Ruby Chocolate, a new type

[Norcalbaker59]

Callebaut just introduced a new chocolate. If it's real, and there are some skeptics, the ruby will be the fourth chocolate. The last time a new chocolate was introduced, it turned out to be phony.

Callebaut says this is the real deal, a natural ruby color chocolate made from a ruby bean. Their news release says it has a fruit like flavor.

https://www.barry-callebaut.com/news/2017/09/barry-callebaut-reveals-fourth-type-chocolate-ruby

 

[ChesterV]

So, my question is then.........

What defines anything being "chocolate"?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

The government regulations define chocolate. For dark chocolate the most important factors are the percentage of chocolate liquor and sugar. For milk chocolate the percentage of milk solids is also a factor. To be labeled chocolate, both dark and milk chocolate must contain the minimum amount of chocolate liquor specified by law. Regulations very by country, but all are based on the percentage of chocolate liquor.

Chocolate liquor is the cocoa mass produced when the roasted cocoa beans are ground for hours on end. It's combination of cocoa solids (powder) and cocoa butter. If a product contains a vegetable fat such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, cottonseed oil, it's not real chocolate. It has to contain cocoa butter.

The types of chemicals that can be used for the chocolate making processes is also regulated. The the US, regulations specifically call out the types of alkalis and neutralizing agents allowed.

But the industry and consumers also define chocolate as well. Purest refuse to acknowledge "white chocolate" as a chocolate since it does not contain cocoa solids. But most governments recognize white chocolate as chocolate given it's made with cocoa butter. So white chocolate is also regulated by governments.

Interestingly, in the US, the FDA has specific standards for milk and white chocolate, but not dark chocolate. Which really irritates the artisan chocolate industry. While it's illegal to label a product "chocolate" if it does not contain chocolate liquor or cocoa butter, there's still product in the US labeled as dark chocolate when in fact it's made with artificial flavoring and cheap vegetable oil. Absent defined regulations some producers have no compunction about violating labeling laws.

Callebaut stated the ruby chocolate is natural in color and flavors. But callebaut didn't state whether color and flavor are from chocolate liquor. They only said it was years of working with chocolate scientists to create the ruby. The key is the chocolate liquor--how much does it contain and is it in fact giving the ruby chocolate both color and the fruit flavors. Other ingredients are also important in establishing whether or not it's really chocolate.

The ruby cocoa bean isn't new. In fact it's quite common. But no chocolatier has captured both the color and the unique flavors of the bean. So callebaut announcement is stirring up a lot of intrigue.

A few years ago Valrhona introduced their Blond Dulcey, claiming it was a new chocolate. But they had to back off that claim real fast once the chocolate experts scrutinized it.

So without knowing the ingredients used and the process for making the ruby chocolate it's impossible to know if it is really legitimately chocolate. Since callebaut is strictly wholesales, it will be 6 months or more before the ruby chocolate is available retail. So it will be some months before chocolate experts get a hold of it and chime in on callebaut's claim.

 

[ChesterV]

The government regulations define chocolate. For dark chocolate the most important factors are the percentage of chocolate liquor and sugar. For milk chocolate the percentage of milk solids is also a factor. To be labeled chocolate, both dark and milk chocolate must contain the minimum amount of chocolate liquor specified by law. Regulations very by country, but all are based on the percentage of chocolate liquor.

Chocolate liquor is the cocoa mass produced when the roasted cocoa beans are ground for hours on end. It's combination of cocoa solids (powder) and cocoa butter. If a product contains a vegetable fat such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, cottonseed oil, it's not real chocolate. It has to contain cocoa butter.

The types of chemicals that can be used for the chocolate making processes is also regulated. The the US, regulations specifically call out the types of alkalis and neutralizing agents allowed.

But the industry and consumers also define chocolate as well. Purest refuse to acknowledge "white chocolate" as a chocolate since it does not contain cocoa solids. But most governments recognize white chocolate as chocolate given it's made with cocoa butter. So white chocolate is also regulated by governments.

