Chocolate is one of the most popular and beloved treats around the world. With its rich, velvety texture and complex, bittersweet taste, chocolate has been delighting people for centuries. But not all chocolate is created equal – the flavors and quality can vary dramatically depending on the ingredients and manufacturing process. So which chocolates rise above the rest to be considered the best in the world?
What makes great chocolate?
The key factors that contribute to exceptional chocolate include:
- High-quality cocoa beans – The type of cocoa bean (such as Criollo, Trinitario, and Forastero), where they are grown, and how they are harvested and processed significantly impacts the final chocolate flavor.
- Smooth texture – Proper conching helps develop the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth feel of gourmet chocolate.
- Complex flavor – Notes like fruitiness, spices, nuts, and smokiness create depth.
- Balanced sweetness – The amount of added sugar enhances but doesn’t overwhelm the inherent cocoa flavor.
- Careful manufacturing – Attention to temperature, refined machinery, and other details ensures a superior final product.
10 of the world’s finest chocolates
Based on these criteria, below are 10 of the most exceptional, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates from around the world:
Amedei Porcelana
From the Italian brand Amedei, this chocolate is made from the rare, delicate Porcelana bean, giving it a complex, mildly fruity flavor with low acidity. It has an exceptionally smooth texture.
Michel Cluizel Maralumi
A single-origin chocolate from the Maralumi cocoa bean in Papua New Guinea. It has intricate flavors like tobacco, black tea, and raisins.
Bonnat Chuao
Made from rare Chuao cocoa beans from Chuao, Venezuela, this chocolate has powerful fruitiness and earthiness. Bonnat skillfully balances the sharp flavors.
Valrhona Manjari
Valrhona specially selects these rare cocoa beans from Madagascar for their clean, fruity taste and acidity. It has notes of red berries and caramel.
Guittard Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate
Made in small batches from Rainforest Alliance Certified beans, this thick, lush drinking chocolate has a bold chocolate intensity.
Scharffen Berger 99% Cacao
Nearly pure chocolate, this has no distracting fillers diluting the intense cocoa taste. The cacao origin is bold on the tongue.
Domori Il Blend
This blend from Italy combines cocoa beans from Brazil, Venezuela, and Madagascar. It balances savory, earthy, and fruity tastes.
Callebaut Ruby Chocolate
Invented in 2017, ruby chocolate gets its natural pink hue and berry notes from unique cocoa processing. The finish is smooth and velvety.
Galler Patagonie
This dark chocolate made in Ecuador has a lovely aroma and refined taste with touches of fruit and nuts. The finish lingers.
Pralus Le 100% Indonésie
Made purely from rare heirloom Sumatra cocoa beans grown on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. It has an exceptionally strong, ripe cocoa intensity.
How is the quality of chocolate determined?
There are several factors that determine the quality of chocolate:
Bean origin and type
The variety and origin of the cocoa beans have a big impact on flavor. High-quality manufacturers source beans from specific farms.
Harvest and fermentation process
How the beans are harvested and fermented affects their flavors. Best practices preserve complexity.
Manufacturing process
Attention to temperature, conching time, equipment used, and other details ensures smooth texture.
Ingredients
High-quality chocolate relies on cocoa butter and minimal additional ingredients that enhance vs. mask flavors.
Testing and certification
Sampling during production and third-party certifications like Fairtrade can verify quality standards.
Flavor and texture
Expert tasters ensure the chocolate has the proper mouthfeel, aroma, and complex balance of flavors.
What are some types of high-quality chocolate?
Some examples of the many types of exceptional quality chocolates include:
Dark Chocolate
Often contains at least 60-70% cocoa solids. Prized for its bold cocoa taste and anti-oxidant content.
Milk Chocolate
Contains cocoa solids and powdered or condensed milk. Sweeter with a lighter chocolate taste.
White Chocolate
Made with cocoa butter, milk, and sugar without dark cocoa solids. Delicate mild flavor.
Single Origin
Comes purely from one region or plantation, preserving distinctive flavors.
Small Batch
Produced in limited quantities from bean to bar, allowing control over quality.
Bean to Bar
Chocolate makers oversee the entire process, from the cacao tree to the finished product.
Craft/Boutique
Produced by specialized chocolate-makers focused on quality ingredients and unique flavor profiles.
What are some tips for selecting the best quality chocolate?
Here are some tips for picking the highest quality chocolate:
- Look for chocolates with 70% cocoa content or higher.
- Check that it relies on few ingredients like cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and sugar.
- Read the label to see the beans are ethically sourced.
- Choose chocolate made in small batches from bean-to-bar.
- Opt for brands focused on quality over mass production.
- Splurge on single-origin bars to taste regional differences.
- Examine the color – deeper hues typically mean higher quality.
- Consider food certifications like Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, etc.
- Smell the aroma and sample the texture before buying.
Conclusion
When an expert blend of premium ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship come together, the result is chocolate that transcends being merely sweet. The world’s best chocolates offer a complex sensory experience, with sublime flavors that develop and evolve on the tongue. Savoring the nuanced tastes and silky mouthfeels of fine chocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures for any chocolate connoisseur. From the experts’ bean selection to the care in processing and tempering, companies creating chocolate delicacies like Amedei’s Porcelana or Valrhona’s Manjari have made an art out of transforming cocoa beans into candy perfection.