When it comes to chocolate, everyone has their go-to treat. But if a bar lasts longer than a few hours, the age-old debate is whether you should keep it in the fridge or the cupboard. It also happens to be one of the most common queries posed to luxury brand Rococo Chocolates.
Speaking with The Express, Rococo’s Head of Marketing Marie-Lorraine Michot shared exactly how to store it for that perfect silky texture. She explained that certain atmospheres can “wreck” good chocolate, and one common storage mistake can actually ruin that satisfying snap.
“There are a few things that really wreck good chocolate: big temperature swings, moisture, and strong smells. The fridge is basically a cold box full of all three! The moisture can create a grainy texture,” she explained.
According to Marie, the sweet spot for storage is between 16 and 18C — warmer than a fridge but cooler than most rooms — and it varies depending on the quantity of cocoa butter.
So she declared the answer is “almost always the cupboard” in a cooler room, and that the “perfect environment” would be a pantry or a wine cellar.
Marie added that “rules are made to be broken”, and she would make exceptions for certain chocolates like peppermint thins from the fridge on a hot day. “The coldness really works with the minty flavour,” she added.
“Ultimately, while there are guidelines, mostly set by science, the most important thing to remember is that chocolate is meant to be fun and for experimenting!”
If you are a die-hard fan of cold chocolate, she recommended storing it in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge.
She also highlighted the “number one mistake” when it comes to storing chocolate, which is letting it warm up and then cool down too fast.
“That’s when you get that chalky, white film on the surface, which is called ‘bloom’,” she explained. “It’s just the cocoa butter separating, so it’s still safe to eat, but it does spoil the silky texture and that satisfying snap when you break a piece off.”
During winter, storing chocolate next to a radiator is a “guaranteed way to make it bloom”, as is a steamy kitchen, because of the moisture.
“A cupboard in a cooler room is still your best bet,” she concluded.
