Picking chocolates: The ingredients list I

Selecting a good chocolate for Christmas, Easter and birthdays is ever more challenging with an abundance of small and large manufacturers. There is no legal obligation for a product to taste nicely but there is a legal obligation to list all ingredients truthfully and completely - and this can help identifying higher quality products.

Not so good ingredients

If you read one of the following you should get suspicious:

• Fat reduced cocoa
• Palm fat
• Vegetable fat

Manufacturers may remove the fat from cocoa and add palm fat later in the process. This replaces the more expensive cocoa fat with something cheap such as palm fat. Palm fat is one of the cheapest fats and has been argued to be destructive to the environment and the communities producing it. It does not contribute to the flavour (the cocoa butter does) and if anything, it is bad for your health. The term vegetable fat may refer to anything that is fat and made from plants. If a manufacturer is not willing or able to specify what they put into the product, this should ring your alarm bells.
Fat reduced cocoa is also associated with a process called Dutching (washing cocoa with potassium carbonate, also referred to as alkalising). This is more common in Europe than in the US but it is difficult to tell. It is rarely (never) declared in the ingredients list because it is a processing method rather than an ingredient. Dutching can reduce the good stuff (polyphenols that delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease, help regulate high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart and cardiovascular conditions) in the cocoa solids by up to 90%. The number is subject to discussion with some people arguing that the reduction of polyphenols was negligible. Until that is decided, you should probably go for the natural cocoa. It may also have more complex flavours.

Better ingredients

Manufacturers can put some additional information in the list. By doing so, the manufacturer goes beyond its legal obligation. Because the manufacturers must not lie and they are bound to using the ingredients and methods as stated on the product. The extra commitment is often a positive indicator.

• Cane sugar
• Agave syrup
• Cocoa detail (e.g., origin, treatment)

By saying cane sugar, they actually have to use it. In contrast, saying sugar allows them to use any kind of sugar. Using cane sugar or agave syrup may show that the manufacturer has invested thought into the product, e.g. sometimes agave may add just the right edge with this cocoa but not with another one. Often, the more specific product details point towards a higher quality product.
But beware the fancy pantsy. The classic "made with" could mean that a small (tiny) proportion is high quality and lion's share is something else. The statement might be legit but still just smoke and mirrors.

Davert cocoa nibs

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Cocoa nibs (Kakao Nibs)
Main ingredients are cocoa beans.
Cocoa content: minimum 100% cocoa solids, no vanilla

Manufacturer

Davert GmbH, Zur Davert 7, 59387 Ascheberg, GERMANY

Packaging

The 180g cocoa nibs are sealed in transparent plastic wrap and boxed in turquoise card board.

Look

The cocoa nibs are dark brown with some hints of black. The inside edges of broken nibs are lighter in colour with red and rosé hints.

Sound

The nibs break with a clear snap and some crackling noise.

Smell

There is a deep and dark-ish cocoa and chocolate aroma. The nibs also have some notes of roast and hints of earth or wet wood.

Mouthfeel

At first contact, the nibs feels a little bit cold. The nibs's surface is perceived as even but it has some texture. Once chewed, the nibs are slightly brittle and crackle in the mouth similar to roasted piece of chopped hazelnut.

Taste

The initial flavour is a mild bitterness with notes of roast and some hints of nuts. As the flavour unfolds, the bitterness remains very mild and the cocoa and nut flavours dominate. There are notes of wood and bark.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is dominated by a dark cocoa flavour, a lingering bitterness and flavours of roasted wood.

Summary

The flavour of the cocoa nibs unfolds slowly and has a mild, dark-ish bitterness. It has long lasting notes of wood, nuts and roast. Their mouthfeel is similar to roasted hazelnut.

Verdict

These cocoa nibs have a clear dark cocoa flavour. They have nuts, roast and wood aroma with little to none acidity but an intense bitterness and a little astringency. They are little, very flavour-intensive nibbles. 3 Stars.

Dates

Best before 14/03/2017, tasted 30/10, 01&06/11/1016

Wohlfahrt - Roasted cocoa nibs

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Roasted cocoa nibs.
Ingredients are just cocoa nibs.
Cocoa content: minimum 100% cocoa solids, no vanilla

Manufacturer

Wohlfarth Schokolade, Choriner Straße 37, 10435 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

Packaging

The cocoa nibs are wrapped in a transparent plastic bag of 50g (other sizes available).

