Is Chocolate Liquor Alcohol?

A chocolatier needs to know more than techniques and recipes. Knowing which ingredients complement the others is the only way to create unique and novel flavors. This is why chocolate-makers often emphasize the chocolate liquor in their specialty chocolates.

Liquor is synonymous with an alcoholic beverage, but chocolate liquor does not have any alcohol. Instead, chocolate liquor receives its name from an alternative definition meaning liquid.

Chocolate is made by roasting cacao beans and separating the hulls from the sweet cacao nibs inside. During this roasting process, the nibs are turned into chocolate liquor, a mixture of solid bean parts and cocoa butter, and serve as the basis for all chocolate.

After the chocolate liquor is cooled, chocolatiers will add additional ingredients such as vanilla, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. These will affect the taste and appearance of the chocolate, allowing a chocolate maker more control over the resulting flavor.

Chocolate liquor by itself provides a crisp chocolatey flavor with a subtle sweetness. This ingredient is often used in baking to create chocolate-flavored pastries and confections.

What is Chocolate Liqueur?

Chocolate liquor is often confused with chocolate liqueur, alcohol flavored to pair with chocolate. Chocolate liqueur is commonly found in high-end chocolate confections, such as hand-dipped truffles or a German chocolate cake.

Chocolate liqueur provides additional depth with its smooth and rich flavor notes when added to a confection. Both chocolate and alcohol are known for their mood-lifting properties and together can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Some chocolates are made with chocolate liqueur as the primary filling. These chocolates offer a shot of alcohol after breaking through the outside chocolate shell. Alternatively, other chocolates are made with the liqueur inside the chocolate itself, baked off during the cooking process.

Dilettante’s Chocolate Truffles

For over forty years, Dilettante has made chocolates with the highest quality standards possible. Each chocolate truffle is made by hand, creating each chocolate ganache center with couverture chocolate, all-natural ingredients, and chocolate liqueur.

Those looking for a sophisticated taste will love Dilettante’s Champagne Truffle Gift Box. This four-piece assortment features four of Dilettante’s Champagne Truffles, made with a delicious combination of milk chocolate and anise-flavored liqueur. Packaged in an elegant pink gift box, these are the perfect truffles to celebrate with.

Ryan

Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Ryan has a fondness for the outdoors, music, and coffee. Some of his favorites are Dilettante's Chocolate-Covered Bing Cherries and L'Orange Truffles. Through his writing and content, he hopes to grow the Dilettante community.