One of the most amazing chocolate combinations out there is chocolate + marzipan. Marzipan is a thick paste created by mixing melted sugar with finely chopped ground almonds. The outer shell of a marzipan is an envelope of milk or dark chocolate. Rumor has it that some companies will actually enrobe marzipan with white so-called chocolate, but I’ve never seen such an atrocity in real life.
(For more on marzipan, including an interesting history, click here.)
I had my first taste of this amazing confection in high school, when a German exchange student brought some as a hostess gift. It was Reber* dark chocolate with marzipan and I was immediately hooked. I’ve had it since then and it’s every bit as good as I remember it. You can get it plain or with the addition of cherries or other ingredients. Pure. Heaven.
Niederegger makes an excellent chocolate + marzipan in both milk and dark. Both are excellent, although I tend to prefer the dark. This confection comes in a log shape that is surprisingly heavy. A little of this goes a long way — you really only want a small bite. For god’s sakes don’t do what I once did, which was eat an entire log in one day. You WILL feel sick afterward.
Ritter Sport makes another nice dark chocolate + marzipan. The dark chocolate is actually pretty smooth — more like a hybrid of milk and dark — and I kept checking the package to make sure that I was supposed to be eating dark chocolate.
Surprisingly, these are the only three versions of chocolate + marzipan that I ever see on my chocolate shopping excursions. I’m sure there are more available in other markets, but not here in my small town.
Do any of you know of a chocolate + marzipan we all should try?
* For some reason, I was unable to find a website for Reber.
As always, Jen was not paid in either money or chocolate to write this review, but she thinks this would be an excellent career.
Is there a See’s Candies nearby? If so, try their dark chocolate marzipan.
By: Kathy on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 9:01 am
Lured here by the chocolate scent.
By: Cheri @ Blog This Mom! on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 9:27 am
I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten marzipan now that you mention it…
By: melissawest on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 10:05 am
OK - I’m not a big sweets eater BUT I love chocolate coated marzipan.
By: Fannie on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 12:21 pm
I’ve never tried chocolate and marzipan. But judging how much I love the marzipan icing on fruitcake, I’d probably love it.
By: alison on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 1:20 pm
Bless you! I’m a Ritter girl because you can easily find it in most stores but I have had the roll. Sooooooo good
By: Skywalker on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 2:21 pm
I’ve never tried chocolate and marzipan….to be honest, the only experience I’ve ever had with marzipan also included fruitcake, which was off-putting to say the least. I am a huge fan of many of RitterSport’s other concoctions though (the dark chocolate and coffee one? Mmmmm…… You need to review some chocolate coffee combos….) so maybe I’ll try this the next time I’m shopping for my fix. So, if you receive a partial bar of it in the mail, you’ll know it’s from me!
By: badness jones on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 2:55 pm
Ah, the scent of that almond mix enrobed with chocolate. I turned my youngest son onto it at an early age and unfortunately, he now wants it for every birthday and Christmas for a treat ( He will even eat it plain shaped like little fruits in a plastic basket). I love it with dark, too, have only seen the same one you have. Mozart rocks!
By: auntiemwrites on Friday, May 15, 2009
at 5:36 pm
This is so funny. I was driving today and listening to a story on NPR about cacoa farmers. I wondered to myself is their was a chocolate magazine for chocolatiers (sp?) and then thought if there is, Jen should write for it. If you ever get the chance, try the Theo Coconut Curry Bar. Girl, you will not be disappointed.
By: mrs. g. on Saturday, May 16, 2009
at 2:48 am
I’ve always been a marzipan purist but you may have convinced me to change my ways.
By: LemonySarah on Saturday, May 16, 2009
at 5:00 pm
My absolute all time favorite- marzipan! I love it with or without chocolate. If you ever get the opportunity to try marzipan from Spain, do not pass go do not collect $200 and grab it (then run like hell to hide it from everyone else!!!)
By: Sarah on Tuesday, May 19, 2009
at 2:53 pm
Hmmm, that sounds delicious. I can’t believe I’ve never had it!
By: Jaina on Thursday, May 21, 2009
at 5:00 pm