Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Ritter Sport Espresso

Ritter Sport Espresso ChocolateLast year Ritter Sport sent me a one of their Europe-only bars, Ritter Sport Espresso. I even bought one when I was in Germany in February. Now they’re selling them in the United States, which only makes sense since we’re the largest coffee consuming country in the world (source).

The bar is Fine Quality European Chocolate made with Natural Ingredients. The bar isn’t explained or teased much on the front, just with robust Arabica coffee and the back just gives the description as Milk chocolate with a coffee cream filling. It also has snowflakes on it, which leads me to believe that it’s a limited edition winter bar and might not be available year round.

The ingredients list is short, but not as pure as I’d like it to be when it’s advertised as being made with natural ingredients. (Just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean I want it in my chocolate bar.)

Ingredients: sugar, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, lactose, milk, skim milk, espresso powder, cream, butterfat, soy lecithin, natural flavor.

There’s a caution about shared equipment for peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, other nuts and wheat. (Plus it contains soy and dairy ingredients.)

It’s real milk chocolate for the bar part, but the filling is primarily a sugar and oil paste. Palm kernel oil doesn’t have quite the same political reputation that palm oil does, nor the trans fatty content that partially hydrogenated oils. Still, I do not consider that to be a cream, even if cream is added to it. But let me set aside my ingredient rantings for a little tasting. Because I was really looking forward to this bar.

Ritter Sport Espresso

I don’t know what it is about the way that Ritter Sport bars are packaged or handled, but they’re always pristine when I open the package. (Sometimes the bars are broken, but not scuffed.)

The scent is dreamy. There’s a milky dairy note (a little caramel and butter) but the perfect level of coffee to it - rich and woodsy.

Ritter Sport Espresso (Germany)The chocolate is a little soft, and the center is even softer. The chocolate melt is cool and smooth, the center is a little grittier because of the coffee powder. The milk chocolate is quite sweet and the filling is less so, with a light salty note to it though there’s not actually any salt in it.

The espresso flavors are not quite ... because of all of the milk notes. It’s more like a dry cappuccino than an espresso, which would be made with a dark chocolate (dairy free would have been great for vegans). I expect there’s a bit of caffeine in here, since there’s real espresso powder, I made sure to eat mine early in the day.

It’s not the perfect coffee chocolate bar, but for about $2.00 or so, it’s achingly close I had to give it a 9 out of 10. The coffee flavors are pure, not flavored, and it’s not junked up with other caramel or hazelnut flavors. I wish it was really a ganache cream made with butterfat in there, but then it wouldn’t be $2 and probably wouldn’t be a shelf stable. Next step would be fair trade (but they do have a pretty good track record for ethical sourcing).

Related Candies

  1. Ovation Cappuccino Sticks
  2. Ritter Sport Olympia
  3. Javaz - Milk & Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans
  4. Ritter Sport Peppermint
  5. Ritter Sport White Chocolate with Hazelnuts
  6. Ritter Darks
  7. Pocket Coffee
  8. Ritter Sport Capuccino and Rum Trauben Nuss


Name: Espresso
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Ritter Sport
Place Purchased: Cost Plus World Market (Park LaBrea)
Price: $2.49
Size: 3.5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 157
Categories: All Natural, Candy, Ritter Sport, Chocolate, Coffee, 9-Yummy, Germany, Cost Plus

POSTED BY Cybele AT 3:44 pm Tracker Pixel for Entry     All NaturalCandyReviewRitter SportChocolateCoffee9-YummyGermanyCost Plus

Comments
  1. I’d never noticed before but you’re right - my Ritter bars always look gorgeous when I open them. Even the imported ones that I’ve found in the U.S.

    Comment by Rosa on 11/09/11 at 7:58 pm #
  2. This looks and sounds delicious. I must find it!

    Comment by Sofia on 11/10/11 at 1:14 pm #
  3. I picked up one of these on my latest trip to Target, and I’ve gotta say it is truly delicious.  I think they either need to decrease the amount of caffeine or make the bar smaller, only because it’s truly difficult to stop nibbling away.  I have currently only consumed a serving size, and it’s 1:30pm, about the time I seek out a little caffeine.  I am prepared to run through the building I work in, I feel so filled with caffeine (which says something since I consume quite a healthy bit of it normally).  I’ll have to pace myself, but I LOVE this bar.

    Comment by Sonia on 9/06/12 at 11:28 am #
  4. Well here I thought I was special, being sent this from my brother that is living in Germany.  Only to find out they’re sold in the states. HMMMMM???

    Comment by Betty on 5/21/13 at 11:26 am #
  5. Well here I thought I was special, being sent this candy bar from my brother in Germany for Christmas.  Only to find out they’re sold in the states. Lol.  They are awesome though!

    Comment by Betty on 5/21/13 at 11:31 am #
  6. Great review. This is a delicious espresso on the go, once you start theres no putting it down until the wrapper is empty. With its 45% intense coffee cream, best served chilled with a hot latte , thats how we like it anyway. smile

    Comment by RTC on 5/10/14 at 10:25 am #
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