Defining 'Couverture'

From the French word meaning 'coating', couverture when used in reference to chocolate is a quality guarantee - a culinary barometer that flags authenticity and flavour. We insist on it.

Couverture is to chocolate as Rolex is to watches; by it's very title it is an assurance of legitimacy and luxury.

Couverture is a term that's used for chocolate rich in cocoa butter and high in cocoa solids.  It is the most superior form of chocolate, denoting a promise of at least 32% pure cocoa butter – the magic ingredient that gives couverture chocolate that ‘melt in the mouth' delectability. 

How do you distinguish couverture from confectionary? Here's some tell-tale signs:

  • Rich, intense chocolate flavour
  • High sheen and a glossy, smooth finish
  • Brittle texture (snaps when broken)
  • Creamy mouth feel
  • Low melting point

When we're talking quality, the proportion of cocoa liquor to sugar is also important...the higher the ratio of cocoa liquor (or solids) the darker and more bitter the chocolate and more intense the flavour. This ratio is manipulated to produce the following flavours:

DARK COUVERTURE

This dark and broody chocolate is the connoisseurs choice.  Dark couverture is essentially chocolate liquor (cocoa solids) to which more cocoa butter is added and a small amount of sugar, vanilla and lecithin.  It is the high proportion of cocoa solids that give dark couverture it's seductively rich, intense and somewhat earthy chocolate flavours.  With no milk additives, this is as pure and unadulterated as chocolate gets. 

San Churro's dark couverture chocolate contains 60% cocoa solids.  Well balanced, with almost no bitterness, it renders complex fruity undertones, with a lingering smoky aftertaste. To be savoured, much like a fine wine.

MILK COUVERTURE

This velvety crooner is paler, creamier and much sweeter than dark couverture, with a less intense chocolate flavour due to the addition of whole milk solids and more sugar.  A real crowd pleaser, milk couverture takes itself a little less seriously than it's darker counterpart, and should be enjoyed with carefree abandon. 

San Churro's milk couverture chocolate contains 36% cocoa solids resulting in a rich, velvety smooth and sweet milk chocolate with subtle hints of vanilla that deepen to a gentle caress of caramel.  Heavenly!

WHITE COUVERTURE

Woozily wicked and sinfully sweet white couverture contains 32% cocoa butter, sugar, milk and vanilla, but none of the cocoa solids found in milk and dark couverture chocolate.  This omission removes the slight bitterness of darker chocolates, and imbues instead a succulently sweet and creamy disposition that is hard to resist.

San Churro's white couverture chocolate is sweet and buttery with a soft vanilla flavour and hints of honey.  It dreamily melts in the mouth with a silky, lingering caramelly finish.