English
Pure cocoa mass is the pure essence of natural cocoa beans. Its production process starts from selecting high-quality cocoa beans, which undergo cleaning, screening, roasting, shelling, and processing with or without alkalization, ultimately finely ground into a flowing paste. In a warm state, pure cocoa mass is fluid; when cooled, it solidifies into blocks, hence the name "pure cocoa mass". It is the basic raw material for various chocolate products and is commonly referred to as "cocoa mass" or "bitter mass".
Dark chocolate is a finished chocolate product made by reprocessing cocoa mass, cocoa butter (or cocoa butter substitute), cocoa powder, sugar, and other ingredients, and is molded into various shapes. Cocoa solids (cocoa liquor + cocoa butter, which can also be referred to as cocoa content) ranging from 70% to 100% are called dark chocolate. Generally, the higher the content, the lower the sugar content, and the more bitter the taste. Dark chocolate is more suitable for direct consumption compared to cocoa liquor.
Pure cocoa mass contains no sugar and is unblended, so it has a strong bitter taste when consumed directly and is quite hard in texture, making it less commonly eaten directly. It is typically used to make or blend other chocolate products such as dark chocolate, where the bitterness can be neutralized and the taste improved by proper blending.
Dark chocolate, on the other hand, has added sugar and fat to the pure cocoa mass, reducing the bitterness and creating a more uniform texture with moderate hardness, making it more suitable for direct consumption. The flavor of dark chocolate varies with its cocoa content and can meet the taste preferences of different people.
Pure cocoa mass is a natural cocoa product without added ingredients, consisting 100% of cocoa beans and unblended, thus retaining the rich antioxidants, minerals, and dietary fiber found in cocoa beans. For people who pursue pure natural nutrition and additive-free products, pure cocoa mass is a highly pure cocoa choice.
While dark chocolate also contains a large amount of cocoa, it includes added sugar and fat, and strictly speaking, does not fall under "pure natural cocoa bean" products. Even dark chocolate labeled "100% cocoa content" may still contain a certain proportion of cocoa butter or cocoa butter substitutes. The health value of dark chocolate remains high, but it is slightly less pure compared to pure cocoa mass.
Pure cocoa mass has a wide range of uses. It is not only the base material for dark chocolate but can also be separated to extract ingredients like cocoa butter, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder, which are widely used in chocolate blending, baking, beverage making, health foods, and certain medications. Due to its singular composition and rich antioxidant content, pure cocoa mass is favored in the health food sector.
Dark chocolate also has many uses, commonly used in baking, beverages, and energy foods. Because of its milder bitterness, dark chocolate is very popular in direct consumption, baking, and dessert making. Additionally, dark chocolate is a main ingredient in various chocolate-derived products such as filled chocolates and nut chocolates.
