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Health & Fitness

The temperature is rising! How do I care for my chocolate?

How to store your chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer during the heat wave.

With the temperature rising this week, people tend to ask us, "How do I care for my chocolate in the heat?" Most people believe that putting the box in the refrigerator is the way to go. Sadly, it is not. When you put chocolate directly in the refrigerator, the process of 'fat bloom' occurs. This is when a grey, dusty looking film is on top of the chocolate. Many people then deem the chocolate inedible. It is, in fact, edible, but it may not look as good as you would like it to be. If your house is at a good room temperature (preferably no warmer then 74 degrees), with a low humidity (below 50 degrees), you may not need to take these steps, but with the heat of Summer, it can be expensive to keep your house this cool.

In order to keep your chocolate from blooming while in the fridge or freezer, we recommend using these steps:

1.  Make sure your refrigerator or freezer is free from strong smelling items, such as garlic, fish and onions.  Chocolate loves to absorb odors.

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2.  Place the chocolate in airtight, plastic freezer bag with a paper towel placed over top of the chocolate.

3. Place the bag in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, then check the bag.

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4. If any condensation occurred, replace the paper towels and place it in the refrigerator for one hour.

5. After the hour, remove the paper towels, and do not replace it!

6. Place each bag you are going to freeze into a second bag for double protection.

7. When the time comes to enjoy them, remove them from the freezer a few hours ahead and place them into the refrigerator to thaw them. Eventually, place them in a cool odor-less, dark cabinet to let them cool to room temperature.

Those are all the tips for keeping your chocolate cool for this summer!

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