A pink chocolate coloured and flavoured with hibiscus, from Lovechock in Amsterdam — tart, floral and genuinely unusual.
Where the pink comes from — and what it is not
Worth being precise about, because there are two quite different pink chocolates on the market and they are often confused.
Ruby chocolate is a patented industrial process launched in 2017, made from specially selected, largely unfermented cacao beans treated with acid. Its pink colour and sour-berry flavour come from the bean itself.
This is the other kind: a pale chocolate base coloured and flavoured with hibiscus. The colour is the flower, not the bean, and the tartness is the flower's own — hibiscus is genuinely, mouth-puckeringly acidic, which is why it makes such a good cold infusion.
Neither is better than the other. But if you have had ruby chocolate and expect the same thing, this is a different bar — more floral, more openly sour, and with the colour coming from a plant rather than from a process.
What it tastes like
Sharp first, then floral, then sweet. Hibiscus tastes something like cranberry with a rose edge, and against a pale, sweet chocolate base the contrast is the whole point. It is not a subtle bar, and people tend to have opinions about it immediately.
Serving it
Room temperature, as always. It is particularly good with something creamy that softens the acidity — alongside coffee with oat milk, or crumbled over yoghurt or a panna cotta. It also looks striking broken over a pale dessert, which is a legitimate reason to buy it.
Storage and diet
Cool and dry, 15–18 °C, away from strong smells and out of the fridge. A pale chocolate base is more fragile than dark and should be eaten well within its date. Organic, dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free. Check the pack for the full allergen declaration.
Lovechock NL
Lovechock NL
Lovechock NL
Lovechock NL
