The best fruity chocolate bars (and the duds)
Mad, sad, frustrated or stuck in traffic? Chocolate is the answer, especially if it’s in the form of an upscale chocolate bar — easy to take, break and share. Perfect on its own, chocolate is also a flavor chameleon, one that can beautifully embrace other flavors, which is why there’s such a vast array of bars flavored with everything from bananas and caramel to nuts and chile peppers.
To narrow that deliciousness to manageable size, we tasted through an array of berry or cherry-flavored chocolate bars to evaluate the magic that happens — or sadly doesn’t happen — when chocolate and fruit are married into one perfect bite. While it’s hard to dislike dark chocolate of any kind, it’s important to know that the differences between bars of fruity chocolate are huge. Some feature deep, dark, slightly bitter cacao with coffee notes. Others are much lighter bites, more like rich milk chocolate sweetened with honey. Some have just a dusting of fruit powder, others boast large, chewy fruit bits. And others, we’re sorry to say, have odd or seedy textures, or flavors that reflect more sugar than chocolate.
In general, the best bars are made from carefully sourced, minimally sweetened chocolate perfectly matched to the particular fruit. Here’s the scoop on the best versions — and the flavorless disappointments. Nutrition details refer to 28 to
32 grams, or about 1 ounce of chocolate.
Lake Champlain Raspberries & Dark Chocolate
Bold bits of freezedried raspberries folded into rich chocolate with a bright, acidic note make this Vermont-based bar a top pick. It’s 57% cacao and so incredibly balanced. 170 calories, 11 g fat, 14 g sugar. $4.99 for a 3-ounce bar at Draeger’s and some Whole Foods stores.
Divine Dark Chocolate with Raspberries
Lots of dried raspberries and melty rich, smooth chocolate from Germany make this one of the most balanced bites of fruity chocolate. It’s 70% cacao, but a fair dose of sugar quashes the bitterness. 167 calories, 13 g fat, 7 g sugar. $3.99 for a 3-ounce bar at Whole Foods.
Tcho Triple Berry
Chocolate with inherent berry notes and just the right level of sweetness underscore the tasty trio of berries in this 62% bar made in Berkeley. The generous sprinkling of berries give it a crunchy texture. 168 calories, 12 g fat, 10 g sugar. $3.29 for a 2.5-ounce bar at Sprouts Market.
Charles Chocolates Salty-sweet Pecan Cherry Bar
The honey note in this dense, creamy, extrathick chocolate is impressive, and the cherries and nuts are packed with flavor. How thick is it? You’ll need a knife to break this one apart. No nutrition information available. $6.99 for a 4.1-ounce bar at San Francisco’s Canyon Market; available at some Starbucks.
L’amourette Chocolatier Cherries & Almonds
Fans of bitter, coffeelike chocolate may love this mix made by a San Francisco-based artisan chocolatier. The almonds are extra toasty and the bits of cherry are chewy and fresh, but it’s important to know that this is a 72% cacao bar with very little added sugar. 188 calories, 13.5 g fat, 7.5 g sugar. About $4.99 for a 3.5-ounce bar at Andronico’s and Draeger’s markets.
Theo Organic Cherry Almond
Terrific chocolate sourced from the Congo make this a good pick for those who like their chocolate pocked with chewy bits of fruit and nuts, mixed in, not infused. 150 calories, 11 g fat, 9 g fat. $3.69 for a 3-ounce bar at Whole Foods.
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Vanilla Raspberry
A single square of this deep, deep dark chocolate made from Belize beans is like a slowly savored espresso. This bar has attitude. Raspberry powder is sprinkled on one side, but the chocolate is simply too powerful to allow the raspberry to shine. No nutrition information available. $10.79 for a 1-ounce bar via Amazon.
Lindt Excellence Blackberry with Acai
Super creamy chocolate and lots of berry flavor make this decidedly sweet bar a great fruitchocolate pick. The chocolate is flawless and the berries add a fun chewy note. But it tastes more like blueberries than blackberries. 160 calories, 9 g fat, 14 g sugar. $3.99 for a 3.5-ounce bar at Target.
Endangered Species Tart Raspberries + Dark Chocolate
This perfectly enjoyable bar is made with a delicious 72% chocolate with just the right notes to complement the flavor of raspberries — but the flavor of coconut eclipses the raspberry. 160 calories, 11 g fat, 8 g sugar. $3.19 for a 3-ounce bar at Whole Foods.
Chocolove Raspberries in Dark Chocolate
The tart-sweet pop of freeze-dried raspberries is pleasant and the 55% Belgian chocolate creamy, but the bar is disconcertingly gritty. It’s like chewing a mouthful of raspberry seeds. 150 calories, 10 g fat, 13 g sugar. $2.50 on sale for a 3.1-ounce bar at Whole Foods.
Ghirardelli Intense Dark Raspberry Indulgence
The creamy texture of this tasty chocolate is impressive, but it has far too much sugar and far too little berry flavor. 144 calories, 10 g fat, 14 g sugar. $4.19 for a 3.5-ounce bar at Raley’s.
Raley’s Super Berry Dark Chocolate
This bar has pleasant texture but it’s too sweet, the flavors taste artificial and the berry bits stick in your teeth. 160 calories,11 g fat, 10 g sugar. $1.99 on sale for a 3-ounce bar.
Chocolove Filled Strawberry in Dark Chocolate
This bar has no fruit flavor whatsoever, and the African chocolate is more sweet than flavorful. It’s a total disappointment. 140 calories, 9 g fat, 14 g sugar. $2.50 on sale for a 3.2-ounce bar at Sprouts.