How long will unsweetened chocolate keep?

[Stuckey]

Hi all,

I've got about a pound of unsweetened chocolate (Kennedy & Wilson - an Australian brand) that has a "best before" date of one year ago. The chocolate has always been kept in a cool part of the house, and it shows no signs of bloom. I've not tasted it because, well, it's not really meant to be eaten out of hand, but do you think it would still be fine to use in baking? I know it doesn't contain any milk solids, which would obviously shorten the shelf life, but as it is a food item, it's not going to have an indefinite shelf life. I understand that cocoa butter is a relatively stable fat, and I would think that if it's gone rancid, I'd be able to know by the smell.

I'm going to be baking 3 batches of Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Chunkers, and despite the recipe calling for only 1oz of unsweetened chocolate, I'd hate for anyone to get sick by eating a cookie containing chocolate that's one year over its "best before" date. I'm probably just being over-cautious, but better to be safe than sorry!

Thanks for any advice!

J.

[Tri2Cook]

Disclaimer: I'm not a chocolate expert.

That said, I've used properly stored chocolate over a year old for personal baking as long as it passed the sniff and taste tests... and not only the unsweetend stuff. Tasting unsweetened chocolate isn't the horrible experience you may be picturing, especially if you eat a lot of darker chocolates anyway, but you could mix a little sugar and some water, heat it and pour it over the chocolate then mix it up good. That will add some sweetness without adding things that will mask the taste. If it still tastes good that way, it will taste good in the recipe. If you're really worried, taste it a couple days before you want to bake. If you don't spend a night on the throne, you'll be fine.

[Lior]

If it looks good I bet it is just fine. I eat 100% pate cacao all the time - it is not horrid IMHO! I would taste a bite or two, just to make sure it isn't rancid (cb), which I am quite sure it isn't.

[Kerry Beal]

Dark chocolate, like red wine, stored properly - actually improves with age. It will undergo a form V to form VI transformation over time and start to look dusty - so will need to be retempered when it does. Other than that - it should last until you use it up.

I've got some unsweetened couverature that's at least 5 years old in my cupboard and wouldn't hesitate to use it.

[Sebastian]

I happen to know someone who works in the industry and knows a thing or two about chocolate - your liquor, assuming you've stored it in a cool, dry place, unexposed to light or strong odors, will last for a very long time. The best test to see if it's 'gone bad' so to speak? chip off a piece of it and taste it. if it tastes like soap or like cardboard, it's begun to 'go bad'.

if you've stored it properly, that won't happen for many years.

[pagosselin]

I happen to know someone who works in the industry and knows a thing or two about chocolate - your liquor, assuming you've stored it in a cool, dry place, unexposed to light or strong odors, will last for a very long time.  The best test to see if it's 'gone bad' so to speak?  chip off a piece of it and taste it.  if it tastes like soap or like cardboard, it's begun to 'go bad'. 

if you've stored it properly, that won't happen for many years.

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Thanks for asking this question I have about a 8 lb. block left and didn't know if I should throw it out. I have had it for about 1/12. thanks again

[Stuckey]

Thank you all very much for your advice!

I tasted the unsweetened chocolate before I made the cookies today, and while I don't think I'll make a regular habit of eating it out of hand, I didn't detect any off flavours, and so I was happy to use it.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Stuckey (log)