Look

The nibs are dark brown. Some parts are darker, others are lighter with shades of red. The edges are much lighter coloured and almost white and appear to be almost powder.

Sound

When breaking the nibs, they emit a clear crackling sound.

Smell

The nibs smell of a mild cocoa and hints of roast aroma. They also have chocolatey aroma to them that is similar to milk chocolate.

Mouthfeel

Initially, the nibs feel cold when they touch the lips and tongue. Their surface feels surprisingly smooth and even. Chewing them feels similar to chopped almonds.

Taste

The taste unfolds slowly. It starts with a mild bitterness and roast flavours. This combines with an intense cocoa flavour that resembles very dark chocolate. The bitterness is very light, resembling that of lavender or roses. There are also hints of bark and roasted nuts.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste lingers for quite a while. It is mainly cocoa and the mild bitterness and an impression of very smooth chocolate.

Summary

These cocoa nibs taste very intensively of cocoa with a mild bitterness and hints of roast, nuts and petals.

Verdict

These cocoa nibs offer an intense experience. Given the size and amount, they are very rich in flavour. Their bitterness is immediately detectable but not overly hitting. They are not sour and leave an intense aftertaste of dark chocolate. 4 Stars.

Dates

Tasted 30/10&01/11/2016

Wohlfahrt - Milk chocolate with lemongrass-olive oil

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Lemongrass - Milchschokolade mit Lemongrass-Olivenöl (Milk chocolate with lemongrass-olive oil)
Main ingredients are raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, lemongrass-olive oil.
Cocoa content: minimum 41% cocoa, no vanilla

Manufacturer

Wohlfarth Schokolade, Choriner Straße 37, 10435 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

Packaging

The 45g chocolate bar is wrapped in white sandwich paper.

Look

The chocolate is middle brown with some red. The surface is a bit rough with very thin lines and slightly shiny from oil.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with clear sound but it is thuddy.

Smell

The aroma is mainly milk and something that reminds of light oriental spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate is soft and smooth. It dissolves quickly into a very fine liquid.

Taste

The chocolate initially tastes of a very light sweetness, cinnamon, grass and some milky notes. The flavour quickly becomes richer. It unfolds into a warm, lightly spicy flavour that combines hints of cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of little bitterness from dried flowers and some spice that almost tickles at the rear of the mouth.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is dominated by a milky sweetness with hints of the complex spiciness.

Summary

This is a warming, complex milk chocolate with notes of cinnamon and cardamom.

Verdict

This milk chocolate is very well made. It is soft, smooth and dissolves nicely in the mouth. It has nicely warming spicy flavour. I have no clue whether the oil introduces the warming flavours but it is an extraordinary chocolate. 5 Stars.

Dates

Best before 12/2016, tasted 01&18/10/2016

Konditorei-Cafè Fritz Roog - Whole milk chocolate

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Whole milk chocolate (Vollmilchschokolade)
Main ingredients are cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, whole milk powder, vanilla, soy lecithin.
Cocoa content: minimum 38% cocoa

Manufacturer

Konditorei-Cafè Fritz Roog, Mittelstraße 89, 32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg, GERMANY
It's a bakery with a café and small chocolate outlet.
(The typo in "Café" is not mine but is everywhere on the packaging.)

Packaging

The chocolate is wrapped in single aluminium foil and covered with a printed paper sleeve. The packaging says 100g but it actually was slightly above that mark.

Look

The chocolate is light middle brown with a shiny surface. There are some open bubbles of air on surface.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a thud sound.

Smell

The chocolate smells of milk and sugar with hints of cocoa and caramel.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts slowly in the mouth. It initially melts into a sticky paste before dissolving into a fine and very smooth liquid.

Taste

The initial flavour is a light sweetness with caramelly note. The chocolate quickly releases a more intense sweetness and milky flavours. There are notes of caramel, tiny hints of cocoa and traces of some cold metallic flavour.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly sweet with some milky flavours that persist towards the rear of the mouth.

Summary

This is a light and sweet milk chocolate. The hazelnut flavours are almost entirely covered by the sweet milkiness of the chocolate. The chocolate is very soft and smooth but becomes slightly sticky when it melts in the mouth.

Verdict

The chocolate is very sweet and there are almost no reminders of the cocoa flavour. The chocolate is very smooth but goes through a period of stickiness before melting properly. 2 Stars.

