While you may have given up your beloved milk chocolate when you became vegan, you can find high quality and delicious vegan chocolate. It doesn't have to be bland, bitter or lacking in the rich mouth feel you associate with a good quality chocolate. While vegan chocolate is more likely to be dark, you can find milk chocolate style vegan chocolates as well.
Cocoa Beans
Cocoa beans are the main ingredient in vegan chocolate, providing a rich chocolate flavor and smooth mouth feel. The beans are roasted and hulled, and the remaining cocoa nibs are ground and pressed to form cocoa liquor. Cocoa liquor is a solid at room temperature, but is melted repeatedly during the production process. Under high pressure, the liquor separates, allowing the production of cocoa butter, according to Askinosie Chocolate. Cocoa butter contains no additional ingredients and can be added to chocolate during production for a smoother feeling in your mouth.
Sugar
Sugar or another sweetener takes the bitter cocoa liquor and makes it something we recognize as a sweet chocolate treat. Pure cane sugar or beet sugar may be used, as can whole cane juice or unbleached sugar. Depending upon your beliefs, you may want to check the type of sugar in your chocolate. Some cane sugar is refined through bone char, rather than a vegetable-sourced charcoal, according to VegSource. Typically, vegan chocolates with a lower percentage of cocoa will be sweeter, and those with a higher percentage more bitter.
Milk Alternatives
If you prefer a milder and creamier chocolate, vegan milk chocolates are available. These chocolates, like Ricemilk Choco, rely upon milk alternatives like rice powder, added during the final chocolate making process, reports Go Dairy Free. Vegan milk chocolates are less common, but you can find them at natural foods stores if you're craving that familiar taste.
Additional Ingredients
Vegan chocolates also come with nuts, fruits or spices added. Almonds or hazelnuts are a classic choice with chocolate, but chocolate variations include dried cherries, crystallized ginger, orange, dried blueberries or even chilies. Experiment with various vegan chocolate bars to find the flavoring ingredients you like best.
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