Is it possible to store chocolate in the refrigerator, if you want to keep its taste?

When asked whether chocolate can be stored in the refrigerator, experts answer: of course, yes! As part of this treat, there are many natural vegetable fats and other organic products. So, it is the cold that will keep the delicacy fresh, tasty and aromatic. But why then write that chocolate has no place in the refrigerator? Let's get it right.

Why does chocolate go bad?

There are several factors that influence product quality:

• Contact with air.

Natural fats enter the oxidation reaction with air. As a result, the delicacy changes its smell and taste, a shade of unpleasant mustiness appears. In this case, cocoa powder inhibits the oxidation reaction. Therefore, white chocolate spoils most quickly, and black chocolate is a real “long-liver.” But still it is better to keep the delicacy hermetically sealed even at home.

• Shelf life.

On old chocolate over time appears "gray hair" - unappetizing white spots. This is not mold at all, much less dirt. These are cocoa butter crystals. Over time, they increase in size and protrude to the surface. Temperature fluctuations accelerate the process, so you should not remove melted sweets in the cold to harden. They, of course, will freeze, but lose their attractive appearance. At the same time, the crystals are harmless, they do not even affect the taste of the product. They just look ugly.

• Diffusion.

Chocolate is an unstable delicacy. It dries quickly, loses its rich aroma. It’s also easy for chocolates to absorb any odors and moisture. That is why many manufacturers switched to hermetic packaging. If you bought sweets wrapped in foil, eat them quickly or put them in a vacuum container.

• Temperature.

Candies melt at + 30–32 ^aboutC. If you raise the temperature to 40 ^aboutC, cocoa butter will go into a stable form, and after cooling it will become hard and brittle. Confectioners use this effect to create spectacular glossy coatings for cakes and pastries. But a temperamental product is not at all the same as melted and newly solidified sweets. They will lose their pleasant texture, become hard and brittle.

Which is better - cold or warm?

Experts advise storing chocolate at a temperature of +15 to +21 degrees Celsius. In this case, the product retains its qualities for up to a year. But if you put the candies in the refrigerator, the shelf life increases. And in the freezer, a treat can be stored for years - unless, of course, someone needs it. But there are certain rules:

• Candies must be removed in a sealed vacuum packaging. Otherwise, they are filled with the aromas of all the products that are in the refrigerator - from garlic to herring. In addition, the treat will lose moisture - and an unaesthetic white coating will appear.
• It is impossible to clean melted sweets in the cold. You only make the situation worse. It will be correct to first allow the chocolate to solidify at room temperature.
• Want to eat some candy? Remove it from the refrigerator and leave it for at least 20 minutes - let it warm at room temperature. So you discover the taste and aroma of goodies. Tasters claim that you need to eat sweets at a temperature of +15 to +20 degrees, but not higher.

How long can dessert be stored?

The more cocoa in chocolate, the longer it will "live":

• black - up to a year;
• dessert - up to 10 months;
• dessert with nuts, raisins, dried fruits - up to 3 months;
• white - up to a month.

Sweets with natural fillings should be eaten in 2 weeks.

Do not forget: the whitish coating is harmless. Check on the packaging the expiration date of the product. If it is not over, you can eat chocolate.True, the look of such a delicacy is not very attractive, and at home you can not improve the situation. But you can melt the tile and pour cookies with it, dip fruit slices into it, add to coffee. It will turn out both tasty and healthy.