Hiii, I want to make Chocolate Genoise, recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate however I want to use extra bitter chocolate ( as i have a big block of it and need to use it up). I understand tht if I make alteration the texture and taste may differ, i am fine with it. My only concern is that If I use Extra bitter chocolate it will make the cake too much bitter, how can I balance the taste ? If any one can help. Thanks
I think there might be one of two ways to do this, but I haven’t made a genoise before, and genoises have sort of special rules, so you might want to wait for a more experienced answer. However:
(1) Generally, you can sub one chocolate for another, adding or subtracting sugar as necessary. In your case, say your recipe calls for 100g of 60% chocolate.
100g 60% chocolate = 60g cocoa liquor (or whatever) and 40g sugar.
However, you want to use 70% chocolate, which, for 100g, is 70g cocoa liquor and 30g sugar.
To find out how much of the 70% bar you’d use, multiply 60 * 100 and divide by 70: 6000/70 = 85g.
85g of 70% chocolate contains the 60g of cocoa liquor that you need for your recipe.
Addding 15g extra sugar will bring your totoal “cocoa liquor + sugar” weight up to the required 100g and will have the sweetness required.
However, I’m not sure if you can add sugar willy-nilly to a genoise. So, another suggestion would be to do the following:
(2) Perform the calculations above to see how much extra sugar you need and add it to the syrup. Don’t scale the syrup up—i.e., don’t add more liquid— just add more sugar, and it will sweeten the cake.
Again—I’d suggest waiting for a more experienced person, but these are a few thoughts to tide you over!!!
Oh, and if you need help with your calculations, just post the cocoa contents of the chocolates you want to use and how much chocolate is required for the recipe, and I’ll calc it for you!
Sagarika, definitely follow Anne’s advice to lower the amount of chocolate so that you have an equal amount of chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate) to what is specified in the recipe. For a genoise, adding extra chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate) will deflate the delicate egg foam structure and could give you a flat cake.
The extra sugar that you need to balance the taste can be added to the whole eggs prior to beating, it will help form part of the egg foam structure.
I think there might be one of two ways to do this, but I haven’t made a genoise before, and genoises have sort of special rules, so you might want to wait for a more experienced answer. However:
(1) Generally, you can sub one chocolate for another, adding or subtracting sugar as necessary. In your case, say your recipe calls for 100g of 60% chocolate.
100g 60% chocolate = 60g cocoa liquor (or whatever) and 40g sugar.
However, you want to use 70% chocolate, which, for 100g, is 70g cocoa liquor and 30g sugar.
To find out how much of the 70% bar you’d use, multiply 60 * 100 and divide by 70: 6000/70 = 85g.
85g of 70% chocolate contains the 60g of cocoa liquor that you need for your recipe.
Addding 15g extra sugar will bring your totoal “cocoa liquor + sugar” weight up to the required 100g and will have the sweetness required.
However, I’m not sure if you can add sugar willy-nilly to a genoise. So, another suggestion would be to do the following:
(2) Perform the calculations above to see how much extra sugar you need and add it to the syrup. Don’t scale the syrup up—i.e., don’t add more liquid— just add more sugar, and it will sweeten the cake.
Again—I’d suggest waiting for a more experienced person, but these are a few thoughts to tide you over!!!
Best of luck!!
—ak
This is a very helpful post Anne! I was planning to make Devil’svFood cake from RHC but don’t have the 1 oz unsweetened chocolate required only 70%. But in my case the computation seems reverse? So bad in math and hope you can also helpme.
How much sugar do I need to lessen if I use 1 oz of 70% choco instead of 1 oz unsweetened?
Okay, you need 28g unsweetened, but you have 70% chocolage.
In this case, the question is “how many grams of 70% chocolage has 28g of cocoa liquor,” so 28 is 70% of what? —-> 28 = .7 x ??
To isolate the ?? on one side of the equation, you move it to the same side of the equal sign as the 28, but you put it below it (i.e., divide).
Thus, 28/.7 = ???
28/.7 = 40 grams!
So, you’d use 40 grams of 70% chocolate, but you’d reduce the sugar in the recipe by the extra 15 grams!
Hiii Anne & Julie thanks a ton for your response. I am overwhelmed by the calculation . The chocolate slab I have with me says Couverture Extra Bitter Chocolate, surprisingly there is no info reg the cocoa content.
If there’s a nutrition label, you may be able to figure it out. For example, if there are 14 grams of sugar in a 43 gram serving, then it’s around 33% sugar (14/43=0.33) and the rest chocolate liquor.
Otherwise, you may need to contact the company to find out the cacao percentage.
Also, don’t forget to mention the percent called for and how much chocolate the recipe requires. All three pieces of info are necessary to the calculation! Thanks!
Okay, you need 28g unsweetened, but you have 70% chocolage.
In this case, the question is “how many grams of 70% chocolage has 28g of cocoa liquor,” so 28 is 70% of what? —-> 28 = .7 x ??
To isolate the ?? on one side of the equation, you move it to the same side of the equal sign as the 28, but you put it below it (i.e., divide).
Thus, 28/.7 = ???
28/.7 = 40 grams!
So, you’d use 40 grams of 70% chocolate, but you’d reduce the sugar in the recipe by the extra 15 grams!
Good luck!!!
—ak
OMG you’re been a big help Anne!! Thank you so much! Lessened the amount of sugar by 15 grams. Does it matter what kind of sugar the recipe calls for though…since the cake uses muscovado?
Anyway, I made a lot of desserts from RHC—made devil’s food, torta de las tres leches, tiramisu and almond shamah chiffon!! Will post pics in show and tell tom!
If there’s a nutrition label, you may be able to figure it out. For example, if there are 14 grams of sugar in a 43 gram serving, then it’s around 33% sugar (14/43=0.33) and the rest chocolate liquor.
Otherwise, you may need to contact the company to find out the cacao percentage.
Hi Anne , Hi Julie Many thanks for your help and advice. I had bought that slab of chocolate from Japan so the info details are in Japanese however it did not have the percentage or any kind of numerical figure written on the label, so (it may sound weird) I decided to taste the chocolate n determine the amount to be used (i m a chocolate lover so in past I had tried bittersweet chocolate n it was bitter , did not like it). but surprisingly this extra bitter slab was sweet as compared to earlier, so I did not change any ingredients and baked as given in the recipe.
I baked 2 Moist Choco Geniose , frosted with whipped cream , both came out very yummy:)
. The chocolate slab I have with me says Couverture Extra Bitter Chocolate, surprisingly there is no info reg the cocoa content.
