For kruidnoten bakers who want a chocolate coating
You want to dip baked, cooled kruidnoten in melted chocolate. For this, you need plain chocolate, not a chocolate spritz biscuit. This method is used in recipes such as the one from Albert Heijn.
Who should choose which option?
For fans of a pronounced cocoa flavour
You want to compare dark chocolate bars or cooking chocolate by their stated cocoa percentage. Albert Heijn uses 72% in its recipe; Verkade states 71% for its cooking chocolate, while PLUS lists 85% for one of its dark chocolate bars. The percentage alone doesn’t tell you how the chocolate will taste.
For bakers who want to add a biscuit texture
You’re looking for spritz biscuits to serve whole or crumble into a dessert, rather than melt into a coating. Verkade uses finely ground Nobo Sprits as a crumb ingredient in a dessert recipe.
What should you look for when choosing?
Dark chocolate or cooking chocolate
Choose this for: coating baked, cooled kruidnoten.
Bear in mind: the chocolate needs to be melted, and its cocoa percentage doesn’t tell you how a particular bar will behave when melted.
Dark chocolate spritz biscuits
Choose this for: a biscuit or crumbs to serve with the kruidnoten.
Bear in mind: a biscuit made with chocolate isn’t a substitute for plain chocolate when you want a smooth coating for dipping.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate coating | Choose plain dark chocolate or cooking chocolate, and check whether the packaging gives melting instructions. | I want to dip my cooled kruidnoten, so I need chocolate I can melt. This coating is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Dark flavour | Compare the stated cocoa percentage. Check the ingredients too if you’re looking for a bar without added ingredients. | A pronounced cocoa flavour matters more to me than the shape of the topping. Around 33% of consumers give this flavour top priority. |
| Spritz biscuit texture | Choose a spritz biscuit if you want a biscuit or crumbs, and check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging. | I want a crumbly biscuit topping with my kruidnoten, not another chocolate coating. For around 25% of consumers, this texture is the main reason for choosing it. |
Common mistakes
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Confusing dark chocolate spritz biscuits with chocolate for melting
A spritz is still a biscuit made with other ingredients. PLUS describes its chocolate spritz biscuits as containing 18% dark chocolate; that’s different from plain chocolate for a dipping coating.
For a coating, use a dark chocolate bar or cooking chocolate. Choose spritz biscuits when you want to serve them whole or crumble them.
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Assuming all dark chocolate has the same cocoa percentage
Jumbo states that its dark chocolate bar contains at least 52% cocoa solids, while the PLUS dark chocolate bar lists 85%. The word ‘dark’ doesn’t tell you about these differences.
Check the percentage on the packaging, then decide which bar suits your taste and what you’re using it for.
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Guessing allergens from the product name
Jumbo lists egg, gluten, milk, soya and wheat among the allergens in its dark chocolate spritz biscuits. Ingredients and allergen warnings can vary between chocolate bars too.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information every time you buy a product, even if you’ve used it before.
Brands compared
Verkade
Offers both cooking chocolate and spritz biscuits. Choose between these product types according to what you want to make.
- Verkade states that its cooking chocolate contains 71% cocoa and provides melting instructions.
- Nobo Sprits is a biscuit range. Verkade uses the biscuits as a crumb ingredient in a dessert, not as plain chocolate for melting.
Albert Heijn
The Allerhande recipe and AH Choco Sprits biscuits show two different ways to use chocolate.
- Allerhande uses 72% dark chocolate to dip cooled kruidnoten.
- AH Choco Sprits biscuits are made with butter and contain 15% dark chocolate: they’re a biscuit option, not plain chocolate for a dipping coating.
Jumbo
The product ranges mentioned include both a dark chocolate bar and spritz biscuits with dark chocolate.
- Jumbo Dark Chocolate states that it contains at least 52% cocoa solids, so you can compare the percentage.
- Jumbo Spritz Biscuits with Dark Chocolate are a biscuit product. The product information lists egg, gluten, milk, soya and wheat among the allergens.
PLUS
The product ranges mentioned include a chocolate spritz biscuit and a separate extra dark chocolate bar.
- The PLUS dark chocolate bar states that it contains 85% cocoa solids.
- PLUS Chocolate Spritz is described as a spritz biscuit containing 18% dark chocolate. Check the bar’s current allergen information too; the product information mentions possible traces of milk and nuts.
ALDI / Choceur
Choceur Dark Chocolate is a plain bar that you can compare with chocolate spritz biscuits as a different product type.
- ALDI describes Choceur Dark Chocolate as a 200 g Fairtrade bar.
- If you want to choose based on a particular cocoa percentage, check the label on the bar you buy.
Lidl
The extra dark chocolate bar is a shop product available in several varieties.
- A plain bar is the right product type if you want to choose chocolate rather than a spritz biscuit.
- Check the cocoa percentage, ingredients and allergens on the packaging of each variety before choosing one to suit a particular taste or allergen requirement.
Dark chocolate bars at Joybuy
These bars have different stated cocoa percentages, giving you options if you’re considering plain dark chocolate for kruidnoten. If you want to dip them, check the melting instructions for your chosen bar. The cocoa percentage alone doesn’t guarantee how the coating will turn out.
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Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa, 100 g
For anyone looking for a dark chocolate bar with a stated cocoa percentage of 85%.
Check the current allergen information and melting instructions if you want to use the bar for a chocolate coating.
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Lindt Excellence 78% Cocoa, 100 g
For anyone looking to compare a 78% cocoa dark chocolate bar with other percentages.
Read the current allergen information and check the melting instructions before using the bar as a coating.
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Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa, 100 g
For anyone looking for a dark chocolate bar with 70% cocoa to use as the starting point for a chocolate coating, rather than a spritz biscuit.
Check the current label carefully if allergens are a concern, and check the melting instructions before using it as a coating.
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Cote D'or Sensation Noir 70%, 100 g
For anyone considering another 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar for kruidnoten.
Check the current allergen information and melting instructions if you want to make an even chocolate coating.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need dark chocolate spritz biscuits to make chocolate-coated kruidnoten?
No. For a chocolate coating, you need plain chocolate: in its recipe, Albert Heijn dips baked kruidnoten in melted dark chocolate. Use spritz biscuits when you want to add a biscuit, crumbs or a topping.
Does the chocolate for kruidnoten need to contain 72% or 85% cocoa?
No. The 72% in Albert Heijn’s recipe is one choice, not a set percentage for all chocolate-coated kruidnoten. Compare the stated percentage with your taste preference, and check the packaging instructions before dipping.
When should I dip the kruidnoten in chocolate?
Dip the kruidnoten after they’ve been baked and have cooled completely. Albert Heijn describes this order in its recipe for chocolate-coated kruidnoten. Follow the melting instructions for the chocolate you’re using.
What should I check for allergens in spritz biscuits and dark chocolate?
Before buying, read the current ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any warnings on the packaging of the specific product. Jumbo lists egg, gluten, milk, soya and wheat among the allergens in its dark chocolate spritz biscuits. Don’t assume another spritz biscuit or chocolate bar has the same ingredients.