Dates

Best before 27/09/2016, tasted 01&27&28/09/2016

Wohlfahrt - Raw dried cocoa pulps

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Raw cocoa pulps (dried cocoa beans with flesh)
Ingredient is dried cocoa beans.
Cocoa content: minimum 100% cocoa, no vanilla

Manufacturer

Wohlfarth Schokolade, Choriner Straße 37, 10435 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

Packaging

The dried cocoa pulps are wrapped in transparent plastic bag. Depicted is a 100g bag.

Look

The dried fruit flesh is pale yellow. Some areas are more pink in colour others are more brown-ish. The cocoa nibs inside are dark brown, some are light brown. But the colour variety ranges from pink or blue-ish, white to brown and dark brown.

Sound

The flesh is tough and dry such that it does not really 'break'. The flesh crumbles to some degree. The cocoa nibs are very crumbly. In sum, the sound is similar to crisps.

Smell

After opening the bag, the cocoa flesh smells lemony with a distinct sharp fruity sourness. There are aromas of roasted nuts. There is also a flowery note.

Mouthfeel

The fruit flesh is very dry. It becomes a bit softer in the mouth and feels slightly sticky but it remains quite chewy. The cocoa nibs are crumbly and crisp.

Taste

The initial taste is of fruity sourness and a fruity sweetness. Chewing a little releases nut and roast flavours. This is accompanied by more or less intense cocoa flavours. The variance between the pulps is huge. It ranges from fruity, strongly flowery notes to earthy, bitter flavours. Some also taste of freshly cut wood with roast aroma. The larger ones have a more intense cocoa and chocolate flavour.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste varies heavily. In most cases, it is a nutty roast aroma with hint of earth and a mild bitterness. But the pulps can also have a flowery flavour, some can be quite bitter. The odd one can be also be a bit like soap.

Summary

The dried cocoa pulps have a huge variety in flavours and vary in shape and colour. The commonality seems to be an initial fruity sour flavour, fruity sweetness and nuts and roast flavours of the nibs. Most of the pulps are comparably small. The larger ones have more nibs compared to flesh and a more intense chocolate flavour.
The flavour appears to be perceived very differently between people, too.

Verdict

This is really an interesting product. It probably illustrates how difficult it is to select a good and consistent quality of cocoa. Some people really like its flavours while others really do not. Nevertheless, it's an unusual product that can be very satisfying as a little snack and comes with a variety of flavours. No rating at this point.

Dates

Tasted: 22&23&24/07&03&04&05%30&31/08/2016

Konditorei-Cafè Fritz Roog - Whole milk chocolate with hazelnuts

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Whole milk chocolate with hazelenuts (Vollmilchschokolade Haselnuß)
Main ingredients are cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, hazelnuts, whole milk powder, vanilla, soy lecithin.
Cocoa content: minimum 38% cocoa

Manufacturer

Konditorei-Cafè Fritz Roog, Mittelstraße 89, 32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg, GERMANY
It's a bakery with a café and small chocolate outlet.
(The typo in "Café" is not mine but as presented on the packaging.)

Packaging

The chocolate is wrapped in single aluminium foil and covered with a printed paper sleeve. The packaging says 100g but it actually was around 130g of chocolate.

Look

The chocolate is light middle brown with a shiny surface.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a thud sound.

Smell

The chocolate smells of milk, sugar and some notes of roasted hazelnut with light hints of cocoa.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts slowly in the mouth. It melts into a sticky paste before dissolving into a fine and very smooth liquid.

Taste

The initial flavour is a light sweetness. The chocolate quickly releases fresh milk flavours with a more intense sweetness and a mild notes of cocoa flavour. The typical roasted hazelnuts flavours are covered by the sweetness and leave a very light roast and hazelnut flavour.

Aftertaste

The milky aftertaste is mainly present at the rear of the mouth and sugary sweetness more central to the mouth.

Summary

This is a light and sweet milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts. The hazelnut flavours are almost entirely covered by the sweet milkiness of the chocolate. The chocolate is very soft and smooth.

Verdict

The sweetness of the chocolate almost entirely covers the roast and hazelnut aromas. The chocolate is very smooth but goes through a period of stickiness before melting nicely. 3 Stars.

Dates

Best before 27/09/2016, tasted 11&16/08/2016