacaos; coconut milk adds richness that complements fruity origins; rice milk keeps things neutral and light. Choosing an alternative milk isn't just a dietary decision — it's a flavour one.

Sugar: More Than Just Sweetness

In a two or three ingredient bean-to-bar chocolate, the sweetener has nowhere to hide.

Refined cane sugar is neutral and lets the cacao lead.
Unrefined cane sugar adds warmth and molasses depth.
Coconut sugar is less sweet, with a gentle butterscotch quality - a favorite in craft chocolate.
Date sugar brings dried fruit richness and a slight toffee note, though it's challenging to work with.
Beet sugar is virtually indistinguishable from cane, but popular with European makers for traceability reasons.

The sweetener is part of the maker’s voice. The best makers choose it with intention.

The Full Picture

Cacao sets the tone. Percentage decides how loudly it speaks. Fat shapes the feel. Milk softens the edges. Sugar finishes the story. When those choices support the bean rather than compete with it, the result is a chocolate that says something — in a single bite.