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Not so hot chocolate: why room temperature is best

It's official: chocolate should melt in the mouth.
It's official: chocolate should melt in the mouth.

It’s a sticky issue that divided Courier readers: does chocolate taste better at room temperature or served straight from the fridge?

We received more than 100 comments on our Facebook page arguing about the best way to serve chocolate following a heated office debate about the issue.

Surprisingly, a majority of people favoured eating their chocolate after it has been in the fridge or even, for those with particularly strong teeth, in the freezer.

However, The Courier decided to apply some science to the issue and spoke to renowned chocolatier Charlotte Flowers, who runs the award-winning Charlotte Flowers Chocolates in Aberfeldy, to find out what temperature is best for everyone’s favourite treat.

“Personally, I think chocolate should be served at room temperature,” she said.

“But if the temperature is above 20C it begins to soften.”

Charlotte said those who prefer their chocolate straight from the fridge are missing out on its full flavour.

“If you take it straight from the fridge it is too hard for your mouth to melt so you don’t get that amazing release of flavour that you want,” she said.

She added that if chocolate is being stored in an area with a temperature of more than 20C then it is acceptable to keep it in the fridge but that it should be taken out some time before consumption to allow it to warm up.

And Charlotte had one final warning.

“If the chocolate isn’t properly wrapped then it will take on the flavour of whatever else is in your fridge and that won’t be very nice,” she said.