If you’re as passionate about fine chocolate as we are, you will want to ensure that if it is kept for any length of time it remains in the condition the maker intended.
You can store fine chocolate in a similar manner to fine wine - in a dark, cool place - ideally 14° C to 18° C. However, chocolate must be kept away from moisture so a wine cabinet that regulates humidity at 80% is not appropriate unless the chocolate is kept in a sealed container. To shield light and block odours, wrap chocolate carefully in foil. Under these conditions, unsweetened, bittersweet and semisweet chocolates may be stored for up to 18 months from production.
The higher milk solids content of milk and white chocolates mean they will have a shorter shelf life and can spoil if stored improperly or for too long. It's best to enjoy your milk chocolate within 6 months and white chocolate within 3 to 4 months of production.
All chocolates sold in Australia must be labelled with a “Best Before” date. Use this as an indication as to when your chocolate can be consumed at its freshest. Chocolate that has gone stale will lose its normal aromas and may not melt as easily. Although the natural fats in chocolate are quite stable, they will go rancid in time, causing an off smelling odour. If you are unsure if your chocolate is fit for consumption smell its aroma by breaking off a small piece and melting it between your thumb and fore finger.
This is likely to be "bloom," a cloudy or grayish look, sometimes with spots or streaks which may develop on chocolate that has been exposed to conditions that are not ideal.
There are two types of bloom - sugar bloom and fat bloom. Sugar bloom occurs when solid chocolate encounters moisture. Water dissolves some of the sugar crystals which rise to the surface and may make the surface rough and pitted. Fat bloom is a result of exposure to warmer than ideal temperatures, something to be particularly wary of in summer. Stable cocoa butter crystals melt, destabilize and then stabilize again as large crystals on the surface of the chocolate. This is the effect that causes the cloudy, grey appearance mentioned earlier. Fortunately, bloom does not affect the flavour or melting properties of chocolate and disappears once the chocolate is melted. This is why in most cases, regardless of the type of bloom, the chocolate can almost always still be used for cooking, baking or in beverages and it is fine to eat, athough the texture may be slightly altered. However, it is important to note that sugar-bloomed chocolate should not be used to make candy and fat-bloomed chocolate should only be used to make candy if it has been retempered.
*Note: The information above only refers to storing chocolate bars or tablets.