Brunch host looking to serve cocoa
You’re looking for a chocolate topping for bread, croissants or yoghurt instead of anise sprinkles. Chocolate vermicelli is ready to sprinkle; a chocolate bar needs preparing first.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Fan of the traditional celebration table
You want familiar anise sprinkles on crispbread or cakes, and are choosing sugar-coated anise seeds rather than chocolate.
Host keeping an eye on allergens
You’re serving guests with dietary requirements and checking the current ingredients and allergen warnings for each product you choose. Anise sprinkles and chocolate products don’t necessarily have the same ingredients.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to keep the anise flavour and appearance of traditional sprinkles or serve chocolate instead. Then choose a format that works with your brunch dishes, and check the packaging before serving anything to your guests.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Check the product format and stated cocoa content. Jumbo states that De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur chocolate vermicelli contains at least 52% cocoa solids; a 90% cocoa bar isn’t a sprinkle. | If I specifically want to serve chocolate at my Easter brunch, I look for a product that suits that preference rather than anise sprinkles. Around 36% of consumers put cocoa flavour first. |
| Traditional anise sprinkles | Choose between whole festive sprinkles and the crushed variety. Albert Heijn describes both De Ruijter products as sugar-coated anise seeds. | If I want familiar crispbread or festive cakes, I want to keep the anise flavour and appearance of the sprinkles. For around 29% of consumers, that presentation is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and warnings on the current packaging, even for products with ‘dark’ in the name. | When I’m catering for guests’ dietary requirements, I want to know exactly what’s in the product I’ve chosen. This is the most important consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| How you’ll use it at brunch | Choose a format to suit the dish: chocolate vermicelli is ready to sprinkle, while Albert Heijn describes its dark chocolate drops as suitable for baking or decorating. | If I’m putting out bread and other brunch dishes, I don’t want to have to choose a different topping for every dish. Around 14% of consumers give versatility top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming anise sprinkles and dark chocolate vermicelli are the same product
According to Albert Heijn, De Ruijter sprinkles are sugar-coated anise seeds. Dark chocolate vermicelli has a different flavour and appearance, even if you sprinkle both over crispbread.
Before you buy, decide whether you want anise and the traditional sprinkle shape, or a chocolate topping you can sprinkle.
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Assuming ‘dark’ tells you anything about allergens
Jumbo lists milk and soya in De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur and says it may contain lactose. A cocoa description doesn’t tell you whether a product meets your guests’ dietary requirements.
Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of the product you’re actually serving.
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Using cocoa percentages as a guide to flavour
The percentage on chocolate vermicelli, chocolate drops or a bar doesn’t, by itself, tell you how each format will work on crispbread or in yoghurt.
Choose how you’ll use it first, then compare the stated product details for items in that format.
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Confusing an online listing with being able to order it for brunch
Lidl states that its Pure Chocolate 90% bar is available in store only. So an online product page doesn’t mean you can order the bar online.
Check how you can buy the product you’ve chosen, and have another suitable format in mind if your brunch depends on one item.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
A brand to look at if you want to compare traditional anise sprinkles with dark chocolate vermicelli in the same range.
- Albert Heijn describes the festive and crushed sprinkles as sugar-coated anise seeds. For its separate Specials Intens Puur chocolate vermicelli, Jumbo states a minimum of 52% cocoa solids.
- Intens Puur is chocolate vermicelli, not a dark version of the traditional sprinkles. Check the listed allergens for this product too.
Albert Heijn
Worth considering if you want to compare De Ruijter sprinkles with Albert Heijn’s own-brand dark chocolate drops.
- Albert Heijn describes its dark chocolate drops as suitable for baking or decorating and states that they contain at least 40% cocoa solids.
- Chocolate drops aren’t the same product as anise sprinkles or chocolate vermicelli. Choose them based on how you plan to use them.
Jumbo
A supermarket range that offers anise sprinkles and dark chocolate vermicelli as separate options.
- Jumbo lists De Ruijter sprinkles and Specials Intens Puur chocolate vermicelli; the product page states that the vermicelli contains at least 52% cocoa solids.
- Don’t assume the cocoa content or allergens of another dark chocolate vermicelli product are the same as those of Specials Intens Puur.
PLUS
Worth considering if you’re looking at dark chocolate vermicelli as well as anise sprinkles.
- PLUS states that its own-brand dark chocolate vermicelli, in a 400 g pack, contains at least 32% cocoa solids.
- According to PLUS, the product may contain milk and lactose. The stated percentage alone doesn’t tell you how it tastes compared with another chocolate vermicelli.
MOSER ROTH
A chocolate bar option if you’d rather serve pieces of chocolate than choose a topping you can sprinkle.
- ALDI Netherlands lists a MOSER ROTH variety with 90% cocoa.
- You’ll need to break or chop a bar first. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the variety you choose.
Lidl
A shop to try if a bar with a high stated cocoa percentage will work for your brunch.
- Lidl lists a 125 g Pure Chocolate 90% bar.
- Lidl says this product is available in store only. Check the packaging there for ingredients and allergens.
Dark chocolate sprinkles at Joybuy
These are dark chocolate toppings for anyone who’d like to serve chocolate instead of traditional anise sprinkles at Easter brunch. If cocoa content and allergens matter to you, compare the details on the packaging.
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De Ruijter Intense Pure Chocolate Sprinkles – 200 g
A dark chocolate topping for anyone looking to serve something other than anise sprinkles at Easter brunch.
Pack size: 200 g. Check the cocoa content and allergens on the current packaging.
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g'woon Pure Chocolate Sprinkles – 400 g
For anyone looking to serve dark chocolate in a sprinkle format, alongside or instead of anise sprinkles.
Pack size: 400 g. If you’re looking for a particularly high percentage, check the cocoa content stated on the packaging.
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De Ruijter Hail Chocolate Pure – 390 g
A dark chocolate topping for anyone who isn’t looking for the anise flavour of traditional sprinkles.
Pack size: 390 g. Check the cocoa content on the packaging before choosing this variety for a specific percentage.
Frequently asked questions
Are traditional anise sprinkles a dark chocolate option?
No. Albert Heijn describes De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte muisjes as sugar-coated anise seeds. Choose them for their anise flavour and familiar appearance, not to add cocoa to your brunch.
What can I sprinkle over crispbread, croissants or yoghurt?
For a dark chocolate option in a sprinkle format, you could choose chocolate vermicelli; PLUS suggests using De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur with yoghurt and quark. If you want to keep the traditional look of anise sprinkles on crispbread, choose those instead.
Should I check the allergens in these brunch products?
Yes. Check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging of the product you choose. Albert Heijn lists wheat in the De Ruijter sprinkles it reviewed; Jumbo lists milk and soya in De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed in the ingredients of pre-packed foods.
How should I store anise sprinkles and dark chocolate products before brunch?
Store anise sprinkles in a dry place. The product information for De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur says to store in a cool, dry place; Albert Heijn’s dark chocolate drops should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. Always follow the instructions on the packaging of the product you buy.