Chocolate and summer are natural enemies, just like eggs and bowling balls, one being unstable in the destructive presence of the other. So here’s how you can store chocolate in the ‘melty’ season..
1) Bring your chocolate home safely- The trick with chocolate is to rush home with it from the store and put it in your cabinet or candy dish, not let it sit around in the hot car where it could turn into a chocolate shake! So first of all, put it in the bag with your frozen items for a safe trip home.
2) Don’t Freeze-Ok so you are home and you thought freezing was the best thing to do to your chocolate.. you are wrong! Freezing or even refrigerating chocolate can encourage sweating (condensation) of the chocolate and could even transfer odors from other foods to your favorite bar. Experts say “don’t simply use your fridge for candy. It never works out very well, it’s too cold! But if you are hell bent on refrigerating or freezing chocolate, because you like it rock solid, make sure it is sealed in an airtight container. Do not freeze directly.
3) Let the chocolate come back to its normal self- Also always thaw frozen chocolate in the refrigerator; if it goes straight from the freezer to room temperature, condensation will form and alter the appearance and texture if not the taste. So first keep it in the fridge, then place in a cool room.
4) Ice box or basement- Dark chocolate can be kept for 1 to 2 years if wrapped in foil and stored in a cool, dark and dry place. A pantry or basement is an ideal location. Unless you keep your home very warm, a cabinet or pantry is an ideal place to store chocolate. If it's too warm at home, consider putting it in the icebox.
5) Water bottles and tiffins- Another solution is water bottles. Sports bottles and insulated tiffin boxes and even bags provide a good layer of insulation. You could also put them in the fridge should the temperatures rise to prevent the chocolate from melting, catching odors from other foods and staying as fresh as new.
6) Why store at all - Lastly, store your chocolate in a way that helps it from getting melty or messy, i.e, by consuming it asap!!
