I have so many questions as I hold a Chocolove Ruby Cacao Bar in my hands. This looks like a pink colored confectionery coating, but that’s not “cacao,” so what on earth is going on?

What is ruby chocolate? Ruby chocolate is made from ruby cocoa beans, and through special and proprietary processing, produces a rosy, pinkish colored chocolate. No color has actually been added. Nothing but the natural color tone that nature intended – and humans encouraged to express.

When was ruby chocolate “invented”? In the fall of 2017, Swiss cocoa company Barry Callebaut launched a ruby chocolate Kit Kat bar in Asia. It was the introduction of Ruby cacao as the world’s fourth type of chocolate (dark, milk, and white being the other three). Ruby chocolate slowly made its way through Asia and Europe, the UK, and now the U.S.

Is ruby cacao a new cocoa bean? Ruby chocolate is still made from one of the three existing genotypes but, according to Barry Callebaut’s website, the Ruby bean is unique with a specific set of attributes. And after an innovative process, they can unlock the berry style fruitiness and color precursors that are naturally present. Ruby cocoa beans grow in Ecuador, Brazil, and Ivory Coast.

What does ruby chocolate taste like? The Chocolove 34% Ruby bar’s predominant flavor is sour berries even though no berry flavor is added. The chocolate is simultaneously sweet and tart. It’s creamy and buttery. You can definitely find an essence of cocoa butter, much like when you eat white chocolate. The aftertaste is a combination of sweet and milky with a hint of berries abruptly coming across at the very end.

This is, perhaps, the most unusual chocolate I’ve ever had. Part of me doesn’t want to call it chocolate. Yet, it is made from cocoa liquor and cocoa butter! I think I went through a similar feeling with white chocolate when I first explored that flavor profile.

It has been 80 years since white chocolate was the hottest innovation in chocolate. Now it’s Ruby’s turn.

Here's Chocolove's info on their new bar. It appears Trader Joe's has some Ruby cacao as well. I found this on Amazon.

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Bryn Kirk

Course Facilitator at Chocolate University Online

Bryn worked for nearly 10 years in a research and product development for Ambrosia Chocolate Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now she develops all of the CUO lessons and coaches the members of the Primal Chocolate Club.

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