Interestingly, in the US, the FDA has specific standards for milk and white chocolate, but not dark chocolate. Which really irritates the artisan chocolate industry. While it's illegal to label a product "chocolate" if it does not contain chocolate liquor or cocoa butter, there's still product in the US labeled as dark chocolate when in fact it's made with artificial flavoring and cheap vegetable oil. Absent defined regulations some producers have no compunction about violating labeling laws.

Callebaut stated the ruby chocolate is natural in color and flavors. But callebaut didn't state whether color and flavor are from chocolate liquor. They only said it was years of working with chocolate scientists to create the ruby. The key is the chocolate liquor--how much does it contain and is it in fact giving the ruby chocolate both color and the fruit flavors. Other ingredients are also important in establishing whether or not it's really chocolate.

The ruby cocoa bean isn't new. In fact it's quite common. But no chocolatier has captured both the color and the unique flavors of the bean. So callebaut announcement is stirring up a lot of intrigue.

A few years ago Valrhona introduced their Blond Dulcey, claiming it was a new chocolate. But they had to back off that claim real fast once the chocolate experts scrutinized it.

So without knowing the ingredients used and the process for making the ruby chocolate it's impossible to know if it is really legitimately chocolate. Since callebaut is strictly wholesales, it will be 6 months or more before the ruby chocolate is available retail. So it will be some months before chocolate experts get a hold of it and chime in on callebaut's claim.

Nice, a science lesson in chocolate!

Fortunately for my taste buds, I can tell fake chocolate from real chocolate. The most common "sign" for me is a "waxy" aftertaste. I know some chocolates do use edible wax's for hardening, but this is a bit different. I can only describe it as a waxy-grease taste, especially if it leaves a film in my mouth. ICK.

I prefer dark chocolate over any other chocolates. I prefer more "pure" chocolate candy, with minimal ingredients to the chocolate itself. I'm not very fond of milk chocolate, as it is way too sweet for me.
I like just enough sugar in my chocolate to take the bitterness out of it, and leave the actual chocolate to do it's thing with my tastebuds.

I loved Godiva chocolates when they first got popular back in the 80's. But the more popular they got, the more crappy their chocolate became. Now it pretty much tastes like sugar and wax to me. I've switched to Ghirardelli chocolates. They taste good, but there is something that is just "off", which makes them not so perfect as Godiva was back when.

I've tried different kinds of chocolates at different variable chocolate levels.....60% being the strongest I can take with out it being more sweet.

I will say though, I love cherries and chocolates, and therefore a cherry cordial candy is my favorite. So far, the best I've found is a standard "over the counter" candy called Cellas. Dark chocolate, cherry in the middle with the clear liquid around it. OMG! They are sweet without being sugary sweet. Godiva used to make the best cherry cordials, but like I said, as they got more popular, their candy got more crappy.

I don't like German chocolates, they just taste funny.
I don't like 99% of American chocolates, because, well, they are mostly brown colored sugar.
Some Euro chocolates are nice, but seem to be lacking in something.
British chocolates are ok, but again, they just seem to have something missing.

I've had some Canadian and Brazilian chocolates, which are decently edible, but again.....they are just "off" somehow.

Most of the white chocolates I've had have way too much wax in them for me. If there are other types of chocolate out there, I would love to try them.

But so far, I've not come across the perfect chocolate.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Nice, a science lesson in chocolate!

Fortunately for my taste buds, I can tell fake chocolate from real chocolate. The most common "sign" for me is a "waxy" aftertaste. I know some chocolates do use edible wax's for hardening, but this is a bit different. I can only describe it as a waxy-grease taste, especially if it leaves a film in my mouth. ICK.

I prefer dark chocolate over any other chocolates. I prefer more "pure" chocolate candy, with minimal ingredients to the chocolate itself. I'm not very fond of milk chocolate, as it is way too sweet for me.
I like just enough sugar in my chocolate to take the bitterness out of it, and leave the actual chocolate to do it's thing with my tastebuds.

