How to pick a chocolate bar
You can create one or buy an unusual flavour with the help of Chocoelf chocolatier Josephine Lee
I have a sweet tooth and I love desserts. It follows that I also can’t resist chocolate.
If I could have chocolate every day, I would. In fact, I don’t think our pantry and fridge would be considered well-stocked without it.
I have a particular fondness for chocolate bars, though, because they come in just the right size to satisfy me. They’re easy to carry too. Plus the packaging always looks nice and excites me. (Sometimes I even keep the wrappers.)
I’ve written about unique chocolate bars before here and here.
I figured it’s been a while since I last hunted for chocolate bars by a different chocolatier, so here I am.
And today I bring you Chocoelf.
The brainchild of a chocolatier and a doctor, Chocoelf is a Singapore-based brand of sugar-free chocolates and desserts. They offer chocolate bars with unique flavours such as durian, kaya, chilli pepper and kopi siu dai (for those who don’t know, it means “coffee with less condensed milk” when you order it from a local coffee shop). They have chocolate boxes and hampers, chocolate-covered bites, mooncakes and cookies as well.
A chocolate mastermind
Since I love asking for and writing about other people’s tips, I got Chocoelf’s executive chocolatier, Josephine Lee, to share some with you and me, and we’re of course going to focus on chocolate bars here.
What should we look for in a chocolate bar?
“For customers who like pure chocolate, they can look at the cocoa content that suits their taste,” Josephine advises.
“Someone who likes dark chocolate that is more bitter can choose a bar with a cocoa content of 90 per cent or more. For customers who are looking for a surprise in flavours, they can choose bars with fillings. The fillings can range from fruits (e.g. mango) to nuts (e.g. macadamia) to the more complex (such as kaya).”
What are some of the tests or things we can do to check a chocolate bar’s quality?
“A well-tempered chocolate bar tends to have a nice surface sheen and a clear snap when you break it,” she answers.
“There is also an over-association between sweetness and chocolates. Chocolate bars that are steeped in sugars are more like candies. There will be very little cocoa mass or cocoa butter. Don’t be surprised if more than half of the chocolate bar is made up of sugars.
“A quality chocolate bar should be majority chocolate. The sugars or sweetness should be milder and act to accentuate, rather than overwhelm, the chocolate.”
How do we store and eat chocolate bars?
#1 Storage
• “Try to keep chocolate cool by avoiding heat and direct sunlight,” Josephine begins.
• “If not consuming immediately, store in a wine chiller or the chilled compartment of a home refrigerator.”
• “Keep the chocolates in a Ziploc bag if it is going to be stored amongst other food items, as you do not want the chocolate to absorb the smells and flavours of the surrounding food.”
#2 Eat
“Don’t eat the chocolate right out of the fridge when it is still too cold. Give it 10 to 15 minutes to return to room temperature for the best enjoyment.”
Elevate your chocolate bars
If you love to experiment with flavours and textures, an artisanal chocolate bar might just be right for you.
Chocoelf happens to have a Bespoke Artisanal Bar, which can help you go beyond your usual chocolate bar choices. You get to choose a chocolate base (dark, milk or white) and then four ingredients (which include a range of nuts and fruits, amongst others).
“We have customers asking for chocolates that are tailored to their likes, either as a meaningful gift to somebody important or for personal enjoyment,” Josephine states.
“We believe at the higher level of chocolate craft, it is possible to go bespoke.”
You’ll have fun creating them and tasting the results.
“Customers who have a deep understanding of what they like can select the assortment of what they like best, and have them go into the chocolate,” she notes.
“For someone who is unsure, or simply looking to be surprised, they can choose a combination of ingredients they have never tried before.”
If you need help, Josephine shares her favourite ingredients and combinations in a Bespoke Artisanal Bar by Chocoelf. “I like roasted nuts such as almonds and cashews with tart fruits such as berries with intense dark chocolate,” she admits.
She also reveals her other tips for mixing and matching ingredients, textures and flavours in a Chocoelf Bespoke Artisanal Bar and Curated Bar selection.
#1 Do what you want
“There are no rules when it comes to creating a unique Bespoke Artisanal Bar,” she muses.
#2 Try to achieve a balance
“Generally, we do not recommend using only strong-flavoured items, as this may lead to a taste experience that has too many ingredients competing for attention, which can sometimes lead to confusion.”
A chocolate bar worthy to be celebrated, and to bring to a celebration
If you want to give someone something to remember Singapore by without having to go through all the hoops – or to simply mark an occasion or a milestone – a Singapore-made chocolate bar could be your best bet.
“For our Curated Bars, our top seller is the Kaya Bar, which expresses the flavour of Singapore using a harmonious blend of coconut with pandan leaves,” Josephine recommends.
What does she think about “celebration chocolate” anyway?
“To me, celebration is about joy, laughter and sharing,” she says.
“‘Celebration chocolate’ should be a good mix of bite-sized chocolate truffles and pralines that embodies all the different flavours available – easy to share and enjoy.”
#1 Give them choices
“When there are lots of people, it is impossible to have ‘one size fits all’, so having a wide assortment of colourful and flavourful chocolates will be most interesting.”
#2 Narrow it down
“For gifting to an individual or a group of friends who have similar tastes, it is best to zoom in on a narrower selection – e.g. dark chocolates tend to appeal to the connoisseur, while milk or white chocolates tend to appeal to youngsters who appreciate something less bitter.”
#3 Go for the less sweet option
“I don’t really take sweets anymore, except for caramels,” she says.
“I spend a lot of time creating sugar-free and no-sugar-added chocolates because I believe chocolate indulgence can be more guilt-free with less sugar.” So think about your guests and cater to their tastes.
I’m reserving this one tip from Josephine for last, because I like it a lot: “It’s best not to name the chocolate flavours until the person eating it has a chance to savour and guess what they just ate. A celebratory occasion should have lots of fun and surprises.” I agree.