I’m a chocoholic. Always have been, always will be. For most of my life, this has been in a Dairy Milk kind of way. Nothing sophisticated, just super sweet and highly addictive. But, recently there’s been a boom in smaller UK bean to bar chocolate makers, who control the whole chocolate making process and focus on the quality and origins of their ingredients. Their chocolate hits the spot a lot faster than my old favourite. This is possibly because they go heavy on the cocoa and cut out so many of the junk ingredients that seem to have worked their way into our nation’s favourites. Palm oil, for example. How on earth did it end up on the list of Cadbury’s ingredients? Also definitely to be avoided if you love orangutans!
Bars and brownies
My interest in chocolate has only grown and grown. A few years ago, I started exploring the world of new chocolate makers and got into the habit of collecting chocolate bars wherever I go. There’s something so appealing and nostalgic about a bar of chocolate; far more so than a box of fancy confections. These bars don’t last that long though, between the hormonal cravings, pick me ups, and general indulgence, not to mention the brownies I love to make with different chocolates mixed through them. I could write a post on brownies alone but the link here is to one of my favourite recipes for Bill Granger’s brownies. I just throw in loads of chocolate that I like, not the dark chocolate in the recipe or the quantity suggested. Just a mixture in the quantity that matches my mood!
Chocolate: happy hormones and health
There is something so special about chocolate. It’s just happiness! That’s possibly because eating chocolate triggers the release of the happy hormones: endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. [1] Chocolate is also full of plant-based bio-active compounds known as polyphenols, which are especially concentrated in dark chocolate. Some of the health benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Flavanols, one of the bio-active compounds, can also boost blood flow in the brain with knock-on benefits for our brain health. However, in the milkier varieties, a lot of these benefits are diluted and the higher sugar content also triggers an addictive dopamine release. So the darker varieties are better all round. The problem is, darker chocolate isn’t everyone’s favourite. It’s not mine, but there are so many incredible UK based chocolate makers producing darker milks with higher cocoa contents, which offer more of these benefits while still satisfying that sweet and milky craving.
Great British Chocolate Makers
There’s a whole world to discover of UK based bean to bar chocolate makers. They are producing super exciting, innovative and ethical chocolate that puts farmers, many of whom live below the poverty line, and the environment at the heart of their processes. By focusing so much on single origin and natural taste they strip out a lot of the undesirable ingredients that have made their way into mass-produced recipes, as well as reducing sugar content.
Land Chocolate is based in East London and make some incredibly delicious chocolate. Simplicity is at the heart of their production techniques, along with fair pay for the farmers they rely on. Their head chocolate maker oversees everything from roasting to wrapping. Their 57% Dominican Republic O*t Milk, despite its dark appearance is a lovely smooth, flavourful milk. Moreish but richly satisfying too. Their 38% Nicaraguan Toasted White Chocolate is unlike any white chocolate I grew up loving. An exciting and interesting combination which is slightly mind bending when compared to more traditional white chocolates!
Then there’s Dormouse Chocolate, Manchester’s bean to bar chocolate maker who focuses on flavour, transparency and people. Their delightfully packaged bars pack a proper punch! Super lively with the story of the cocoa beans used accompanying each bar to guide you through the taste explosion hidden inside.
The Chocolatier, by Aneesh Popat, focuses on providing a better life for children in India and sources ethical cocoa to support farmers and wildlife. They also make fine chocolate loved by Michelin chefs and luxury brands alike. Their Caramelised Milk Chocolate is a dream come true for any nostalgic Caramac lovers, and their Milk Chocolate Malted Biscuit and Milk Chocolate Popping Candy bars are just a couple of the fun combinations they offer, while doing a lot of good too.
Another fantastic UK brand is CocoaLoco which make organic and fairtrade chocolate in Sussex all wrapped in 100% plastic free packaging. Their chocolate appeals to all, and is particularly child friendly. Their chocolate lolly making kits go down a treat! My personal favourite is their genius Marbled Chocolate Bar. The benefits of dark chocolate mixed in with their divine white and milk chocolates.
One last treat
Finally, I must quickly deviate from the mighty chocolate bar to another divine British confection; Gorvett & Stones chocolate covered honeycomb. Produced in Henley-On-Thames from Oxfordshire honey, this has been a favourite in our house for many, many years! It’s not surprising that one of Govertt & Stone’s biggest customers in Fortnum & Mason, where you can also find this and many of their wonderful creations on sale. Bubbly, crunchy and lavishly chocolatey. This is another Great British dopamine heavy chocolatey treat!
Feel good in more ways than one!
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the incredible, ethical chocolate being made in Great Britain. It’s a super informative, exciting and fun world to dive into. These Great British chocolate makers are producing happiness in bars whilst also doing a lot of good in the World. So now you can have your dopamine hit, support incredible causes and indulge in the finest chocolate imaginable! That’s a whole lot of feel good packed into a bar of chocolate.
