Waterbridge Belgian chocolate - shelf life?

[susan_e_webb]

Hello, chocolate lovers,

Anyone know about how long the above chocolate (I'm thinking of the big 400g bars) lasts, unopened - or even opened but well wrapped - in a dark cupboard? The packages don't have an expiry date.

Thanks!

[rediesw]

Hi..
If its from, where I think its from
because its nowhere indicated
on the package, it will last a long
time. some countries use a lot
of preservatives , The PRC for
one

[babette feasts]

Solid dark chocolate (no filling, no nuts) has a shelf life up to 2 years when kept properly (airtight, away from heat/light/odors/frequent temp fluctuations). Milk chocolate is about 1-1/2 years, white 1 year. The milk in milk and white, and the lack of antioxidant cocoa solids in white shorten their shelf lives. Nuts may go rancid more quickly as well, so gianduja bars or bars with nuts would have shorter shelf life as well.

[babette feasts]

I'm going to amend those numbers. I just got the new Ewald Notter chocolate book, and he says 1 year for dark and 8 months for milk and white. So don't buy more chocolate than you can eat in a year!

[susan_e_webb]

Thanks, babette! Admittedly, it is hard not to buy more chocolate than one can eat...sigh...

[Ruth Lafler]

Those numbers are arbitrary. Chocolate won't "spoil" -- the time is just a "best by" date beyond which the quality may have deteriorated. If you have old chocolate, just try it and see if it's still high enough quality to enjoy.

[babette feasts]

Well sure, but off flavors can accumulate and milk fats do go rancid. Extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations can lead to fat or sugar bloom and affect texture. I'm not one of those people that tosses the buttermilk the day after the pull date, and I have some chocolate lying around the house that is definitely over a year old. Ewald Notter's numbers are just the opinion of one master of the field, nothing set in stone.

[Ruth Lafler]

My point was: trying it isn't going to hurt you. If you're not sure, smell it, and if it smells okay try a nibble. If it tastes good to you, then it's good. If it tastes bad, then toss it. Simple. No agonizing over meaningless dates.

[babette feasts]

You're right. Of course it's not going to hurt you. Notice I did initially say 2 years. My point was that while it's probably not going to go bad, it's not going to improve either, so why have a 3 year supply?

[Ruth Lafler]

It sounds like Susan was thinking of stocking up on something not usually available to her. Is there really such a thing as a three-year supply of chocolate? Not in my house!

[babette feasts]

If I was concerned about not being able to get my hands on more chocolate for more than a year, I too would take my chances and stock up. An ounce a day for health reasons is 23 pounds a year...sounds about right!

[susan_e_webb]

Thanks, Ruth and Babette, for your concern. The choc. in question is easily obtainable. I had planned to make a recipe (choc. truffles) using some older, "dateless" choc. from my cupboard, namely a large, unopened bar (it's not that nice as "eating" choc. and so has remained quietly in cupboard for some time) and was just wondering if it would still be ok to use...

Have a great day :-)

[Ruth Lafler]

So was it?