Types of Chocolate Compared
The words on a chocolate wrapper have legal meanings. In the US, the FDA sets standards of identity; in the EU, a 2000 directive does. This table summarises the main types and how to use them.
Dark, milk and white: Simon A. Eugster, CC BY-SA 3.0
The main types
| Type | What it is | Legal minimum (US) | Legal minimum (EU) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark (semisweet / bittersweet) | Cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar | 35% chocolate liquor | 35% total cocoa solids | Eating, baking, ganache |
| Milk chocolate | Cocoa plus milk solids and sugar | 10% chocolate liquor, 12% milk solids | 25% cocoa solids (standard milk chocolate) | Eating, coating, mild bakes |
| White chocolate | Cocoa butter, milk and sugar, no cocoa solids | 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids | 20% cocoa butter | Ganache, decoration, pairing with fruit |
| Ruby | Specially processed ruby cacao | Sold under a temporary permit | Meets EU chocolate rules | Decoration, eating |
| Couverture | High cocoa butter chocolate for professionals | No separate US standard | Defined higher cocoa butter content | Tempering, coating, moulding |
| Compound coating | Cocoa with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter | Cannot be called chocolate | Cannot be called chocolate | Easy dipping without tempering |
| Gianduja | Chocolate blended with hazelnut paste | Not a separate standard | Recognised type | Fillings, spreads, pralines |
| Unsweetened (baking) | Pure cocoa liquor, no sugar | Defined as chocolate liquor | Not common in retail | Baking with added sugar |
What the percentage means
A 70 percent bar contains 70 percent cocoa-derived ingredients (cocoa solids plus cocoa butter) and, typically, about 30 percent sugar. Two 70 percent bars can taste very different, because bean origin, fermentation, roasting and conching all change flavour.
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- US eCFR: 21 CFR Part 163, Cacao products
- EUR-Lex: Directive 2000/36/EC on cocoa and chocolate products
Facts on this page were checked against these sources (updated Oct 12, 2026). Spot an error? Email hello@fireempireshop.com.