Ruby joins dark, milk and white as the fourth natural chocolate flavour

MOVE OVER milk, ditch dark and wipe out white — there’s a new chocolate flavour in town. It’s pretty in pink and here’s when you can taste it.

A NEW chocolate flavour, the first in 80 years, is putting chocoholics in the pink.

Ruby chocolate is expected to hit Adelaide chocolatiers’ shelves in July.

In development since 2004 and first unveiled by Swiss chocolatier Barry-Callebaut in China in September, the new chocolate is “real chocolate, not just flavouring” says local specialist Sue Bracegirdle.

It is on order for Adelaide and “we’re keen to give it up-market, handmade treatment”.

Ruby chocolate is the first new chocolate flavour to be released in 80 years, and becomes the fourth natural chocolate flavour after dark and milk and white.

Head chocolatier Connie Yuen gets stuck into some ruby chocolate at the Kit Kat Chocolatory in Melbourne Central. Picture: David Caird

The ruby chocolate is apparently not bitter, milky nor sweet but “fruity and luscious”.

Its fresh berry fruit flavour and vibrant colour are naturally derived from its particular cocoa bean variety.

“It’s big news,” says Kirsten Tibballs of Savour Chocolate School in Melbourne.

Nestle has a six-month licence, so until July it will only be seen in KitKat form.

Connie Yuen of Melbourne’s KitKat Chocolatory has been experimenting with the ruby chocolate’s “naturally sweet, strawberry and raspberry flavour profile”.

Connie Yuen says it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create with the new chocolate flavour Picture: David Caird

The chocolate is unique as the fresh berry fruit flavour and vibrant colour are naturally present from the cocoa bean, with no berries, berry flavour or colour added to the chocolate.

According to its makers, this fourth type of chocolate is neither bitter, milky nor sweet but offers “berry fruitiness and luscious smoothness”.

Chocolate guru Kirsten Tibballs from Brunswick’s Savour Chocolate School said the new flavour was big news for chocolaholics.

“It’s a beautiful chocolate, it’s really exciting to create new flavour combinations with it,” she said.

“It’s amazing that it naturally tastes like berry. People who have tried it, love it. ”

Australia is just the fourth country to receive the new chocolate, after Japan, South Korea and the UK.