How Do You Store Chocolate Correctly?

Ever had the discussion with someone about how to store chocolate correctly?  Some people think the fridge, some think the cupboard.  Our expert chocolatiers weigh in on this subject and settle it once and for all.

Firstly, if you just eat them, you won’t have to store them!

However, if you do need to store it for a little while, it should be stored at a temperature of around 20ºC.  If the temperature exceeds 24ºC, some of the cocoa butter can appear on the surface of the chocolate, known as fat bloom*, you can still eat it, it just changes appearance.

For summer or in really hot climates, you can store chocolate in the fridge in an airtight container with paper towel but when you take it out, let it sit unopened for little while so no condensation will affect it.  You may notice that the gloss is no longer there, which can be sugar bloom*.  Again, it is still safe to eat, just the appearance that changes.

Conclusion & Answer:

Ideally keep it in a cool, dry place away from other odours and light.  So the answer is not the fridge unless very hot or humid. 

* Fat Bloom occurs due to chocolate being exposed to heat, generally from about 24 ºC, where the cocoa butter melts slightly and can create a white film on top of the chocolate.