So here we are. Through the other side. Despite my protestations that deep winter is not the time for deprivation, I have several friends on diets and attempted overhauls of their lives. Luckily, none have given up chocolate completely, but some of them are opting for the 80% and over.
There is good reason for this: it’s got more health benefits and far less sugar, and if you don’t eat loads of sugar anyway a very high percentage chocolate tastes epic and actually quite sweet.
Occasionally, I cleanse my palate by – gasp – not eating chocolate, and then just going for 80% and over.
I have a few current favourites. Asda has an excellent Ugandan 85%, £1.85/100g. Waitrose’s No 1 range, £2.25/100g, has two great contenders: Peruvian 80% and 90% Ecuadorian, if you fancy something even darker.
Marks & Spencer meanwhile has a super offering, too: 85% Peruvian, £2.25/100g. Are these all actually made by the same company? That would be telling.
Apologies for mentioning this one again, but it’s worth it: Lumi’s Ugandan 80% with cocoa nibs, £7.50/100g, is a storming success.
My current favourite is Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé – Sur Del Lago 84%, £9.95/70g. Venezuelan beans, made in Hungary; this bar is ‘beautifully balanced’ – the notes say so and I agree. Very classy, so tasty and elegantly wrapped.
I’m actually getting so into super-high cocoa-content bars, so watch this space for more.
