CHOCOLATE INCLUSIONS

If you want to experience the chocolate in its purest form, taste any dark chocolate made up of only two ingredients: cacao and sugar.

Then why do manufacturers often add inclusions in chocolate?

Let's understand the definition of inclusion first.

What is inclusion?

"Introducing any additional ingredient or element in chocolate in the form of nuts, spices, herbs, seeds, dried fruits, etc., to enhance the aesthetic appeal, texture, color, flavor, and nutrition is inclusion." It is always advisable to use inclusions with a stable shelf life; otherwise, chocolate may lead to spoilage.

Why do chocolate makers or chocolatiers need to add inclusion?

Inclusions are trending because people are getting experimental and want to explore new flavors along with texture. Since consumers are experiencing new flavors, crunchiness with appealing looks, and mouth-pleasing texture, they will be ready to pay more for an inclusion bar. Some brands use healthy ingredients to increase chocolate's nutritional value, which attracts consumers to pay more. After all, a chocolate maker can be innovative with chocolate.

What could add as an inclusion?

Inclusions are more than decoration; they help redefine and reformulate the chocolate. When you add fruits and nuts to plain chocolate, you define your product differently from plain bar to fruit and nuts bar. Inclusion covers a broad range of nuts, dried fruits, grains, spices, seeds, cookies, salt, candy pieces, baked goods, extracts, cacao nibs, rose petals, herbs, coffee, etc.

Inclusions are tricky to use and need attention.

It is very challenging to add inclusions in chocolate because the behavior of each ingredient used as an inclusion varies.

• Some ingredients, such as baked goods, crispies, sparkling sugar, etc., tend to absorb moisture due to their hygroscopic nature.

• Proper storage and controlled temperature are essential to avoid fat migration.

• Add the extracts or oil at the end because some extracts tend to lose their potency while heated. Likewise, fresh herbs also lose their potency if introduced to high heat.

• Some inclusion, such as dry fruits, are heavy and dense and may sink to the bottom of the chocolate.

• Nuts contain a high amount of oil that may migrate into chocolate, resulting in fat blooming.

• Some dried fruits are high in moisture which may disturb the chocolate viscosity level.

• The fat content in chocolate may also migrate into inclusion before the crystallization process takes place and can affect the texture and crunchiness of nuts.

Inclusions are usually added to enhance the flavor and texture of chocolate. The more uniqueness you show in your chocolate, the more scope you have to widen your audience. By choosing the target audience, a chocolatier can customize their product accordingly. Some brands focus on health-conscious people. Therefore, they add healthy ingredients for their target audience.

Nowadays, Matcha chocolate, liquor chocolates, and berries chocolate are getting a good response.

Do you enjoy a plain chocolate bar, or does an inclusion bar entice you?