If you’d like to serve chocolate sprinkles on sourdough as well as rusks, choose the bread according to the flavour you’re after and your guests’ preferences. Wholemeal sourdough is a good choice if fibre matters, while white sourdough has a milder grain flavour. Sourdough isn’t automatically wholemeal, so check the latest ingredients and allergen information for both the bread and the chocolate sprinkles.
Rusks and sourdough are different bases for chocolate sprinkles. If you’d also like to serve bread, your choice will mainly depend on the flavour you’re after, the type of bread and the information your guests need.
You want to serve chocolate sprinkles as a familiar Dutch touch at your world food night. Compare the flavour of the bread with that of the sprinkles: according to Albert Heijn, sourdough has a slightly sour taste, which not every guest will enjoy.
You’d like a wholemeal bread base to go with the sweet topping. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that wholegrain products contain more fibre than white-grain products. Look for the term ‘wholemeal’ rather than relying on ‘sourdough’ alone.
You’re serving bread and chocolate sprinkles to several guests and want to know which allergens the products contain before serving. Read the labels on pre-packed products, and ask for allergen information about unpackaged bread.
First, decide whether you’ll serve chocolate sprinkles on rusks alone or offer sourdough as well. Then choose a flour type and flavour that will suit your guests, and check the relevant information before serving.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and presentation | Choose the type of bread according to the grain flavour you’re after, and check that it’s easy to slice and serve. | If chocolate sprinkles are the star of the show, I want to make sure the flavour of the bread doesn’t overpower the tasting. For around 45% of consumers, this choice of flavour and presentation comes first. |
| Wholemeal and baker’s salt | Check for the term ‘wholemeal’. If the salt information isn’t clear, ask whether baker’s salt has been used if that matters to your choice. | I want to choose wholemeal bread to go with the sweet topping, without assuming that all sourdough is made with the same type of flour or contains the same salt. For around 33% of consumers, the bread’s ingredients are their main concern. |
| Allergens and portions | Read the labels on both products, and ask for allergen information about unpackaged bread. Put the chocolate sprinkles out so guests can help themselves. | When I’m serving several guests, I want to be able to tell them what’s in the bread and topping, and how much chocolate sprinkles they’re taking. For around 22% of consumers, this information and way of serving come first. |
Sourdough describes how the bread is made, not the type of flour used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says sourdough bread can be made with different grains, so the name alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.
If fibre matters to your choice, look for the specific term ‘wholemeal’ on the label or shelf card.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains 65 milligrams of iodine per kilo of salt. The term ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you which salt has been used in a particular loaf.
Ask the baker which salt they’ve used, or check the recipe if you’re making the bread yourself, if this information matters to your choice.
When you’re hosting a tasting for several guests, the name of the bread isn’t a substitute for allergen information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that sellers must also provide information about allergens in unpackaged food.
Ask for information about your chosen bread before buying it, and have that information available for guests when you serve it.
The amount of topping affects the nutritional value of what you serve. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives the figures for 15 grams of chocolate sprinkles as 9.4 grams of sugars and 67 kilocalories; the figures for your chosen product may differ.
Read the nutritional information on the pack and let guests decide how much chocolate sprinkles they’d like at the tasting.
These brands and shops are a useful starting point for comparing bread and chocolate sprinkles. Check the latest product information for the version you plan to serve.
A chocolate sprinkles brand to consider if you’d like to serve dark chocolate sprinkles with the bread.
A chocolate sprinkles brand with, among other options, a dark chocolate variety for comparing different toppings.
A shop where you can compare sourdough and chocolate sprinkles when choosing both for the same table.
A shop where you can compare sourdough with different types of chocolate sprinkles.
A shop where you can compare rustic white, wholemeal and spelt sourdough as separate bread options.
A shop to explore for freshly baked bread if the type of bread matters more than a particular sourdough method.
No. Sourdough on its own doesn’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says sourdough bread can be made with different grains, so if you want wholemeal bread, choose a product that’s explicitly labelled ‘wholemeal’.
No. The name sourdough doesn’t tell you which salt has been used. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains 65 milligrams of iodine per kilo of salt. For a particular artisan loaf, ask which salt has been used; if you’re baking your own bread, check the recipe.
Ask for allergen information about the bread before buying it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says consumers must also be given information about allergens in unpackaged food. Check the label on the chocolate sprinkles too.
Use the nutritional information on the pack you’ve chosen and let guests serve themselves. For comparison, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives the figures for 15 grams of chocolate sprinkles as 9.4 grams of sugars and 67 kilocalories. This isn’t a set serving size for every guest or product.
It depends on the shop and the bread range. Jumbo, for example, says that its sourdough loaves, baked fresh in store, can’t be ordered online. Ask your chosen shop how to get the bread you’re looking for.
