Chocolate liqueur facts for kids
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A bottle of chocolate liqueur
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Chocolate liqueur is a sweet alcoholic drink that tastes like chocolate. It's a type of liqueur, which is a strong, sweet alcoholic drink often flavored with fruits, herbs, or spices.
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A Sweet History
People have been making and selling chocolate liqueur for a long time. The first mentions of chocolate en liqueur (meaning chocolate in liquid form) appeared in French writings as early as 1666. This suggests it was a chocolate-flavored alcoholic drink.
Before the 1700s, a "chocolate wine" was popular in New England. This drink was made with sherry, port, chocolate, and sugar.
In 1780, a French guide also described how to make chocolate liqueur. An 1803 French pharmacy book even included a recipe for it. Similar recipes appeared in cookbooks and manuals throughout the 1800s and early 1900s in French, English, and Spanish.
In the 1990s, there was a big "chocolate craze." This led to many new brands of chocolate liqueur appearing in stores.
How is Chocolate Liqueur Made?
Older recipes from the early 1800s used whole cocoa beans to make chocolate liqueur.
Today, a simple recipe for making chocolate liqueur at home might include chocolate extract, vanilla extract, vodka, and simple syrup. Simple syrup is just sugar dissolved in water.
Sometimes, a little glycerine is added. This helps keep the chocolate extract mixed in and makes the liqueur a bit thicker. Pure chocolate liqueur is actually clear. Colors can be added to make it darker.
How Do People Use Chocolate Liqueur?
Chocolate liqueur can be enjoyed on its own, often after dinner. It's also a popular ingredient in many mixed drinks and desserts.
You might find it in dessert sauces, cakes, and chocolate truffles. When adding chocolate liqueur to melted chocolate for truffles, it's important to be careful. Adding it too quickly can sometimes make the chocolate "seize," meaning it becomes stiff and crumbly.
One interesting use is in chocolate rolled fondant. This is a type of icing used to decorate cakes.
Wine and chocolate go well together. Some cocktails even mix a strong red wine with a splash of chocolate liqueur.
Different Kinds of Chocolate Liqueur
There are three main types of chocolate liqueur you might find: chocolate liqueur, chocolate cream liqueur, and crème de cacao.
Chocolate Liqueur
This is the basic type of chocolate liqueur. Here are some examples:
- Afrikoko (tastes like coconut and chocolate)
- Ashanti Gold
- Bicerin Di Giandujotto
- Djangoa (has a hint of anise, which tastes a bit like licorice)
- Godiva Dark Chocolate
- Liqueur Fogg
- Mozart Black (dark chocolate flavor)
- Royal Mint-Chocolate Liqueur (from France)
- Sabra liqueur (dark chocolate and Jaffa oranges)
- Thornton's Chocolate Liqueur
Chocolate Cream Liqueur
This type of chocolate liqueur is creamy. It often contains dairy cream, which gives it a smooth, rich texture.
- Cadbury Cream Liqueur
- Dooley's White Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Dwersteg's Organic Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Godiva White Chocolate
- Florcello Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur
- Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Mozart White Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Vana Tallinn Chocolate Cream
- Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur
Crème de Cacao
Crème de cacao can be clear or a dark caramel color. The darker version is often called dark crème de cacao. The French word crème in its name means it's a "crème liqueur." This means it has a lot of sugar in it, usually at least 250 grams per liter. Even though it's called "crème," it does not contain any dairy cream.
The amount of alcohol in crème de cacao can vary. It's usually around 20% to 25% alcohol by volume (ABV).
See also
In Spanish: Licor de chocolate para niños
