Ruby Chocolate (European identity name) and Ruby Cacao (USA identity name) are made from the recently discovered Ruby Cocoa Beans found in certain cocoa pods from a particular type of cacao tree growing in Ecuador and West Africa, but most importantly Brazil (the highest quality and most exotic variety Santa Barbara Chocolate seeks). Ruby Chocolate, a new cacao creation, is made with these rare cocoa beans using a special chocolate making process patented in Belgium. The patented process carefully preserves the flavor and color of the cocoa bean. As a result, Ruby Cacao retains a pink color resulting in pink chocolate or pink confections. It is pink without any added colors and has a flavor not like traditional chocolate. Ruby is made from cacao and is a cocoa product, and it even has a chocolate ingredients list. But unlike traditional chocolate, Ruby Chocolate tastes creamy like a fruity berry confection.
The Santa Barbara Chocolate version of Ruby Chocolate is called Ruby Couverture and this is what we make all of our Ruby cacao products from like Ruby Bars, Ruby Truffles and Ruby Chips. The pink chocolate color is entirely due to the cacao variety and how these special cocoa beans are handled. The fruity flavors are the natural flavors of the special Ruby Cacao.
You don’t need to be a chocoholic to know that there are three basic kinds of chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. From these three basic flavors, thousands of varieties of confections are formed. In September 2017 the world's largest cocoa processor, announced that they have succeeded in creating the fourth type of chocolate and it's called Ruby Chocolate. Just 80 years since the invention of white chocolate, this fourth kind of chocolate is creating quite a stir in the world of chocolate.
The look & feel of ‘Ruby Chocolate’
Image: Ruby chocolate (image source)
Ruby chocolate was launched to a panel of chocolate experts in Shanghai, China. It has a beautiful shade of pink which is all natural, a result of the Ruby cocoa bean’s pigment.
According to the Antoine de Saint-Affrique:
“It's natural chocolate. It comes with a ruby color and a taste which is absolutely unique, which is the taste of chocolate, which there are freshness and fruitiness to it."
This fourth type in chocolate offers a totally new taste experience, which is not bitter, milky or sweet, but a binding between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness. No berries or berry flavor, nor color is added.
Angus Kenned, renowned Chocolate expert, and editor of industry bible Kennedy's Confection was one of the few lucky ones who get to try the ruby chocolate at the launch event in Shanghai. He described the taste of this pink chocolate as: “Ruby chocolate is very different and clever stuff. It’s refreshing and has a light, creamy texture. It tastes so light and fruity you don't really realize you're gobbling up one chocolate, so it means consumers will be able to eat more of it than other types of conventional chocolate. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your point of view.” He further added: “It’s also sweet like traditional chocolate but, instead of the warm, cloying feel and flavor, the taste is zingy and fresh. It even leaves the palate cleansed and refreshed”
Reception of Ruby Chocolate in Shanghai
Image: Reception of Ruby Chocolate in Shanghai (image source)
Majority of chocolate experts, who experienced the taste of Ruby chocolate agreed that it does not taste like conventional chocolate but more like white chocolate. Perhaps one of the reasons for the launch of Ruby chocolate in China was because white chocolate is quite popular there as compared to the rest of the world.
Ruby chocolate may not find a special place in the hearts of die-hard chocolate lovers who would rather go for the dark cocoa bean taste or prefer their chocolate to taste like chocolate instead of a red berry fruity flavor. However, Ruby chocolate may find its niche among the younger crowd, especially those who are on the lookout for a new ‘indulgence’. This new chocolate has been marketed as a response to growing demand among millennials for luxury products that are healthy and do not compromise on taste. As per Maria Mogelonsky, director of insight at Mintel:
“The unexpected pink color of the new chocolate is likely to find its way onto social media platforms of myriad millennials, for whom the ‘fun’ aspect of food is a purchase driver.”
The possibility of ruby chocolate was discovered by accident about 13 years ago by a research department as it studied cocoa beans. Germany's Jacobs University in Bremen cooperated in the development.The innovation is based on a special type of cocoa bean after about a decade of development.
The cocoa beans that are used to make Ruby chocolate come from Ecuador and Brazil. The unusual pink color comes from the powder extracted during processing. Ruby chocolate is derived naturally by isolating specific compounds in cocoa beans. While the red cocoa powder has been produced by several companies, this is the first time a natural pinkish chocolate has been produced. To retain its pink color, the fermentation process for the beans is entirely eliminated thus giving the chocolate a berry flavor and pinkish red appearance without any addition of berries or artificial colors.
“You need to find the specific beans and to process them in a specific way to release the color and flavor in a natural way. It’s a very clean label.”
Ruby chocolate will become a gem in the world of chocolates. There has been quite a mixed review online after the launch. Some think a fourth category in chocolates has real potential to be as widespread as other types of chocolate, while others have perceived it as a marketing gimmick. However the chocolate industry as a whole is confident over their new invention and it is believed this new category of chocolate on it's own will be awarded a section in confectionery.
References used for this site:
1-https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4394109/ruby-chocolate-new-flavour-invented-special-ingredient/
3-https://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/new-ruby-chocolate-intense-sensorial-delight
8-https://www.santabarbarachocolate.com/chocolatier-jason-vishnefske/
