No, bittersweet chocolate is not exactly the same as dark chocolate, although they are very similar.
Bittersweet chocolate falls under the umbrella of dark chocolate, but it's typically less intense. Here's a breakdown:
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Dark Chocolate: This is a broad category of chocolate that contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar. It generally has a cocoa percentage above 35%.
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Bittersweet Chocolate: Bittersweet chocolate is a type of dark chocolate. The key is the cocoa percentage, which usually falls in the range of 60-70%.
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Semisweet Chocolate: Also a type of dark chocolate, but generally sweeter than bittersweet, with a cocoa percentage usually between 35-50%.
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Unsweetened Chocolate (Baker's Chocolate): Has nearly 100% cocoa solids and is very bitter.
The difference lies primarily in the percentage of cocoa solids and, consequently, the amount of sugar added. True "dark chocolate" can sometimes refer to chocolate with a significantly higher cocoa percentage (75% or more), making it more intense and less sweet than bittersweet.
In summary: Bittersweet chocolate is a type of dark chocolate, but not all dark chocolate is bittersweet. The main distinction is the cocoa percentage; bittersweet chocolate typically has a cocoa percentage between 60-70%, while dark chocolate may have a wider range and higher percentages.
