Taste test

85% DARK CHOCOLATE

Last week we tested 70pc (or thereabouts) dark chocolate, and this week we decided to go hardcore with five different dark chocolates each containing 85pc cocoa solids, which surely puts them into the health food category. What did our testers make of them?

Green & Black’s 85pc Dark Chocolate, 100g, €3.14, 9/10

This very dark and smooth organic chocolate is flavoured with Madagascan vanilla, which rounds out the bitterness. Lovely texture and mouthfeel, one to savour. 630 calories per 100g, or 125 per six pieces (25g) if you are the disciplined sort — our testers weren’t sure that they’d be able to limit themselves.

Lidl JD Gross Arriba Ecuadorian 81pc, 125g, €1.39, 8/10

Lidl’s Fairtrade chocolate comes from Ecuador and our testers loved its rich flavour and pleasant texture. 549 calories per 100g and 69 per square — if you’re counting. The price makes this a very affordable luxury.

Tesco 85pc Ivory Coast & Ecuadorian Plain Chocolate, 100g, 95C, 7/10

This bargain chocolate from Tesco has good depth of flavour, although some of our testers thought it felt cloying on the palate. It would be ideal for making Nigella’s very dark chocolate brownies, though, and the price is keen. 585 calories per 100g, and two squares come in at 117 calories.

Lindt Excellence 85pc Dark Chocolate, 100g, €2, 6/10

Our testers found this chocolate a little ‘thin’ in both flavour and mouthfeel, although it was not unpleasant. The source of the chocolate is not identified on the packaging. 584 calories per 100g.

Aldi Moser Roth Dark 85pc, 5 x 25g, €1.19, 5/10

Our testers felt that this chocolate lacked flavour and had an unpleasantly fatty mouthfeel. On the plus side, it comes as five individually wrapped bars, making it less likely you’ll eat it all at once. 608 calories per 100g and 138 calories in each individual bar.