Chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur do sound similar, but are they the same? Is liqueur just a fancier spelling of liquor or more than that? Well, you are going to find out in this article.
What is the difference between chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur?
The main difference between chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur is the fact that chocolate liquor does not contain alcohol while chocolate liqueur contains alcohol.
| Chocolate Liquor | Produced from cocoa beans (nibs) and contains cocoa solids and cocoa butter. | Contains no alcohol |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Liqueur | Distilled spirit and cocoa bean with chocolate flavour. | Contains alcohol |
| Liquor | A distilled spirit made from grain or other plants. The most common spirits are brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. | Contains alcohol |
Chocolate liquor is made from roasting and hulling cocoa bean. The nibs produced from the bean are grounded into a paste.
Chocolate liqueur, on the other hand, is a beverage made from mixing cocoa with real liquor like whiskey and vodka. If any flavour or colour is added to the liqueur, it is usually extracted from the cocoa bean.
Chocolate liqueur is made from liquor. However, it should not be confused with chocolate liquor.
Liquor sometimes is used interchangeably with ‘spirit’ or ‘alcohol’ like Vodka, Gin, Brandy, and Whiskey. Liquor is usually alcoholic while chocolate liquor does not contain alcohol.
Chocolate Liquor Vs Chocolate Liqueur
As stated above, chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur are not the same. Lets now look at them in detail.
Chocolate Liquor
Although liquor is usually used to refer to a beverage that contains alcohol, the word, “liquor” is from a Latin word, “liquere” which means to be fluid. Ergo, the word means liquid, although this meaning may now be obsolete.
You may be wondering why we are considering the etymology of the word, “liquor”.
This is because this piece of information is important to the meaning of chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor is a thick paste that consists of pure cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
It is liquor in the sense that it is liquid, hence, the etymology of the word. It should be noted that it does not contain alcohol in any form.
Chocolate liquor is made from cocoa beans that have been fermented, dried and roasted.
Afterwards, the skins are separated from the beans. It is then grounded into a paste which liquefies once heated. Chocolate liquor is also known as cacao liquor, cocoa liquor or cocoa mass.
It is the base substance from which chocolate is made.
What is chocolate liquor used for?
As said earlier, it is the key ingredient in making chocolate. Chocolate liquor is used to make different kinds of chocolate.
1. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is made using chocolate liquor and sugar.
Sometimes, cocoa butter is added, however, in high cocoa content chocolate, cocoa butter is not added and all the fat present comes from the cocoa liquor.
Most dark chocolates contain a small amount of milk to decrease the formation of chocolate bloom.
The higher the cocoa content, the richer and darker the flavour. The higher the milk and cocoa butter, the creamier and lighter the chocolate.
2. Milk chocolate
Milk chocolate is almost the same as dark chocolate, but it contains some amount of milk solids and fats.
3. Baking chocolate
This is chocolate liquor in its rawest form.
The chocolate liquor is poured into moulds and allowed to set. Baking chocolate is used in different cooking and baking recipes.
4. Cocoa powder
Cocoa powder is made from chocolate liquor by pressing the liquor and then removing some of the cocoa butter. It is then grounded into a fine powder.
5. Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is made from chocolate liquor that has been pressed and the butter separated from the solids.
The butter is then poured into moulds and can be used for different things.
6. It can be used for baking and cooking recipes
Pure chocolate liquor can be used in a lot of recipes. It adds intense and unique flavours to food and pastries.
It also has a lot of nutritional benefits with the presence of a high level of antioxidants and flavonoids. It can be sued in cakes, brownies, cookies and so on.
7. It is used to make candy and chocolate chips
Is chocolate liquor healthy?
Yes, chocolate liquor is very healthy.
Chocolate liquor is rich in plant chemicals called Flavanols. Studies have shown that flavanols produces nitric oxide in the inner cell lining of the blood vessels (endolethium).
This helps to improve blood flow, relax the blood vessels, reduce plaque formation in the arteries and lower the blood pressure.
Flavanols are also shown to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of diabetes.
Benefits of chocolate liquor
Also, chocolate liquor contains antioxidants, called polyphenols that help to fight inflammation of the tissues in the circulatory system, potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
It has also been discovered that these antioxidants help reduce the risk of cancer by fighting cell damage that can lead to tumour growth.
In addition to the above, chocolate liquor in chocolate has been found to boost one’s mood by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels.
However, chocolate liquor is high in calories and can result in weight gain if eaten in excess.
The presence of fat in chocolate liquor can also negatively affect the blood fat levels. Hence, moderation is key in consuming this rich food.
Although researches have shown that almost 65 percent of the calories in chocolate liquor contains come from three different kinds of fat, these fats are shown to be healthy fats.
