Review: Anthon Berg Marzipan Bar with Nougat

This offering is similar to the Anthon Berg Marzipan Bar I reviewed earlier, except that it has a nougat stick inside the marzipan which is then covered by dark chocolate (54%).

Such a composition has the potential to deliver quite an exclusive bar. And no doubt this was indeed the aim of the manufacturers. Unfortunately, I think that the flavour does not deliver and is thus prone to disappoint the consumer expecting a little more from this bar.

One of the things leading the consumer to believe that this is a somewhat exclusive bar is the very elegant wrapper. This impression is strengthened when the bar is unwrapped revealing a dark brown chocolate covering, ornamented with elegant stripes in a lighter brown nuance. It is a shame that these stripes are inconsistent in thickness and distribution which detracts from the bar's appearance. Cross section view reveals a nice “stick” of nougat inside the marzipan. Appearance: 7, 5 out of 10.

In contrast to the Anthon Berg Marzipan Bar, which had a nice and distinctive chocolate fragrance, this one has a more artificial fruity aroma overpowering the chocolate aroma as well as the scent of nuts and almonds. Aroma: 7 out of 10.

This bar has an excellent snap when biting into it which is very well done indeed. The marzipan used in this bar is probably the same as that used in the Anthon Berg Marzipan Bar, though here its coarseness is not as pronounced due to the presence of nougat. This results in a slightly better melt and texture. Texture: 8 out of 10.

The taste of the chocolate does not stand out as it did in the Marzipan Bar, though it is probably the same covering. This is because the nougat has a perplexing fruity taste reminiscent of jam, not allowing the chocolate to stand out clearly. Also, it lacks the intensive flavour of roasted hazelnuts, characteristic of good nougat, and it simply does not go well with the taste of apricot kernels used to flavour the marzipan. As I wrote in the review of the marzipan bar I think the use of apricot kernels ruins the more delicate flavour of almonds in the marzipan, even if it makes for a stronger flavour as well as a cheaper bar. Flavour: 6, 5 out of 10.

Average: 7, 25 out of 10.

Review: Anthon Berg Marzipan Bar

This dark chocolate coated Marzipan Bar from Anthon Berg is a Danish classic and quite popular, as the Anthon Berg brand is often associated with good quality chocolate.

In keeping with this image the wrapper is visually quite aesthetic. The chocolate coating has a non-glossy dark brown colour and a cross-section view of the marzipan reveals an elegant look. The bar has few imperfections on the bottom and sides. Appearance: 8 out of 10.

Aroma is nice and sweet with no bitter tones. Both chocolate and marzipan aromas are discernable. Aroma: 8 out of 10.

The snap is fair, though could be crispier. The marzipan texture is somewhat coarse. Texture: 7 out of 10.

I find the chocolate flavour quite good and it is impressive that is has enough character to stand out given that it is only a thin covering and “only” 54% chocolate. However, the marzipan itself has an artificial flavour, probably due to inclusion of apricot kernels which unfortunately quickly dominates the flavour to the worse. In my opinion the taste of apricot kernels is not as sophisticated as that of almonds and is “wrong” in a marzipan bar such as this one. On the positive side the bar is not too sweet - sometimes an issue with marzipan bars. Flavour: 6, 5 out of 10.

Average: 7, 4 (rounded figure)

Review: Ritter Sport Marzipan

Marzipan is an almond sugar paste, which, when properly done, tastes sublime. That is, of course, if you like almond and nuts. It has been used in confectionary at least since the middle ages and Germany has a particular strong tradition for using it, such as in Stollen, a rich and luxurious German Christmas log (idea for developing a stollen Ritter Sport?!).

In sum the marzipan-chocolate combination is a classic – and rightly so.

Interestingly, however, this marzipan bar is not one of the top 3 best selling Ritter flavours in Germany (1. Whole Hazelnuts 2. Praline 3. Alpine Milk Chocolate).

Surprisingly, it tops the UK list (1. Marzipan 2. Whole Hazelnuts 3. Peppermint). I say surprisingly because I was convinced - admittedly on no solid basis whatsoever - that marzipan was a continental thing.

I do not know how Ritter's marzipan flavour ranks here in Denmark, though I would on the same entirely unsubstantiated grounds as above, estimate it as one of the more popular flavours.

This offering from Ritter Sport has an attractive wrapper, although there is an issue of content overweight as I described in the review of the Caramel & Nuts, also from the Ritter range. The dark chocolate has an appealing and shiny dark brown/ black colour. Also, the marzipan filling, visible in a cross section view, stands out as quite attractive. The chocolate on the underside of the bar has some minor imperfections (caveties). Appearance: 8 out of 10.

Nice, if quite overpowering aroma of marzipan. The aroma of dark chocolate is not very much present. Aroma: 8 out of 10.

The snap, when breaking of a piece, is quite good. Also in the mouth the chocolate snaps in a very attractive manner. The snap is very well done indeed. The marzipan blends in naturally, but perhaps a softer texture would be nice. The melt is OK but could perhaps be somewhat improved. Texture: 7, 5 out of 10.

The flavour is not too sweet which is good, as this can become a problem when combining chocolate and marzipan (which by its nature is quite rich). However, the dark chocolate (50%) lacks character and distinctive flavour. The marzipan is quite overpowering in its flavour and comes across as somewhat artificial, as if aroma/flavour has been added too generously. The result is an unpleasant bitter finish, which unfortunately, at least for me, ruins the flavour of this bar. Flavour: 6, 5 out of 10.

The strength of this bar is clearly its aroma and snap. However, judging solely on the basis of flavour I would score it much lower than the present average.

In sum, I was somewhat disappointed by this bar as the marzipan-chocolate combination has great potential.

Average 7,5