IICCT Chocolate Taster flashcards
IICCT Chocolate Taster · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Criollo cacao
- A cacao group known for aromatic, low-bitterness beans and low disease resistance; historically linked to Central America and prized in fine-flavour chocolate.
- Forastero cacao
- The dominant bulk cacao group, vigorous and disease-resistant, with higher astringency and typically used for mainstream chocolate blends.
- Trinitario cacao
- A Criollo × Forastero hybrid group combining fine flavour with vigour; widely grown in Trinidad and other origins.
- Cauliflory
- The botanical trait of bearing flowers and pods directly on the trunk and older branches, characteristic of Theobroma cacao.
- Fermentation succession
- The microbial sequence in cacao fermentation: yeasts produce ethanol, lactic acid bacteria follow, then acetic acid bacteria raise temperature and acidity.
- Cut test
- A quality check where beans are cut open to assess cotyledon colour, fermentation level and defects such as mould or insect damage.
- Bean moisture target
- Cacao beans are dried to about 7–8% moisture to allow safe storage and prevent mould growth.
- Winnowing
- The process of cracking roasted beans and separating the lighter shell from the heavier nibs, usually by air classification.
- Refining particle size
- Chocolate is refined until particles are below about 20–25 µm, the threshold at which the tongue no longer detects grittiness.
- Conching
- A prolonged mixing and aeration step that reduces moisture and volatile acidity while developing viscosity and rounding flavour.
- Tempering
- Controlled heating and cooling that produces stable Form V cocoa butter crystals, giving gloss, snap and resistance to bloom.
- Couverture
- Chocolate with high cocoa butter content (typically 32–39%) used for coating and moulding because of its fluidity and gloss.
- White chocolate
- A chocolate product containing cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar but no cocoa solids, so it lacks cocoa colour and bitterness.
- EU dark chocolate rule
- EU law requires chocolate to contain at least 35% total dry cocoa solids, including at least 18% cocoa butter and 14% non-fat cocoa solids.
- Lecithin
- An emulsifier (E322) used in chocolate to reduce viscosity and control flow, allowing less cocoa butter to be used.
- PGPR
- Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (E476), an emulsifier that mainly reduces yield value and improves moulding flow in chocolate.
- Triangle test
- A discrimination test in which tasters identify the odd sample among three; it detects whether samples differ, not how.
- Palate cleanser
- A neutral substance such as water, plain cracker or green apple used between samples to remove carry-over flavour.
- Descriptive analysis
- A sensory method using trained panels and a defined lexicon to quantify the intensity of specific attributes in a sample.
- Hedonic testing
- Consumer testing that measures liking or preference rather than attribute intensity, usually with untrained participants.
- Astringency
- A drying, puckering mouthfeel caused by polyphenols binding salivary proteins; it rises with under-fermentation and high cocoa solids.
- Bitterness sources
- Bitterness in chocolate comes mainly from theobromine, caffeine and polyphenols, and increases with under-fermentation and over-roasting.
- Hammy defect
- An off-flavour reminiscent of cured meat, typically caused by over-fermentation or poor fermentation control.
- Smoky taint
- An off-note from exposure to wood smoke, often during drying or storage near fires, and considered a defect in fine cacao.
- Fat bloom
- A greyish surface layer caused by cocoa butter melting and recrystallising; cosmetic only, but it signals poor storage or tempering.
- Sugar bloom
- A rough, sandy surface caused by moisture dissolving sugar which recrystallises on drying; often linked to condensation.
- Ideal storage conditions
- Chocolate keeps best at 15–18 °C and below 50–55% relative humidity, away from light and strong odours.
- Fairtrade mark
- A certification requiring a minimum price and social premium for producers, with standards on labour and environment.
- Rainforest Alliance
- A certification scheme covering environmental, social and economic criteria; UTZ merged into it, and it is common in cocoa.
- EUDR
- The EU Deforestation Regulation requires geolocation and due diligence to show cocoa is deforestation-free before placing on the EU market.
- Living income
- The income a farming household needs for a decent standard of living; many cocoa farmers earn below this benchmark.
- Single origin
- A labelling claim that chocolate comes from one defined region or country; it is not legally standardised and does not guarantee quality.