Monounsaturated fats, for example, protects the heart. Chocolate liquor also contains a saturated fat, stearic acid, which can actually raise the cholesterol levels. However, this fat is broken down into oleic acid and hitherto does not affect the cholesterol.
Research has also shown that it may help reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind).
Chocolate liquor has also been noted to contain substances that help in promoting optimal brain health as it increases blood flow to the brain.
It also decreases damages to the neural pathways, reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Chocolate Liqueur
Chocolate liqueur is an alcoholic beverage. It is made by adding chocolate to an alcoholic beverage like whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila and so on. Chocolate liqueur can be used in food recipes or taken on its own.
Aside from being a chocolate alcoholic beverage, chocolate liqueur can also be chocolate filled with different kinds of alcohol.
What is the best chocolate liqueur?
This is for those that would love to eat their chocolate and drink it too, enjoying the best of both worlds.
Here are some of the most delicious brand that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings and keep your buzz going.
1. Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur
Double the chocolate, double the fun, right?
This is one of the best chocolate liqueurs made in Poland. It contains the best dark chocolate and milk with Chopin Rye Vodka as its alcoholic base.
It can be taken neat, drizzled over ice cream or in a cocktail.
2. Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
This is produced by Godiva, the Belgian chocolatier who has been producing fine sweets since 1926.
He created this fine liqueur by combining unsweetened dark chocolate, a hint of cold-brewed coffee, candied orange peel and black cherry.
The blend of all these ingredients results in a chocolate liqueur which distinct taste and intense flavour are second to none. It can be enjoyed neat or mixed into a cocktail.
3. Eastside Holiday Peppermint Bark Liqueur
This alcoholic chocolate beverage is for those who love peppermint.
It is made in Southeast Portland, Oregon.
This liqueur blends real peppermint extract with extra dark rich French cocoa to give a delicious and intensely flavoured chocolate liqueur.
4. Tempus Fugit Crème De Cacao
It is made from a recipe that has been preserved since the 19th century.
Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao is indeed the mouthful it seems to be from the pronunciation.
It is a rich blend of Venezuelan cacao and Mexican vanilla. The liqueur is so thick, sweet and concentrated that it rarely served alone but, in a cocktail, or with soda water.
5. 360 Double Chocolate Vodka
It is distilled from American grains and infused with a natural chocolate flavouring, every sip giving off the feeling of biting into a rich chocolate truffle.
It is one of the most decadent chocolate spirits.
This chocolate vodka is so smooth and can be enjoyed neat and also combined with cocktails, to give them a rich chocolatey edge.
6. Prichard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon
This rich chocolate bourbon is distilled from wheat, white corn and rye.
This bourbon takes a lot of time before it is bottle ready. It is first allowed to sit in new American oak at cask strength before it is brought down to proof and then returned to the barrel for at least 3 years.
When it is ready, it is infused with Olive and Sinclair Chocolate single-origin cacao beans.
The chocolate bourbon has notes of vanilla, rich toffee and leather on the palate and raw cocoa flavour on the finish.
7. Bird Dog Chocolate Flavoured Whiskey
This chocolate flavoured whiskey is made with a base of Kentucky bourbon.
The whiskey is aged in charred American oak barrels and infused with intense natural chocolate flavour.
It has a mellow corn sweetness, combined with just a hint of white pepper from the rye used in the bourbon and a velvety milk chocolate flavour. It is most enjoyed with ice.
8. Alchemia Czekoladowa chocolate vodka
It is a Polish rye chocolate vodka in a stylish bottle.
The polish rye vodka is infused with cocoa to boost its flavour. It has a crisp flavour with a smooth and sweet chocolate finish.
It can be enjoyed neat or as a base in a chocolate flavoured cocktail.
9. Chocao Distilled Cocoa Gin
Not everytime whiskey and vodka, right? For a twist, try this chocolate gin.
It is a distilled cocoa gin that is infused with Peruvian Gran Yapatera cacao nibs and husk to add an intense flavour to the gin.
It is so smooth and can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
10. Hotel Chocolat Cocoa beer
Hotel Chocolat uses shells from their cocoa beans in making this beer. It contains bitter but rich flavour undertones from the shells.
The natural chocolate flavour in this beer doesn’t overpower the flavour of the beer but enhances it.
Can you get drunk on chocolate liqueur?
Yes, you can.
However, it depends on your tolerance to alcohol as well as the level of the alcohol in the chocolate liqueur. Since chocolate liqueur is alcoholic, it can definitely make you drunk.
In conclusion, the distinction has been made. Now, you know the difference between chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur.
While chocolate liquor is the solid mass of pure cocoa which contains no alcohol, chocolate liqueur is an alcoholic beverage made by adding chocolate to any kind of spirit.
