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For those who appreciate a truly profound cocoa experience, 85% dark chocolate hits a perfect note. It offers an intense, complex flavour with significantly less sugar than its milk or lower-percentage counterparts. However, navigating the options can be a challenge. With terms like single-origin, Fairtrade and organic appearing on labels, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.
As a Joybuy Product Recommendation Officer, my role is to help you find products that suit your needs. This guide provides practical advice and highlights some excellent choices, whether you're seeking a sophisticated treat for yourself, a key ingredient for a dessert or a thoughtful gift for a fellow chocolate enthusiast.
Before we look at specific bars, here are a few key points to consider during your search. These will help you understand what distinguishes one high cocoa dark chocolate from another.
The taste of chocolate is heavily influenced by where the cocoa beans are grown, a concept known as 'terroir'. A single-origin bar, made with beans from one specific country or region (like Ecuador or Madagascar), will have a unique and distinct flavour profile, often with notes of fruit, spice or nuts. Blended bars combine beans from various regions to achieve a consistent and balanced flavour, which many people find reliably satisfying.
For many shoppers, how chocolate is produced is as important as how it tastes. Certifications can provide useful information:
While any good chocolate can be enjoyed on its own, some are better suited for specific purposes. An intense dark chocolate with a robust, slightly bitter finish can be a fantastic gourmet chocolate for baking. It cuts through the sweetness of cakes, brownies and mousses, adding a deep and luxurious cocoa flavour that isn't lost during cooking. For snacking, you might prefer a bar with a smoother, more mellow finish.
Here are three noteworthy 85% dark chocolate bars available in the UK, each offering a different experience.
Why It Stands Out: The Lindt Excellence 85% bar is a widely recognised benchmark for high-cocoa chocolate. It is crafted to deliver a consistently smooth and balanced profile. The flavour is robust and full-bodied, with a deep cocoa character that melts evenly on the palate, making it an accessible entry point into the world of intense dark chocolate.
Pros:
Who is it for?: This is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a reliable, high-quality dark chocolate from a well-regarded maker. It's perfect for both personal enjoyment and as a dependable low sugar chocolate option for recipes.
View Lindt Excellence 85% on Joybuy
Why It Stands Out: This bar is a standout for its commitment to both flavour and ethics. As a single-origin chocolate made from Ecuadorian Arriba cocoa beans, it offers a complex tasting experience with notes of tropical fruit and a hint of spice. Furthermore, it is a Fairtrade chocolate, meaning your purchase supports sustainable farming practices.
Pros:
Who is it for?: This bar is ideal for the chocolate connoisseur who is interested in exploring the nuances of single-origin cocoa and values ethical production. It offers a premium experience at an accessible price point.
View Morrisons The Best 85% on Joybuy
Why It Stands Out: Green & Black's has built a strong reputation for its focus on ethical and organic ingredients. This organic dark chocolate bar is no exception. It delivers a powerful cocoa hit, which is softened by the inclusion of Madagascan vanilla. The dual certification of Organic and Fairtrade makes it a compelling choice for the conscious consumer.
Pros:
gourmet chocolate for baking where a strong, ethical ingredient is desired.Who is it for?: This is the perfect dark chocolate bar for those who prioritise organic ingredients and ethical sourcing. Its intense flavour also makes it a favourite among home bakers looking to elevate their desserts.
View Green & Black's 85% on Joybuy
While these three bars represent excellent choices in the 85% cocoa category, your perfect chocolate might have a different cocoa percentage or flavour profile. If you'd like to explore other options, from creamy milk chocolate to even more intense 90%+ bars, feel free to browse our complete collection.
Browse our full Chocolate Candy collection
Yes, absolutely. An 85% dark chocolate bar is an excellent choice for baking. Its low sugar content and intense cocoa flavour provide a rich, deep chocolate taste that balances the sweetness in recipes like brownies, tortes and ganache. It melts well and adds a sophisticated, gourmet quality to homemade desserts.
An 85% dark chocolate has a powerful and robust cocoa flavour. It is noticeably bitter, but a well-made bar will not be harsh or chalky. You can often detect complex secondary notes, which might include coffee, dried fruit, leather or earth, depending on the origin of the cocoa beans. The finish should be long and smooth.
To preserve its flavour and texture, store your dark chocolate in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and strong odours. The ideal temperature is between 15-18°C. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator, as the moisture can cause "sugar bloom" (a harmless but unappealing white coating) and the cold can dull its complex flavours.