You have probably seen pictures of this lovely rose-tinted chocolate on the internet. Some of you may have even gotten your hands on Kitkat’s Ruby Chocolate Bars. And baking enthusiasts may have found recipes for ruby chocolate brownies! Yes, ruby chocolate is a thing. And it is not necessarily new; it was first introduced in 2017. And yet, the rollout has been slow, and it only started gaining popularity as an ingredient in desserts and store-bought treats in late 2019. So, what is ruby chocolate? What does it taste like? What makes it pink? We answer all the questions, and then some, below…
What is Ruby Chocolate?
First introduced by Belgian-Swiss company Barry Callebaut in 2017, ruby chocolate is the fourth variety of chocolate after dark, milk, and white chocolate. This variety was in development since 2004 and has been hailed as the biggest innovation in the chocolate industry in over 80 years. The company claims that the chocolate is made from the ruby cocoa bean which grows under specific climate conditions and are found in Ecuador, Brazil and Ivory Coast.
The flavour profile
It is natural to think that ruby chocolate gets its colour from rose or berries or even food colouring. But Barry Callebaut has made is clear that it contains no berries, berry flavouring or colourings. While obtained naturally, it has a robust flavour profile that is neither bitter nor milky like its counterparts but boasts of a burst of fruity berry notes that are bright and refreshing. It also boasts of an enviable luscious smooth texture.
What makes Ruby Chocolate pink?
While the exact method of how this rose hued chocolate is made is a trade secret, the company claims that it is made from ruby cocoa beans which seem to have the right attributes that can be processed into ruby chocolate. However, industry speculation is that it is made with unfermented cocoa beans of Brazil Lavados which can have a natural red hue. In 2009, Barry Callebaut registered a patent for a ‘cocoa-derived material’ from unfermented cocoa beans – or beans fermented for no more than three days – that become red or purple after treating them with an acid, and then defatting with petroleum ether.
Industry response
While Barry Callebaut has dubbed ruby chocolate as a game changing ingredient in the next generation of confectionery, ice creams and desserts, the innovation has been met with some skepticism from the industry. Many debate whether this chocolate really is a fourth kind of chocolate, owing to the fact that it isn’t derived from a different cocoa bean, and receives much less processing to maintain its pink colour, thus compromising on the development of complex flavour notes that are essential in chocolate. Many others chalk it up to a marketing strategy, citing the ‘millennial pink’ colour as an eyeball-grabbing technique to create a social media frenzy. Others still liken the flavour of this chocolate to that of white chocolate mixed with raspberries.
All things considered, ruby chocolate certainly is an intriguing innovation and is only just being incorporated in confectionery recipes. Will it garner the kind of fandom its other chocolate counterparts enjoy? Only time will tell. Until then, we cannot wait to try it!