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Question: Help! I went to bake with my chocolate, and there is something gray or white on the surface. Is it mold? Is it usable?

—Candee W.

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Answer:

No worries: that gray–white cloudy covering on your chocolate is called "bloom", and it is simply the result of being stored for a while at a somewhat warm temperature (like your car!). What you're seeing is a result of some of the melted fat migrating to the surface. Your chocolate is still perfectly good for eating and cooking.

The best way to avoid chocolate bloom is by storing your chocolates in a cool place, preferably one where the temperature is consistent.