The Geeks’ Guide to Chocolate: A Wonka Inspired Guide

This holiday season we are getting the origin story of one of literature and film’s most beloved chocolatiers, Willy Wonka. Of course, a movie about someone who makes chocolate would be on our radar. We could pass up an opportunity to teach you, our audience, about all things chocolate! Not only that, but we have a giveaway as well!

Wonka is “based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Wonka tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician, and chocolate maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.”

So how much is there to know about chocolate? Well- we are going to give you just the basics!

Main Chocolate Types

• Unsweetened- Unsweetened chocolate is 100% cocoa with no added sugar or milk.
• Semisweet- Semisweet chocolate is typically 35% cocoa and usually has both sugar and milk powder added.
• Dark- Dark chocolate is typically 55% cocoa or higher and has sugar but no dairy added. (Though due to a lack of a solid definition, it will sometimes have dairy but due to the cocoa content be labeled as dark.)
• Milk-  Milk chocolate is typically 15% cocoa or higher and has both sugar and milk powder added.
• White- White chocolate only uses cocoa butter along with sugar and milk powder. Some claim it is not technically chocolate because it lacks cocoa solids.

Uses for Chocolate

All of the above-mentioned chocolate can and is used for baking or cooking. Dishes like Mole Poblano or Poblano de guajolote use unsweetened chocolate. Other savory chocolate uses include rubs for meat, cocoa powder in chili, additions to sauces like au poive, and more.  

Generally, the types that are used in candy are dark, milk, and white. Fun additions to these treats can include potato chips, chilis, flowers, dried fruits, nuts, and more. You can even use a mold to make your own chocolate bars! 

Recipes and Guides We’ve Created Featuring Chocolate

• Queenie’s Hot Chocolate– A hot chocolate recipe inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• Cursed Cookies– These chocolate and cinnamon cookies inspired by Curse of La Llorona are beautiful but surprisingly easy to make!
• Chocolate Strawberry French Toast– A breakfast that feels like a dessert? Count us in!
• Frozen Chocolate Dipped Bacon Banana Pop– Much like our Elvis-inspired Vegan Fool’s Gold Loaf this recipe combines bacon, banana, and peanut butter, but adds chocolate.
• Mild to Wild Cheese: How to Perfect Cheese Pairing– Did you know you can pair chocolate and cheese?

We hope you enjoyed The Geeks’ Guide to Chocolate! As we mentioned, we are doing a giveaway for a Family Four-Pack of Fandango passes to see Wonka! The contest will be hosted on Facebook but you’ll get a bonus entry by telling us your favorite type of chocolate in the comments below! Good luck!

The Geeks received no compensation to facilitate this write-up; opinions are wholly our own. Fandango Family Four Pack provided by Allied Marketing. View our Disclosure Policy for more info.