Need last-minute gift ideas for Valentine’s Day? Chocolaterie Stam sells these flower-shaped chocolates.
Writer: Wini Moranville
The first time I ever spotted rose-color chocolates from Stam, I thought, “Oh, what a lovely way to color white chocolate for Valentine’s Day and spring celebrations!”
Turns out, the chocolates weren’t tinted with food dyes or colorings at all. Rather, these beauties were made from ruby chocolate, which its manufacturer (European chocolatier Callebaut) describes as a “fourth type of chocolate” (after dark, milk and white).
What makes them so pretty in pink? Ruby chocolate is from a ruby cacao bean, but that variety of bean can also be made to make other kinds of chocolates, too. Rather, according to Ton Stam, owner of Chocolaterie Stam, the curious color is a result of the way these cacao beans are fermented and processed. He added that Callebaut is keeping a tight lid on what that modus operandi actually is.
Callebaut’s website describes the chocolate’s flavor as “a tension between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness.” To my palate, there was also a delicate sourness—think of the astringency of a berry—amid a certain creamy, vanilla-y sweetness. If you are a dark-chocolate diehard, you probably won’t adore ruby chocolate (it’s not in any way bitter). I loved their beauty above all else, but truly did enjoy their subtle flavors, too.
Stam crafts ruby chocolates into chocolate flowers (pictured) as well as bonbons with flavors that complement the ruby chocolate’s flavor. The latter include chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache and grapefruit. For now, they’re only available in Des Moines stores. Find locations here.
Turns out, the chocolates weren’t tinted with food dyes or colorings at all. Rather, these beauties were made from ruby chocolate, which its manufacturer (European chocolatier Callebaut) describes as a “fourth type of chocolate” (after dark, milk and white).
What makes them so pretty in pink? Ruby chocolate is from a ruby cacao bean, but that variety of bean can also be made to make other kinds of chocolates, too. Rather, according to Ton Stam, owner of Chocolaterie Stam, the curious color is a result of the way these cacao beans are fermented and processed. He added that Callebaut is keeping a tight lid on what that modus operandi actually is.
Callebaut’s website describes the chocolate’s flavor as “a tension between berry-fruitiness and luscious smoothness.” To my palate, there was also a delicate sourness—think of the astringency of a berry—amid a certain creamy, vanilla-y sweetness. If you are a dark-chocolate diehard, you probably won’t adore ruby chocolate (it’s not in any way bitter). I loved their beauty above all else, but truly did enjoy their subtle flavors, too.
Stam crafts ruby chocolates into chocolate flowers (pictured) as well as bonbons with flavors that complement the ruby chocolate’s flavor. The latter include chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache and grapefruit. For now, they’re only available in Des Moines stores. Find locations here.