I loved Godiva chocolates when they first got popular back in the 80's. But the more popular they got, the more crappy their chocolate became. Now it pretty much tastes like sugar and wax to me. I've switched to Ghirardelli chocolates. They taste good, but there is something that is just "off", which makes them not so perfect as Godiva was back when.

I've tried different kinds of chocolates at different variable chocolate levels.....60% being the strongest I can take with out it being more sweet.

I will say though, I love cherries and chocolates, and therefore a cherry cordial candy is my favorite. So far, the best I've found is a standard "over the counter" candy called Cellas. Dark chocolate, cherry in the middle with the clear liquid around it. OMG! They are sweet without being sugary sweet. Godiva used to make the best cherry cordials, but like I said, as they got more popular, their candy got more crappy.

I don't like German chocolates, they just taste funny.
I don't like 99% of American chocolates, because, well, they are mostly brown colored sugar.
Some Euro chocolates are nice, but seem to be lacking in something.
British chocolates are ok, but again, they just seem to have something missing.

I've had some Canadian and Brazilian chocolates, which are decently edible, but again.....they are just "off" somehow.

Most of the white chocolates I've had have way too much wax in them for me. If there are other types of chocolate out there, I would love to try them.

But so far, I've not come across the perfect chocolate.

I could have written your post I totally agree with all you wrote.

Even as a kid, I preferred dark chocolate to milk chocolate. And I love dark chocolate covered cherries. And you are so right about Godiva. It long ago lost its quality. I'd rather eat See's chocolates than Godiva.

My own preference, and with testing recipes, I found 60% - 65% cocoa to be the range that the majority of people enjoy. Not surprising, children gravitate more towards the sweeter milk chocolate, while adults preferred the dark chocolate. I found no matter how fine and expensive the chocolate, once I went above 65%, words like, "bitter" and "strong" were used to describe the chocolate.

Where white chocolate is concerned, I'm not a big fan. But when I use it, it has to be Valrhona. Every other brand out there taste like crap when made into ganache. I was being really cheap once and purchased Callabaut white chocolate since it's about a third cheaper. The chia tea white chocolate ganache I normally make with Valrhona is so good it makes me forget that it's white chocolate. But the one time I used callebaut white chocolate it tasted so horrible I ended up tossing the entire batch.

What you say about enjoying chocolate in its most basic form is exactly why the artisan chocolatiers are so frustrated with the lack of regulations for dark chocolate. It hurts the chocolate industry by not establishing the standards for quality. I'll have to look for Cellas chocolate cherries. One cannot eat too many chocolate covered cherries in there lifetime

 

[ChesterV]

I could have written your post I totally agree with all you wrote.

Even as a kid, I preferred dark chocolate to milk chocolate. And I love dark chocolate covered cherries. And you are so right about Godiva. It long ago lost its quality. I'd rather eat See's chocolates than Godiva.

My own preference, and with testing recipes, I found 60% - 65% cocoa to be the range that the majority of people enjoy. Not surprising, children gravitate more towards the sweeter milk chocolate, while adults preferred the dark chocolate. I found no matter how fine and expensive the chocolate, once I went above 65%, words like, "bitter" and "strong" were used to describe the chocolate.

Where white chocolate is concerned, I'm not a big fan. But when I use it, it has to be Valrhona. Every other brand out there taste like crap when made into ganache. I was being really cheap once and purchased Callabaut white chocolate since it's about a third cheaper. The chia tea white chocolate ganache I normally make with Valrhona is so good it makes me forget that it's white chocolate. But the one time I used callebaut white chocolate it tasted so horrible I ended up tossing the entire batch.

What you say about enjoying chocolate in its most basic form is exactly why the artisan chocolatiers are so frustrated with the lack of regulations for dark chocolate. It hurts the chocolate industry by not establishing the standards for quality. I'll have to look for Cellas chocolate cherries. One cannot eat too many chocolate covered cherries in there lifetime

When I was young, I never heard of "dark" chocolate. I thought the ONLY kind of chocolate was what was on the shelves at the stores in the candy section. I mean, aside from that lump brick of bakers chocolate that we all ask to have a bite of when we are little, and then spit it out as soon as we taste it!

