A Brief (and Delicious) History of Chocolate

Chocolate has been captivating humans for over 3000 years — long before it became the glossy bars and silky desserts we know today.

Its story begins in Mesoamerica, where civilisations such as the Mokaya, Olmec, Maya and Aztec cultivated cacao and prepared a drink known as xocolātl — or “bitter water”. Far from the sweet treat we recognise, it was spiced, intense, and often reserved for ritual and status. According to legend, the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl was banished for sharing cacao with humanity — a detail that feels, in hindsight, a little unfair.

When cacao first arrived in Europe — brought back by explorers including Christopher Columbus and later Hernán Cortés — it was met with near universal dislike. Bitter, unfamiliar, and confronting, it took time (and a generous addition of sugar, honey and spice) before it found favour in the Spanish court. From there, it slowly spread across Europe, becoming a symbol of wealth and refinement.

The transformation from bitter drink to the chocolate we know today came through a series of innovations.

In 1815, Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten developed a method to reduce bitterness, and by 1828 had created a press that separated cocoa solids from cocoa butter — giving us what we now call Dutch cocoa.

A few decades later, Joseph Fry reintroduced cocoa butter to create a mouldable chocolate paste — the beginning of solid chocolate as we know it. Soon after, Daniel Peter added powdered milk (developed by Henri Nestlé), creating milk chocolate. And finally, in 1879, Rodolphe Lindt introduced conching — a process that refines texture and flavour — transforming chocolate into something smooth, balanced and luxurious.

In this blog we talk about the best chocolate for baking and we explain different types of cooking chocolate.

Not All Chocolate Is Created Equal

Understanding chocolate comes down to understanding what’s in it — and how it’s made.

• Unsweetened chocolate contains only cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It’s intense, bitter, and typically used for baking.
• Dark chocolate includes sugar (and sometimes vanilla), with cocoa content expressed as a percentage.
• Milk chocolate adds milk powder for sweetness and softness.
• White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk — but no cocoa solids.

Then there’s the question of quality.

Fine chocolate is made by recombining cocoa solids with cocoa butter and refining it through processes like extended conching. This is what gives chocolate its gloss, snap, and smooth melt.

At the highest end sits couverture chocolate — a professional-grade product made with superior ingredients and longer conching times, resulting in a finer texture and better performance in baking and confectionery.

A Note on Cooking Chocolate (and Why It Matters)

When baking, the chocolate you choose directly affects your result - couverture versus compound.

Couverture chocolate — like the kind we love to use — is designed to melt beautifully, set with a glossy finish, and deliver deep, balanced flavour.

But we also know that not every bake calls for premium couverture.

Which is why we’ve introduced a new range of compound chocolate from Van Houten.

Compound chocolate replaces cocoa butter with vegetable fats, making it:

• more affordable
• easier to work with (no tempering required)
• ideal for everyday baking, decorating and high-volume cooking

It’s a practical option when you need consistency, ease, and value — without compromising entirely on flavour.

So… Which Chocolate Should You Use?

It depends on what you’re making.

For a showstopper dessert (like our chocolate fondant), we’ll always lean towards high-quality chocolate — because it’s the hero of the dish.

But for brownies, slices, coatings or bulk baking? A good compound chocolate absolutely has its place.

Because good cooking isn’t about rules — it’s about understanding your ingredients, and using them well.

Final Thought

Chocolate has come a long way from bitter ceremonial drink to everyday indulgence.

And whether you’re reaching for the finest couverture or a reliable compound, the goal remains the same:

Make something worth eating.