Fans of a pronounced chocolate flavour
If you want a distinct cocoa flavour alongside your speculaas, a stated cocoa percentage gives you a clearer guide than the word ‘dark’ alone.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts who want to serve quickly
A ready-made combination saves preparation, provided you can find a current version and check the packaging before putting it out on the buffet.
Shoppers catering for their guests
If guests need to check ingredients or allergens, you’ll need the information on every pack, even when you serve the speculaas and chocolate separately.
What should you look for when choosing?
The choice between ready-made and pairing the products yourself comes down to preparation and how much control you want over the chocolate. Whichever option you choose, check the packaging of everything you’re actually serving.
Ready-made
Choose this if: you want to serve speculaas with dark chocolate without putting the combination together yourself, and you can find a current version.
The trade-off: you’re choosing from the ingredients of an existing product. Albert Heijn lists this combination as discontinued.
Pair them yourself
Choose this if: you want to serve speculaas with chocolate whose cocoa percentage you’ve chosen yourself.
The trade-off: you’ll need to choose both products and present the combination yourself. A higher cocoa percentage won’t necessarily suit every guest’s taste.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Check the cocoa percentage on the chocolate packaging; don’t assume that ‘bitter’ or ‘extra bitter’ means a particular percentage. The Voedingscentrum points out that these descriptions don’t indicate a fixed cocoa percentage. | I want to choose the chocolate flavour alongside the speculaas myself, even if that means choosing two products. For around 42% of consumers, having control over the flavour matters most. |
| Ease of serving | Check whether the ready-made version is currently available and whether the packaging actually says it contains dark chocolate. | If I want to keep preparation to a minimum, I look for a combination I can put straight onto a platter. Around 25% of consumers give this convenience top priority. |
| Labelling and shelf life | Read the ingredients and highlighted allergens on both packs, and follow the storage and shelf-life information for the products you choose. | My guests should be able to see what’s on the buffet. If I’m serving separate products, I want the information for both to be available. For around 33% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘dark’ means a consistently high cocoa percentage
According to the Voedingscentrum, dark chocolate can contain as little as 35% cocoa. ‘Bitter’ and ‘extra bitter’ won’t tell you the percentage in a particular bar either.
Compare the stated cocoa percentage and, if needed, try a new combination with your chosen speculaas before serving it.
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Relying on an old product page
Albert Heijn lists its speculaas with dark chocolate as discontinued and warns that product information can change. An existing page doesn’t tell you what you can buy now.
Check what’s currently available, then read the label on the pack you buy.
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Removing the packaging without keeping the allergen information
At a shared buffet, guests need to be able to check which ingredients are relevant to them. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the 14 specified allergens must be clearly identifiable on labels for prepacked foods.
Keep the packaging nearby or display the information from the current labels next to the relevant platter.
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Assuming a promotional bar is a regular part of the Christmas range
ALDI lists Moser Roth’s 70% bar as a special offer; Lidl says its 90% bar is available in store only. Neither listing guarantees the product will be available for your buffet.
Check the current in-store range before planning your combination around a particular bar.
Brands and places to shop for inspiration
These examples show different ways to put together a buffet platter; a brand mention doesn’t guarantee that a particular product is currently available.
Albert Heijn
AH Speculaas with Dark Chocolate is an example of a ready-made combination.
- The product page describes speculaas with dark chocolate in a 320 g pack.
- Albert Heijn marks this product as discontinued and warns that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
Lotus Biscoff
A caramelised biscuit you can serve as a separate part of the buffet alongside your choice of dark chocolate.
- Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as crunchy and caramelised.
- Based on that brand page, the biscuit described isn’t a confirmed speculaas version with dark chocolate.
Moser Roth
A separate chocolate option for anyone who wants to put together their own pairing with speculaas.
- ALDI Netherlands lists a Moser Roth bar with 70% cocoa.
- The listing is for a special offer, so check whether the bar is available when you shop.
Lidl
A place to shop for a separate bar of dark chocolate to serve alongside speculaas.
- Lidl lists a 90% cocoa dark chocolate bar weighing 125 g.
- The product listing says ‘In store only’ and it isn’t a ready-made speculaas and chocolate combination.
Chocolate to pair with speculaas yourself
These Joybuy products are separate chocolate bars with a stated cocoa percentage. Choose the speculaas separately if you want to put together your own buffet combination; none of these bars comes ready-made with speculaas.
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Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao, 100 g
For a platter you put together yourself, with speculaas and a separate chocolate bar.
The product name states 78% cocoa and 100 g. Before serving, check the allergen information on the packaging of both the chocolate and the speculaas.
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Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate, 100 g
For anyone who wants to choose speculaas and dark chocolate separately and serve them together on the buffet.
The product name states 70% cocoa and 100 g. Make sure your guests can check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging of both products.
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Lindt Excellence 90% Cocoa Supreme Dark, 100 g
For a combination you put together yourself when you want to serve a 90% cocoa bar alongside speculaas.
The product name states 90% cocoa and 100 g. Try the combination beforehand if you’re expecting guests who prefer a milder chocolate flavour, and check the current packaging for allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Does speculaas with dark chocolate automatically have a high cocoa percentage?
No. The words ‘dark chocolate’ don’t tell you how much cocoa the chocolate in that particular speculaas version contains. According to the Voedingscentrum, dark chocolate can contain as little as 35% cocoa; check the packaging if the percentage will influence your choice.
What allergen information should I keep handy for a shared buffet?
Keep the ingredients and allergen information for every product you serve available, even if you put the chocolate out separately from the speculaas. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the 14 specified allergens must be clearly identifiable on labels for prepacked foods; check the packaging of the products you’re actually using.
Can I use the ingredients listed on an old online product page?
For your buffet, use the information on the current packaging rather than relying on an old product page. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
Is AH Speculaas with Dark Chocolate available for Boxing Day?
Don’t assume it is without checking first: Albert Heijn lists this product as discontinued on the relevant page. If you want to serve a ready-made version, check what’s currently available when you do your shopping.