I never really heard of dark chocolate until I graduated high school and got out in the work world. I worked at some stores in shopping malls, and thats how I was introduced to Godiva. I think Neiman Marcus had Godiva counters in their stores here in the DFW area at that time. I worked at JC Pennys in the same mall, and would walk over to Neimans at lunch "window shopping". Godiva had three chocolates at the time......the cherry cordial, the raspberry cordial, and the white chocolate mushroom. OMG they were AWESOME! The cherry cordial had the whole cherry with the clear liquor filling, the raspberry had this freekin awesome raspberry jelly in it, and the mushroom was literally the shape of a white mushroom, but the inside of the cap was filled with chocolate mousse.

Chai Tea white chocolate??? OMG, I think I would LOVE that! I love Chai Tea! Some people who have gotten on this site have talked about cookies, cakes, and pastries made with tea, but I've never tasted any. But Chai Tea is my favorite, and Chai Tea candies would be awesome!

I'm with you on learning my lesson using cheap chocolates for sauces and ganaches. I remember I too got some cheaper chocolate for use in a ganache, and the stuff NEVER melted!!!! It just formed "lumps" of ..... I don't know what..........but it was ugly looking and never melted at all. I threw it all out.

I then learned to make my own ganache from scratch. It's not all that difficult, and the taste is OOOOHHHH so much better. It takes a little more effort to get it completely smooth than just melting chocolate chunks and adding stuff to it, but it worked for me.

As for Cellas............oh yeah.........no such thing as "too many" chocolate covered cherries! Some stores do carry them year round, but are still hard to find. Cellas usually hit all store shelves around Thanksgiving and Christmas. They have the milk chocolate ones, which are ok, but a tad on the sweet side for me. But the dark chocolate ones are JUUUUUUUST right for me! I mean, they are good for a mass produced candy. So far, I haven't even found a gourmet cherry cordial that is as good as a Cella. Geez, I want a box of them now!!!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

When I was young, I never heard of "dark" chocolate. I thought the ONLY kind of chocolate was what was on the shelves at the stores in the candy section. I mean, aside from that lump brick of bakers chocolate that we all ask to have a bite of when we are little, and then spit it out as soon as we taste it!

I never really heard of dark chocolate until I graduated high school and got out in the work world. I worked at some stores in shopping malls, and thats how I was introduced to Godiva. I think Neiman Marcus had Godiva counters in their stores here in the DFW area at that time. I worked at JC Pennys in the same mall, and would walk over to Neimans at lunch "window shopping". Godiva had three chocolates at the time......the cherry cordial, the raspberry cordial, and the white chocolate mushroom. OMG they were AWESOME! The cherry cordial had the whole cherry with the clear liquor filling, the raspberry had this freekin awesome raspberry jelly in it, and the mushroom was literally the shape of a white mushroom, but the inside of the cap was filled with chocolate mousse.

Chai Tea white chocolate??? OMG, I think I would LOVE that! I love Chai Tea! Some people who have gotten on this site have talked about cookies, cakes, and pastries made with tea, but I've never tasted any. But Chai Tea is my favorite, and Chai Tea candies would be awesome!

I'm with you on learning my lesson using cheap chocolates for sauces and ganaches. I remember I too got some cheaper chocolate for use in a ganache, and the stuff NEVER melted!!!! It just formed "lumps" of ..... I don't know what..........but it was ugly looking and never melted at all. I threw it all out.

I then learned to make my own ganache from scratch. It's not all that difficult, and the taste is OOOOHHHH so much better. It takes a little more effort to get it completely smooth than just melting chocolate chunks and adding stuff to it, but it worked for me.

As for Cellas............oh yeah.........no such thing as "too many" chocolate covered cherries! Some stores do carry them year round, but are still hard to find. Cellas usually hit all store shelves around Thanksgiving and Christmas. They have the milk chocolate ones, which are ok, but a tad on the sweet side for me. But the dark chocolate ones are JUUUUUUUST right for me! I mean, they are good for a mass produced candy. So far, I haven't even found a gourmet cherry cordial that is as good as a Cella. Geez, I want a box of them now!!!

