Bittersweet vs. Semisweet: How the Types of Chocolate Differ

Bittersweet chocolate is a variety of chocolate with a cacao percentage of around seventy percent. The high cacao content makes the chocolate flavor deep and less sweet, with a slightly dry or crumbly texture. It’s extremely similar in flavor and texture to semisweet chocolate, and home cooks might freely substitute one for the other.

On the chocolate spectrum, bittersweet chocolate is darker than milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate. It is not quite as dark as true dark chocolate (which usually has a cacao percentage above seventy-five percent) or unsweetened chocolate. Some manufacturers lump bittersweet chocolate into a general “dark chocolate” category, but technically, it is sweeter than true dark chocolate.

Semisweet is a variety of chocolate with a cacao percentage of around sixty percent. The relatively high cacao content makes the chocolate flavor deep and less sweet, with a slightly dry or crumbly texture. It’s comparable in flavor and texture to bittersweet chocolate, and home cooks might use it when a recipe calls for semisweet.

Semisweet chocolate is darker than milk chocolate but not as dark as bittersweet chocolate, true dark chocolate, or unsweetened baking chocolate. Sometimes manufacturers lump semisweet chocolate, along with bittersweet chocolate, into a general “dark chocolate” category, but both semisweet and bittersweet chocolate are sweeter than true dark chocolate. To become better acquainted with the qualities of dark chocolate, learn how to prepare Chef Dominique Ansel’s chocolate ganache.

Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate are similar products with only a few differences. Here are four areas in which the chocolates differ:

1. 1. Cacao percentage: A main difference between bittersweet and semisweet chocolate recipes is the cacao percentage (also called cocoa solids or chocolate liquor). Bittersweet has a slightly higher cacao content (usually around seventy percent), while semisweet has a slightly lower percentage (usually around sixty percent). When chocolate contains a higher percentage of cacao, it automatically contains lower amounts of sugar and cocoa butter.
2. 2. Flavor: Bittersweet chocolate contains more cacao flavor than semisweet chocolate so it contains less sugar and, therefore, has a flavor that is slightly deeper and more bitter. By comparison, semisweet chocolate is slightly sweeter; however, the taste difference is so slight many consumers can barely taste the difference.
3. 3. Texture: Compared to semisweet, bittersweet chocolate contains a slightly higher cacao percentage and, therefore, a lower cocoa butter or milk solids percentage. This results in bittersweet chocolate being drier and crumblier than semisweet, which is smoother and creamier; however, most home cooks won’t see any noticeable difference in the textures of each chocolate.
4. 4. Color: Bittersweet chocolate, which contains slightly more cacao, might appear darker in color than semisweet chocolate.

Bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate are extremely similar and interchangeable in most recipes, especially for home cooks and casual bakers. The different types of chocolate offer slight differences in flavor profile, meaning one might feature better than the other in particular recipes.

In general, the darker the chocolate, the better it is for recipes calling for deep, bitter chocolate flavor and for baked goods recipes containing other sweet ingredients to balance out the bitterness. Recipes that can benefit from dark chocolate include brownies, chocolate chip cookies, truffles, hot chocolate, chocolate mousse, and chocolate cake.

The lighter the chocolate, the better it is for producing a milder chocolate flavor (often in combination with other flavors), especially in recipes requiring little sugar or sweeteners. Recipes that can benefit from the addition of light chocolate include muffins, pancakes, and chocolate bars.

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