Review: Leader Raw Choco Winter Favourites (Blueberry & Lingonberry, Apple & Caramelized Almond, Orange & Season's Spices)

These three bars are “Winter Favourites” or “Season Editions” from Leader. I’ve previously reviewed some of their other raw chocolate bars and was keen to sample these new season flavours.

The wrappers are pretty and seasonal, and the bars themselves have a lovely pattern on one side and additions/flavourings on the other. I particularly like the look of blueberry and lingonberry bar! Here from left to right: Blueberry & Lingonberry, Apple & Caramelized Almond and Orange & Season's Spices.

These are raw chocolate with cocoa content of at least 70 %. The chocolate is made of organic, unroasted cocoa beans and cane sugar. Though dark, it is not at all bitter but it does have an intense flavour, which I gather is typical of raw chocolate.

In Blueberry & Lingonberry, there are bits of blueberry and lingonberry in the chocolate. Some are bigger, some tiny – more like powdered, dried berries. The taste of berries isn’t very strong, but it does give the chocolate a nice, fresh tang which forms a lovely counterpoint to the rich chocolate.

Apple & Caramelized Almond comes with dried apple pieces and bits of caramelized almonds. The almonds are more noticeable of the two. I couldn’t quite detect the caramelisation, but the almonds give the chocolate a nice crunch. The apple pieces are juicy and tart – I only wished there were more of them!

Orange & Season's Spices does not contain actual orange but orange oil. The “season's spices” are cinnamon, clove and ginger, which form a gentle, barely-there note. The orange oil can be detected in the scent already and its taste is stronger than that of the spices. To be honest, chocolate and orange was never my favourite combination, but together with the spices, orange gives this chocolate an enticing, exotic air.

After the first taste, I would perhaps name the Blueberry & Lingonberry my favourite. Or maybe the Apple & Almonds... no, I can’t decide! They’re all good... and an ideal choice if you’re looking for a slightly healthier option to satisfy your chocolate craving.

Review: Leader Raw Choco Bars

My experiences with raw chocolate are limited to raw chocolate bars sent to me by a dear friend (thank you, they were delicious!) and my own experiments in chocolate making. The other day, however, my Dashing Hero surprised me by bringing home these four bars from Leader!

So far, I’ve known Leader for their protein bars. Even though I am a chocoholic, I also try to maintain a fairly healthy lifestyle, so I was very eager to sample these chocolates. The lists of ingredients is short, the chocolate is dark (70 %), gluten free and vegan. The cocoa beans are organic and unroasted, a method that preserves all those ingredients that are good for you and that make chocolate a super food.

All bars are thin (80 grams), very prettily patterned but impossible to break into neat, even pieces (so I just chopped them into bigger pieces – problem solved!). The chocolate is very rich and, though sweet, not at all sugary.

A short look at each of the bars individually:

Lemon & Ginger

I’m familiar with this combination from other chocolates, and I quite like it! There’s the spicy, almost hot ginger and the cool, tart lemon, and it’s an intriguing combination. Plus ginger is supposed to be good for you... and since I had to give up drinking my daily cup of ginger tea when it started to make me nauseous, I might just indulge a bit on this chocolate...

Lemon & Chili

The chili is a warm rather than a hot note and the lemon is a mellow coolness; with neither flavour particularly strong, they don’t overpower each other, nor do they steal the show from the chocolate itself.

Red Berries & Vanilla

The vanilla isn’t very noticeable, but it gives the chocolate a lovely, mellow sweetness. The berries (cranberries, raspberries and strawberries) are the best part! They’re tangy, feisty, refreshing morsels in the sweet chocolate. However, I’d love it if there were more of them – and bigger pieces!

Almond & Sea Salt

Ah, one of my favourite combinations! The almond bits are tiny, but they give this a nice, crunchy texture. The saltiness brings out the best in the rich, dark chocolate. If I had to pick a favourite among these bars, this would be it!

I’ve often heard it said that before you can truly enjoy raw chocolate, you have to get used to the taste. I wouldn't say that – I enjoyed the very first bite of these! The texture is perhaps a little grainy compared to “normal” chocolate and the taste isn’t quite so sweet. However, I don’t think those are bad things; it’s just a bit of variety. As much as I love chocolate (and eat it without feeling particularly guilty), I happen to be health conscious as well. These chocolates are not only delicious but also good for you - something I will buy again.

One last look... the prettily patterned front of one bar (Lemon & Chili) and the back of Red Berries & Vanilla bar: