Belgian chocolate truly is something special. It’s often called the best chocolate in the world, and it’s a well-deserved recognition. There is a rich history, specific process and, of course, particular ingredients that go into making Belgian Chocolate the delight that it is.
If you’ve ever wondered why Belgian Chocolate is SO good, read on.
History Of Belgian Chocolate
To understand the secrets of Belgian Chocolate, we have to go back to the beginning. The story starts at a dark time in the world’s history of chocolate, when colonialism was reshaping the world. In the 1880s, Belgium began bringing back cocoa from the Congo. Having access to cocoa beans allowed the country to get a head start in understanding how to process and produce chocolate as we know it today.
Soon Belgian chocolatiers were developing machines designed to mix the beans and create a smooth, thin texture. Even Switzerland, arguably the next most famous “chocolate country,” learned much of what they know from Belgium.
What Is A “Praline”
Belgians also began experimenting with other innovative techniques. In 1912, a man named Jean Neuhaus came up with a game changer — a cold chocolate shell into which fillings could go. We know them today as “pralines.”
The “Belgian truffle” or “praline” is made with dark or milk chocolate filled with ganache, buttercream or nut pastes. Pralines opened up a new world for flavor combinations and heightened chocolate pleasure. Countless possibilities could be put inside the shells. Fruit, nuts, flavored creams and nougat, even more chocolate — this marked a new era that changed the way people would eat chocolate forever.
This also coincided with a time when there was access to cheaper sugar and a growing taste for sweets around the world. Until then, sweet foods and confections were reserved for the very wealthy.
Integrity Of High Quality Ingredients Is The Foundation Of Belgian Chocolate
Once the culture of Belgian Chocolate was established in the small, central country, its roots grew deep. What keeps it going strong, even to this day, is that the integrity of the ingredients and process remains hardly changed.
In other words, most Belgian Chocolate is made in small, local chocolate shops, using high-quality ingredients, with recipes that haven’t changed much in more than 100 years. Even as most industries are subject to large-scale shifts toward higher output for cheaper cost, Belgian Chocolate production remains true to its foundations.
One final thing that helped Belgian Chocolate keep its rank and status in the world is the country’s perfect location. The presence of international people in Brussels is second only to New York. Brussels is also home to the headquarters of the European Union and NATO. To say it’s a hub is an understatement.
Since there are so many people from every corner of the globe coming and going through Belgium, Belgian Chocolate makes a perfect gift. In fact, shops in Brussels International Airport are said to sell the most chocolate in the world. With 220,000 tonnes of chocolate produced in the country, it’s neat to think how far and wide that chocolate goes.
When people say Belgian Chocolate is the best, we have to agree. It’s not just the type of chocolate, but the care that goes into creating it, and the history that has brought it to where it is today. We encourage people to fall in love with Belgian Chocolate and realize that its amazing flavor and texture are steeped with a rich history and fascinating story.
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