Ruby chocolate is not colored by artificial additives, but is naturally pink. The cocoa beans used for this are neither genetically modified nor have they been newly bred. In fact, a team of researchers from the Swiss company Barry Callebaut discovered the ruby-colored variety by chance – and developed a special process for producing this new type of chocolate. But how exactly did the company manage to ensure that the Ruby beans retain their typical color? And what does the chocolate taste like?
Barry Callebaut, one of the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, discovered Ruby cocoa beans many years ago – but they have only recently conquered supermarket shelves in Europe. This is partly because the development of a special process to preserve the color in the chocolate took time: Normally, the cocoa beans from Brazil, Ecuador and the Ivory Coast turn brown as a result of fermentation and roasting and thus lose their typical coloring. To avoid this, a team of researchers at Callebaut spent several years devising a novel concept. Since then, in addition to whole milk, dark and white chocolate, there has also been a pink variety called Ruby. But how does it actually taste?
In contrast to other cocoa beans, those from which ruby chocolate is made are even more sensitive to light, moisture and oxygen. This is also the reason why developing a gentle process for producing the pink bars took so much time – and the prices for the end product are significantly more expensive than for conventional chocolate. But can you taste it? In fact, ruby chocolate is said to taste less like cocoa than, for example, dark variants, but most products still contain a cocoa content of up to 47.3 percent. Ruby chocolate is not (yet) vegan because it contains animal ingredients. The taste, on the other hand, is described as intensely fruity to berry-like with a slightly sour note, as is known from raspberries, for example.
Note: Ruby chocolate is sustainably produced, the certified label is Cocoa Horizons.
It is a sweet like any other chocolate bar – and is therefore not only suitable for snacking, but also for baking. There are now a variety of different products (not just from Callebaut) that you can use, such as ruby couverture for decorating cakes, muffins, cupcakes or tarts. Alternatively, there are also ruby chocolate drops that you can use for baking or for direct consumption: in muesli as a topping, in hot milk as drinking chocolate or for decorating desserts. In addition to the classic bar form, there are also dragées and ruby stones for everyday sweets or as gifts.
The Belgian cocoa and chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut knows how to use Ruby skilfully. There are tons of recipe ideas on the company website that you can easily make at home, like these here:
Those: Utopia
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