Designing a plant-based chocolate bar or other chocolate product might sound like an easy task, but it is not just about replacing the dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives. It is a fine-tuned science where close attention to detail and passion for success is vital to creating delicious, sustainable products that closely replicate their mainstream counterparts.

Milk and other dairy ingredients have several characteristics that heavily impact a chocolate product. Consumers recognize and love the creaminess and milky flavor tones, but each ingredient also contains physicochemical characteristics that can be challenging to replace.

Chocolate’s flavor, performance, and shelf life are intimately and synergistically impacted by the amount of fat present in the cacao mass (which ranges from about 45-60% cacao butter) and in the dairy ingredients. Other contributing factors include moisture level, protein content, carbohydrates (amount and types), and even particle size.

There currently are a number of alternative sources in use to replace traditional dairy milk. Currently, the most common are cereal and grain sources, such as oat or rice; nuts, such as almonds or cashews; and legumes, including soy and lentils. Each of these base ingredients has different characteristics when it comes to both flavor and overall chemical structure.

Some dairy alternatives have longer carbohydrate chains, including soluble and insoluble fibers or starches, and some have higher unsaturated fat levels or different amino acid profiles. These characteristics can either occur naturally or as a byproduct of the production process.

Chocolate by Design

When designing a chocolate product, although flavor is paramount, product performance is just as critical. Both are related to the quality and properties of each one of the raw materials used for a given formulation. Sourcing and the right dairy replacements are key components in the creation of any plant-based chocolate product.

To compensate for dairy, the nutritional profile and overall chemical composition of the potential replacer should be evaluated for aspects such as levels of fiber and starches; these will have a direct impact on the product’s rheology or the way it flows.

Meanwhile, a high level of unsaturated fat, as occurs in nuts, can lead to such negative results as fat bloom or a coarse and gritty texture in the finished product. There is a precise science to creating a cohesive and consistent chocolate flavor and texture.

The goal of a great plant-based chocolate is to not sacrifice the indulgent experience that a dairy milk-based product imparts. This means attaining the same creaminess and mouthfeel—how it melts in the mouth and sustains that sense of indulgence—leaving consumers craving more.

Bar or Bonbon

The participation of each ingredient in a recipe depends on the final product concept and expected use. The flavor profile and performance can vary and a higher content of plant-based alternatives translates into an enhanced coconut flavor in the chocolate if using coconut milk, or higher cereal-like notes when using rice milk. Balancing this background flavor alongside the trademark cocoa notes can be challenging.

For each plant-based alternative, the design process is different. When dealing with low- to non-fat alternatives, adjustments to cocoa butter and cocoa mass are made to give the final product its desired performance. For example, for a chocolate product to flow correctly or to melt easily on your tongue, adjustments are not only made in the formulation but the production process as well.

The production process must be adjusted to allow for variables such as fat content during refining. Handling of these chocolate products changes as well. The lack of milk fat inside the recipe repercusses its tempering curve; the crystallization process of the chocolate is different than the milk, making it more like a dark chocolate.

Sweetness also is impacted by using alternatives. Depending on the source and production process, some naturally occurring sugars, as well as sugars formed during processing, can vary. Adjustments to the overall sugar content of the recipe are essential. This is doubly important when designing sugar-free or no-sugar-added products.

Using soluble fibers as an aid for sugar reduction alongside a plant-based alternative can lead to a different melting profile and changes in the chocolate overall rheology. The result could make the chocolate unsuitable for applications as delicate as enrobing.

Among the dairy replacers available, those made from oats have demonstrated superior ability. In evaluating all the chemical and physical characteristics described previously, and following comprehensive testing that varied from composition to processing conditions, oat-based ingredients have proven able to achieve a unique flavor profile and impressive creaminess that resembles milk chocolate without the dairy.

Another advantage of oat ingredients is that they can be gluten-free. Also, oat allergies and sensitivities are extremely rare, so oat-derived or oat-containing products require no allergen labeling. Combined with their inherent and highly functional fibers and gums, they allow for a flavorful, creamy plant-based chocolate product that can mimic a dairy milk chocolate with impressive accuracy.

Come to the Dark Side

When crafting plant-based chocolate products, it is important to understand the difference between “dairy-free” and “non-dairy.” Usually, dark chocolate is non-dairy, as it is made only with cocoa solids, sugar, and a source of fat, such as cocoa butter. But non-dairy refers to products that still may contain a milk derivative, as even plant-based non-dairy products may be produced in facilities where milk products are processed and thus, may contained traces of milk. Also, some manufacturers even add milk-derived ingredients or inclusions that could contain traces of dairy. Consumers with dairy allergies or dairy sensitivities should look for products specifically labeled “dairy-free,” as dairy-free means there are no dairy or dairy-derived ingredients whatsoever, including dairy sugar—lactose. The reason for the labeling distinction is to clarify for consumers who have a dairy allergy, are dairy sensitive, or are lactose-sensitive or intolerant. Mislabeling or mis-marketing a non-dairy chocolate as dairy-free could lead to severe repercussions.

Sweet and Low

Using sugar replacers or sweeteners adds another variable to plant-based chocolate design. There are two key components of chocolate to compensate for: sugar and milk. Implementing alternatives to both of these ingredients must be executed perfectly or there will be a negative impact on the final product. Attention to the behavior and composition of the sweetener is critical. Polyols, such as erythritol, interact differently with starches and fibers. They can cause product agglomeration if not processed correctly when manufacturing chocolate. Meanwhile, natural high-intensity sweeteners, such as stevia or monk fruit, require extremely low doses within the formulation to achieve a desirable sweetness and avoid undesirable aftertaste, and thus could necessitate the use of fillers.