Additional Information links:
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CACAO AND COCOA?
FDA regulation for cacao: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=163.110
FDA regulation for cocoa: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=163.113
CAN I PICK UP MY SANTA BARBARA CHOCOLATE ORDER?
Our offices are in California but we don't offer shipping or pick up at the locations. We do offer online ordering with FedEx delivery. Our warehouse locations that ship chocolate orders are outside of California.
HOW WE SHIP CHOCOLATE TO WARM CLIMATES?
We ship with free ice and insulation with every order during high heat and have great luck with no melting. Please follow the tracking email we send so you know the schedule of delivery. We can ship to your home or office. It is important to retrieve the chocolate package from the doorstep and not leave it there for a longtime if you are not home to receive the order. Basically you don't want the package to sit in the sun if your front porch is not shaded and cool.
We securely pack your chocolate products using a combination of insulation materials and ice packs when we deem it necessary during hot weather as a free service to you, regardless of the shipping method you choose. We recommend you opt for the most expeditious shipping method available when ordering online to minimize any chance of melting chocolate during transit. Due to the perishable nature of our products, we CANNOT offer refunds nor can we accept returns.
Please read our Terms & Conditions
Does Santa Barbara Chocolate Test for Heavy Metals
Yes and we strive to be one of the lowest in heavy metals chocolates available through careful selection of extra fine quality cacao. In fact, we are one of the only chocolate companies that tests each Lot of couverture chocolate production. Please see more at this link: Chocolate concerns regarding heavy metalsCHOCOLATE TEMPERING
Because we don't add in oils, once melted and to be used for candy making in moulds, you will need to temper our chocolate: https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/easy-chocolate-tempering/ Most home chocolatiers do not temper the chocolate because the chocolate is not required to have a long shelf life like in a business environment. Home chocolatiers opt for a low temperature and indirect heat melting process instead of tempering.
For baking, ganache, frosting, in cookies no tempering is required so you can use whatever type of coating or chocolate you'd like.
All chocolates based on cocoa butter (you can find them listed in this category: Chocolate) will have to be tempered again once melted if you want the chocolate to set up hard in candy making production with moulds (tempering of course is not necessary in baking, cooking, as inclusions like chips or chunks). Only products with added vegetable oils and reduced cocoa butter can be melted and will set up without tempering in candy making processes (these under FDA terms are not considered chocolates but rather compounds).
In frosting or coating - our chocolate does not require tempering.
Making bark - if you melt low and then set made bark in the refrigerator it will set up without tempering but may have some slight cocoa butter separation.
Moulding chocolate shapes - chocolate will require tempering or use the Brazilian Coating that does not require tempering.
Sugar bloom is related to moisture while fat bloom is related to temperature or oxidation. Viscosity issues can also be related to temperature control and tempering process.