If you needed any convincing that Europeans love chocolate, you just need to look at the stats. The EU leads globally in cocoa bean grinding, accounting for more than 35% of the world’s total, and in 2020 the EU produced approximately 3.6 million tonnes of chocolate products.
EU chocolate is defined by its commitment to quality. To meet standards, all white chocolate produced in the EU must comprise at least 20% cocoa from cocoa butter and powder – this rises to 25% total cocoa solids for milk chocolate; and 35% cocoa solids.
“The EU regulations on chocolate formulation are higher cocoa solids which in turn creates better quality products,” explains Katharine Shipley, founder and director of Food Curious Food.
“There is also a massive variety of products available, and each country and producer have their own take and flavours, so there are so many options to play with.”
For many chefs, chocolate is traditionally a product to primarily be used for adding sweet notes to their menu, but in recent years there has also been a shift towards using it as a twist that contrasts against savoury flavours. Shipley notes the rising trend of pairing cheese with chocolate, which she says creates ‘interesting and delicious combinations’.
“We’re starting to see this more and more as an addition to cheese and wine nights,” she adds, giving a recent example she was served of a Grana Padano PDO served with a white chocolate infused with liquorice and sea salt.
Another example gaining in popularity in the EU is the Parisian chicken bite - a combination of chicken, herbs, fruit and vegetables cooked down and wrapped in pastry that’s then drizzled with either dark or semi-sweet chocolate. There are also those using chocolate in other inventive ways, including within salad dressings.
To demonstrate the vast range of chocolate available from the EU, Shipley, joined by MasterChef finalist and Macarons & More founder Tim Kinnaird, recently held a masterclass as part of the European Union’s three-year More Than Only Food & Drink campaign.
There she introduced the trade to several chocolates from across the continent, highlighting different approaches to production, how this creates uniquely different flavour profiles, and how chefs can harness this to bring something different to their own menus.
Dark chocolate with porcini mushrooms (Lithuania) – 62% cocoa
In Lithuania, mushrooms are an important part of the cuisine. Here, wild porcini mushrooms are hand gathered from Lithuania’s forests by the head chocolate maker and incorporated into chocolate’s production process. The result is a creamy and earthy flavour with a hint of maltiness and a balance between sweet and savoury. Shipley notes that one of the innovations in chocolate production is that it’s no longer enough to just be an indulgent snack. “It’s about tasting different flavours and textures, and learning more about the differences you can find,” she says. “Positive and boosted health is also really interesting. We want more from our snacks and we want them to support our wellbeing so we’re seeing boosted confectionery snacks with ingredients such as lion’s mane and ashwagandha.” Kinnaird suggests the dark chocolate with porcini mushrooms could be used in savoury form as shavings, as an alternative to truffle in certain dishes, or incorporated into an accompaniment for gamey meats such as venison.
Milk chocolate with coconut blossom sugar (Austria) – 60% cocoa
The use of coconut blossom sugar here brings a delicate caramel flavour that combines with complex floral notes that are complemented by hints of citrus and berry. Shipley recommends this organic chocolate for those chefs looking for alternative ingredients that cuts sugar without needing to rely on artificial sweeteners. Kinnaird believes it would be the ideal chocolate to use when making a traditional French chocolate mousse.
Dark chocolate with sugar kelp and sea salt (Sweden) – 66% cocoa
Sugar kelp is a naturally occurring seaweed that’s found in oceans and typically used in Nordic cooking. Providing earthy umami flavours, the blend of kelp, cocoa beans and sea salt enhances notes of rose hip and green tea. It has a slight crumbly quality and is both organic and vegan. Shipley explains that the production process behind this chocolate is integral, with the cocoa beans slow roasted at a low temperature that ‘allows flavour to develop without removing complexity’. The grinding and conching stages are then done over a period of days to ensure the texture isn’t too fine. For Kinnaird, the unique flavour of this chocolate makes it ideal for simple dessert dishes such as a choco crème.
Milk chocolate with salted butter caramel (France) – 36% cocoa
White there is no such thing as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) chocolate, there are examples of those that use PDO ingredients. In the case of this sweet, biscuity milk chocolate, it’s Beurre d’Isigny PDO, cream and crème fraiche, which is used in both the chocolate and salted butter caramel. The chunks of caramel provides textual contrasts between crispiness and creaminess. “The joy comes from the texture,” says Kinnaird, who believes a chocolate like this would be best served as produced, perhaps as an accompaniment to a restaurant’s petit fours. “If you start messing around, it loses its point,” he adds.
White chocolate (Portugal) – 45% cocoa
A far cry from what the Milky Bar Kid gives out, this Portuguese white chocolate has a high cocoa content, comparatively, for a white chocolate and is made from milk from cows in the Azores. According to Shipley, the volcanic climate there benefits the grass the cows graze on, which in turn creates a creamier milk. There’s also less sugar than in a usual white chocolate and no flavourings added. “It shows that not having those flavourings in there totally changes the taste of the chocolate,” says Shipley, noting the balanced flavours and ‘tangy, yoghurty quality’ of the chocolate. “It’s very different from any white chocolate I’ve had before,” adds Kinnaird. Referencing the bad rap white chocolate often gets from experts, he continues: “Its uniqueness has the power to reframe white chocolate in your mind.”
Cioccolato di Modica PGI (Italy) – 75% cocoa
The world’s first chocolate to receive Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, this dark chocolate has a notably different texture, which reflects its production process. Made in Sicily, the makers adopt traditional production methods used by the Aztecs, which makes for a crumblier chocolate that has a crystallised texture. It is known as a cold-working process that involves grinding the cocoa and sugar together with cocoa mass heated to 40°C before sugar is added. The lack of heat (chocolate that is conched is heated to between 50–90°C) means the chocolate never gets hot enough to have the smoothness we’re used to and preserves the sugar crystals, giving the chocolate its signature rough and granular texture. Shipley believes that chocolate production that adheres to these more traditional methods is likely to be something we’ll see more of as the demand for authenticity continues to rise. “Due to the history of chocolate in Europe there is a heritage and quality credentials that are synonymous with the EU,” she says. “This is heightened by PGI Modica chocolate. It’s the only PGI chocolate in the world and many will have tasted it previously so adds a differentiation and interest to the menu.” Kinnaird adds: “It comes back to that Italian sensibility of not wanting to interfere too much in food. This is a brilliant raw product that’s retained much of its intrinsic deliciousness and flavour.”
‘Mylk’ chocolate (Netherlands) – 55% cocoa
This chocolate is made from a dairy-free ‘mylk’ formula that eschews the use of soya or oat milk and instead is created using fermented banana, coconut, oats and rice, which are all present in the taste. The result is a chocolate that has a rich, nuanced flavour and a texture that enhances the cacao. It’s smooth and creamy, but with a hit and acidity at the end. “I was really blown away by this one,” says Kinnaird. “I didn’t know chocolate could taste like that.”
