Q: You mentioned in a previous article that one should not refrigerate chocolate blocks. What about truffles and pralines? (Mercy Moreno of Taguig)

Adoree: Filled chocolates such as truffles and pralines can be stored in the refrigerator, especially if you are not going to enjoy them soon. They are usually made with heavy cream and butter, so they perish after some time. They keep for up to 2 weeks in a cool, dry place and from 1-2 months in the refrigerator.

Jun Jun: Adoree, cool, dry places don’t exist in Manila due to the heat and humidity factor, so it is still best to keep them in the refrigerator. The best place for this purpose is the vegetable crisper, since this area is not as cold as the other areas inside the refrigerator. Truffles and pralines are usually made with couverture, which melts even at body temperatureâ€"and that’s lower than Manila’s average room temperature. Pralines usually have fillings that may be made with perishable ingredients, like heavy cream, nuts, and other flavorings that spoil faster than the chocolate itself.

Q: What’s the difference between dark chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and milk chocolate? (Vicky Toledo of Aklan)

Adoree: Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate high in cocoa solids (around 75 percent) with little or no sugar at all. Bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate can be used if a recipe calls for dark chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate contains a minimum of 35 percent cocoa solids and it has a rich, intense flavor and good, dark color. Milk chocolate contains milk solids and, generally, a minimum of 10 percent cocoa solids. It is lighter in color and sweeter in taste.

Jun Jun: Adoree’s definition is correct, but dark chocolate is the generic name for all chocolates which have no additives other than sugar and emulsifiers, as compared to milk chocolate, which has milk solids and sugar. "Bittersweet" is actually an adjective that describes the taste of the chocolate, and this taste could be due to a higher chocolate content as well as the additional presence of sugar. In Europe, chocolates are classified using dark, milk, and white as generic terms.

Q: What is "tempering"? I encountered this term in several baking books. Do I always need to temper chocolate? (Diana Escobar of Makati City)

Adoree: There are several ways to temper chocolate. The main idea is to melt and then cool the chocolate in order to stabilize its cocoa butter crystals to make it more malleable and glossy. We also temper chocolate to prevent gray streaks or blotches from appearing on its surface; to make the chocolate contract for easy release from the chocolate molds; to give it crispness so that it snaps when bitten; and to raise the melting temperature of hardened chocolate so that it does not melt upon contact with hands. The professional or classic way to temper chocolate is by slabbing. Slabbing is done by melting chopped chocolate then pouring two-thirds of the melted chocolate on a marble surface or other non-porous surface. Work the chocolate back and forth with a metal spatula until it thickens. Pour the thickened chocolate back into the remaining melted chocolate and reheat to 85 F-89 F, depending on what chocolate you are using. Since we temper chocolate to stabilize the cocoa butter crystals, we only do this when using real couverture (which contains cocoa butter) and not chocolate compound (which contains hydrogenated fat instead of cocoa butter). Tempering chocolate isn’t necessary for most recipes, but it is often done when the chocolate will be used for candy-making or decorating.

Jun Jun: Tempering or pre- crystallization is done so that the chocolate will have gloss or shine, snap easily when bitten, and be easy to remove from chocolate molds. Pre- crystallization is only done with chocolate couverture because of the fat in it, which is cocoa butter. Cocoa butter has five crystals, only one of which is stable, and only at temperatures between 85-89 F. Since chocolate can only be melted at temperatures higher than 89F, all crystals present in it become unstable. You work the couverture to lower its temperature, thus creating stable crystals, and it must then be maintained at that temperature.