Chocolate sweetened with dates rather than sugar, with pistachios and almonds, from Lovechock in Amsterdam — the richest bar in the range.
Dates, pistachios and almonds
This combination is not an invention. Dates and pistachios have been eaten together across the Middle East and North Africa for as long as both have been cultivated, and the reason is that they genuinely complete each other: the date is sweet, sticky and one-dimensional on its own, and the pistachio is savoury, faintly resinous, buttery and salty. Put the two together and each supplies what the other lacks. Almond adds a third texture and a mild, marzipan sweetness that bridges them.
Chocolate is essentially a fourth element joining a combination that already worked.
What sweetening with dates changes
The texture. Dates bring moisture and fibre, so date-sweetened chocolate is softer and fudgier and does not snap like a dark tablet. With nuts in it as well, this is very much a bar to chew.
The flavour. Dates carry caramel and molasses notes of their own, which sit under everything and round the bar out.
The honesty. Dates are still sugar — around 65 to 70% by weight. You gain fibre, minerals and a far more interesting flavour than refined sugar gives. You do not gain a low-sugar chocolate.
Raw cacao
Lovechock work with unroasted beans — only the shells are briefly heated, for hygiene. Raw cacao is brighter and fruitier than roasted, which keeps a rich, nutty bar from becoming heavy.
Allergens and diet
Contains pistachios and almonds — both declarable tree-nut allergens. Organic, dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free. Because it contains nuts and fruit, eat it within its date rather than storing it — nut oils go rancid.