No, dark chocolate is not exactly the same as bittersweet chocolate, though they are closely related.
While both are types of chocolate with a higher percentage of cacao than milk chocolate, they often differ in their cacao content and the amount of sugar added. Bittersweet chocolate typically has a cacao percentage in the range of 60-70%, while dark chocolate can encompass a broader range, often exceeding 70% and sometimes reaching 85% or higher.
Here's a breakdown:
- Dark Chocolate: This is a general term for chocolate containing cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, but no milk solids. The specific percentage of cocoa solids varies widely.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: This is a specific type of dark chocolate that has a noticeable bitterness due to a higher proportion of cocoa solids and a relatively lower amount of sugar.
Think of it this way: bittersweet chocolate is a subset of dark chocolate. All bittersweet chocolate is dark chocolate, but not all dark chocolate is bittersweet.
Ultimately, the distinction can be blurry, as different manufacturers may use the terms somewhat interchangeably. However, a key difference lies in the sugar content; bittersweet generally has less sugar than some other forms of dark chocolate.