I LOVE chai. I used to buy a bunch of teas and make up my own blend of chai.

My all time favorite tchai is Kusmi Kashmir. It's amazing. And sadly i can't buy it locally. The Kusmi brand is carried at a store in town, but they don't carry the tchai.

Making tchai tea ganache is simply. Just put a tablespoon of tea in the cream. Heat to under a boil for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, and let the tea infuse the cream for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Then reheat the cream and pour over the finely chopped chocolate.

Adjust the amount of tchai depending on how much cream you use.

You can make tchai ganache for a lot more than a chocolate truffle center.

The Kashmir tchai Valrhona white chocolate ganache in a macaron or whipped ganache in a cake is mind-blowing delicious. Paired with a vanilla and espresso macarons or a mocha sponge cake--good god, the flavors are amazing together. This is my favorite ganache.

I've been a dark chocolate lover since childhood. It all began with Look bars and Mounds. Not that I ever said no to a milk chocolate bar back then, but when given the choice, I always grabbed the dark chocolate.

As an adult, I won't eat milk chocolate. The iconic candy stores, Sees Candy, gives every customer that walks through the door a free piece of candy. I always ask for dark chocolate. I park myself in front of the dark chocolate counter--I don't even look at the milk chocolate.

 

[ChesterV]

I LOVE chai. I used to buy a bunch of teas and make up my own blend of chai.

My all time favorite tchai is Kusmi Kashmir. It's amazing. And sadly i can't buy it locally. The Kusmi brand is carried at a store in town, but they don't carry the tchai.

Making tchai tea ganache is simply. Just put a tablespoon of tea in the cream. Heat to under a boil for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, and let the tea infuse the cream for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Then reheat the cream and pour over the finely chopped chocolate.

Adjust the amount of tchai depending on how much cream you use.

You can make tchai ganache for a lot more than a chocolate truffle center.

The Kashmir tchai Valrhona white chocolate ganache in a macaron or whipped ganache in a cake is mind-blowing delicious. Paired with a vanilla and espresso macarons or a mocha sponge cake--good god, the flavors are amazing together. This is my favorite ganache.

I've been a dark chocolate lover since childhood. It all began with Look bars and Mounds. Not that I ever said no to a milk chocolate bar back then, but when given the choice, I always grabbed the dark chocolate.

As an adult, I won't eat milk chocolate. The iconic candy stores, Sees Candy, gives every customer that walks through the door a free piece of candy. I always ask for dark chocolate. I park myself in front of the dark chocolate counter--I don't even look at the milk chocolate.

Hmmm, I can't eat See's candies. To me, it's like eating a solid spoon of sugar.......it's burns my throat and makes my teeth feel like a dentist is drilling on me without Novocaine. LOL

I like the brand Stash teas. So far, out of all the flavored tea brands I've tried, Stash is the best so far.
I LOOOOOVE their Black Chai Tea. It's got cloves in it, along with other stuff, and it tastes SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! I think it would be awesome in candy or frosting, or even ganache.

I think it's more of the other spices in the tea I like rather than tea itself. I love those "Halloweeny" flavors like pumpkin spice, allspice, and anything along those lines. I am a Halloween FREAK, and I remember those Halloween candies from when I was little that had those kinds of flavors in them. I think my favorite was the wax teeth and wax lips, they had that kind of flavoring in them, and they just tasted SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!


There was a tea I got addicted to when I was in high school though. It was called Black Rum Tea. I only found it at one coffee/tea shop, which was in Town East Mall (way back when). It was THE best freekin tea I've ever had in my life, and that includes Chai!

Lipton came out with Black Rum Tea sometime in the early 90's, but it was very short-lived. It wasn't as good as the stuff I had found in that shop in the mall, but it was close enough! Since then, I've been on the lookout for it, and haven't found it anywhere. Like everything I get addicted to, they stop making it soon after.