Choose a dark chocolate biscuit based first on how you’ll use it in your Christmas bake: a digestive to crumble for a base, a chocolate chip cookie for chunky pieces, or a biscuit with a chocolate coating to serve as it is. Then check the label: the proportion of chocolate doesn’t tell you how much cocoa solids it contains, and ‘dark’ doesn’t automatically mean dairy-free or free from allergens.
If you want the dark chocolate to stand out in your Christmas bake, check the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit and the cocoa solids percentage of that chocolate separately. One percentage doesn’t replace the other.
Different biscuit shapes work best for a crumb base, chunky pieces in a bake or a whole biscuit to finish it off. Decide how you’ll use the biscuit before you buy.
Depending on the variety, ingredients such as wheat, milk and soya may be relevant, as may warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. So check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, even if ‘dark’ appears in the name.
First decide whether you need the biscuit for a base, pieces or a finishing touch. Then compare the chocolate information, allergens and quantity needed for the exact variety.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate flavour | Compare the proportion of chocolate with any separately stated cocoa solids percentage. | If dark chocolate is meant to take centre stage, I want to know exactly what ‘dark’ means in this biscuit. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this question of flavour. |
| Recipe texture | Check whether the shape is suitable for crumbling, breaking into chunks or serving whole. | For my base or finishing touch, the biscuit’s texture needs to be right. Around 29% of consumers put this recipe requirement first. |
| Allergens | For the exact variety, read both the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings. | When I’m baking for others, I want to check first which ingredients and allergens are in the biscuit I’ve chosen. This is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Quantity | Compare the weight your recipe requires with the weight and contents of the pack. | For a large dish of biscuit crumbs, I want to make sure I have enough biscuits without choosing a serving pack as my bulk option. Around 14% of consumers put the quantity they need first. |
A biscuit made with dark chocolate may still contain milk, soya or wheat. Some varieties also carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact variety you plan to use.
The 30% dark chocolate in Jumbo Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade and the 63% chocolate in Jumbo Chocolade Biscuits Puur describe the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit, not the percentage of cocoa solids in that chocolate.
If the cocoa content is important to your choice, look for a separately stated cocoa solids percentage on the packaging.
A thick, visible chocolate coating can be ideal for serving or decorating, but it doesn’t tell you whether the biscuit shape and pack size will suit the base in your recipe.
Work out how many grams of biscuit you need, then choose a shape you can prepare in the way you want.
Albert Heijn lists the AH gesuikerde biscuits pure chocolade described here as ‘discontinued’. An ingredients list you viewed earlier also won’t necessarily match the packaging of a different variety.
Check the current product before buying, and read the ingredients on the packaging you’ll actually use.
Always compare the exact biscuit variety from each brand: a brand name alone tells you nothing about the type of chocolate, ingredients or suitability for your recipe.
Jumbo describes several product types made with dark chocolate: a digestive, cookies with chocolate chips and biscuits with a chocolate coating.
According to Albert Heijn, one described AH biscuit variety contains 27% dark chocolate.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crisp, caramelised biscuit that can also be used as an ingredient.
Lidl describes Sondey as a brand with a range of cookies and biscuits.
ALDI Nederland describes Biscotto biscuits made with different types of chocolate, including dark chocolate varieties.
No. On its own, that description doesn’t give you a separate cocoa percentage. Jumbo lists 30% dark chocolate in a digestive, 40% dark chocolate chips in a cookie and 63% chocolate in a coated biscuit. These figures describe different proportions of the product; check separately for a cocoa solids percentage if you need it to make your choice.
No. The Jumbo Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade described here contains milk and soya. For every variety you choose, check the current ingredients and allergen information rather than relying on the word ‘dark’.
Check the ingredients list: according to the European Union, allergens must be emphasised in it. Ondernemersplein states that mandatory label information in the Netherlands must be available in Dutch. Always check the packaging of the exact product.
Not if every biscuit you use needs to contain dark chocolate and the pack also includes biscuits with other types of chocolate. ALDI Nederland describes Biscotto chocolate biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, so check the contents before choosing a pack for this recipe.
