Don’t expect a standard currant bun to contain cocoa: the product information reviewed for Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS doesn’t list cocoa among the ingredients of their standard varieties. If you want a pronounced dark chocolate flavour for your Christmas table, choose a suitable bun and check the cocoa percentage of any dark chocolate you serve separately. Also check the bun’s size, storage instructions and up-to-date allergen information.
If you’re looking for a rich dark chocolate flavour for Christmas breakfast, check the ingredients of the currant bun rather than judging by its colour or product name. A separate chocolate bar has its own ingredients list and cocoa percentage.
Smaller buns can be handy for a buffet. Lidl, for example, offers mini wholemeal raisin buns; these are a different product from standard raisin and currant buns. Check the packaging if the precise ingredients or nutritional information matter to your choice.
If you’re buying for guests with an allergy or intolerance, check each variety individually. The currant buns described by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain cereals containing gluten and also list milk or lactose; other allergens may also be relevant, depending on the product.
First decide whether you want cocoa in the bun or would rather serve dark chocolate separately. Then compare the buns by ingredients, size, allergens and storage instructions.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Rich dark chocolate flavour | Check whether cocoa is listed among the bun’s ingredients. For separate chocolate, check the stated cocoa percentage. | If I want to serve a rich dark chocolate flavour, I don’t want to mistake a standard currant bun for a cocoa bun. For around 33% of consumers, that flavour comes first. |
| Wholemeal and size | Compare the product type, number of buns in the pack and nutritional information on the packaging. | For a buffet, I look for smaller buns, or I may prefer a wholemeal product. Around 25% of consumers prioritise size or wholemeal ingredients. |
| Allergens | Check the up-to-date allergen information for each variety, including any chocolate you choose separately. | When I’m buying for guests with an allergy, I need to know which ingredients and possible cross-contamination risks are relevant to them. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare the number of buns in each pack and follow the storage instructions for your chosen product. | For a larger Christmas table, I want to buy enough buns without being left with leftovers I can’t use. This is the most important factor for around 17% of consumers. |
The standard currant buns reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS are described as raisin and currant buns, with no cocoa listed in the ingredients shown. Dark packaging tells you nothing about the cocoa content.
Read the bun’s ingredients list. If you’re serving dark chocolate with it, check the cocoa percentage on that separate product’s packaging.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So if it’s listed for one currant bun, that doesn’t mean another variety contains it too.
Check the ingredients list for the product you’ve chosen, or ask the baker which salt they’ve used.
The varieties described have different ingredients and may contain different additional allergens. At a Christmas buffet, any chocolate served separately may also have its own allergen information.
Check the up-to-date packaging for every product and, if a guest has a serious allergy, check with them what precautions are needed.
Pack sizes and storage instructions vary. For its described pack of eight currant buns, PLUS says they can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and recommends using them within one month.
Work out how many buns you’ll need for the Christmas table and follow the instructions for the exact variety you buy when storing any leftovers.
Albert Heijn describes its pack of six raisin and currant buns as white wheat buns. A bar containing at least 85% cocoa is a separate product, not a variety of those currant buns.
Jumbo describes its pack of six as white wheat raisin and currant buns.
PLUS offers currant buns in packs of six and eight. The eight-pack variety comes with specific freezing instructions.
ALDI describes a pack of six raisin and currant buns as soft wheat buns with raisins and currants.
Lidl lists 360 g mini wholemeal raisin buns. They’re raisin buns, so don’t automatically treat them as currant buns or as a product containing cocoa.
Cocoa isn’t listed in the ingredients shown for the standard varieties reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS. If you want cocoa with Christmas breakfast, check the bun’s ingredients or choose separate dark chocolate with the cocoa percentage stated on the packaging.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for the variety described, but check the ingredients list for every other bun or ask the baker.
Check the up-to-date allergen information on the packaging of every product you choose, including any chocolate. The currant buns described by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain cereals containing gluten and milk or lactose; other ingredients and possible cross-contamination may vary between varieties.
For its described pack of eight currant buns, PLUS says you can freeze them at home on the day of purchase and should use them within one month. For other varieties, follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
