No, Chocolate Liquor Will Not Get You Drunk!
Have you ever reached for that ‘chocolate liquor’ only to put it back on the shelf?
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Although Google is free and the Internet is a treasure trove of knowledge, no one can know everything and there are times you’ll come across a mindblown piece of information and you add it to the pile of hashtag TIL (today I learned).
That’s what happened to us today. Thanks to Singapore’s Halal Twitter account.
For Muslims, have you ever come across a chocolate that says “chocolate liquor”, and you put it back on the shelf because you think that means the chocolate contains alcohol so you can’t eat it?
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (MUIS) Halal Food and Certification Twitter account @halalSG posted a “did you know” trivia yesterday and many learned a new thing.
DID YOU KNOW that ‘chocolate liquor’ doesn’t contain alcohol? Contrary to its name, chocolate liquor is produced from ground cocoa beans and refers to pure chocolate in liquid form.
Twitter @HalalSG
First thing we did was say what, now?!
Then we headed over to Google, because of course, always remember to check and double check.
Whitakers, a chocolate brand that has been around since 1889, also said cocoa liquor shouldn’t be confused with an alcoholic beverage.
According to Whitakers, cocoa liquor, also known as cocoa mass or unsweetened chocolate, “is a delectable derivative of the cocoa bean that forms the base of many chocolate creations”.
It is this liquor that holds the quintessential flavour of cocoa.
Whitakers
So in short, “chocolate liquor” is JUST pure, liquid cocoa.
After the seeds of the cocoa tree are fermented to release their flavor, they’re dried, cleaned, and roasted. Then, they are ground down and heated, turning them into chocolate liquor. In this instance, the word ‘liquor’ means ‘liquid’.
Sporked
Halal Singapore added that “chocolate liqueur” meanwhile is an alcoholic beverage infused with chocolate flavor.
Note the spelling difference.
DID YOU KNOW that "chocolate liquor" doesn't contain alcohol? Contrary to its name, chocolate liquor is produced from ground cocoa beans and refers to pure chocolate in liquid form.
— halalSG (@halalSG) March 26, 2024
On the other hand, "chocolate liqueur" is an alcoholic beverage infused with chocolate flavor.
While on its own, liquor usually refers to distilled alcoholic spirits, it can also be used in a broader sense on non-alcoholic products of distillation or other liquids.
As for liqueur, it is a strong alcoholic drink with a sweet taste.
Mindblown
The reactions to Halal Singapore’s tweet were hilarious.
One guy said he is now remembering all those time he passed over chocolates that listed “chocolate liquor” as an ingredient.
Replying with a gif, @HalalSG cheekily told him, “Time to qada’ em all.”
Qada’ is an Arabic word and in Islamic jurisprudence refers to “fulfilling or completing those duties that one may have missed due to some reason or other”.
Another user lamented why Westerners would use the same term for liquid chocolate and alcoholic drinks, to which Halal Singapore remarked “Entahlah omputeh ni“.
Why on the almighty creator's earth those Westerners use the same term as alcoholic beverage for liquid chocolate
— Keroll (@kamalyob) March 26, 2024
Twitter user @Nashman wanted further clarification, asking if chocolate liquor is halal or otherwise.
Halal Singapore said, “Chocolate liquor is pure cocoa mass and is generally halal.”
Chocolate liquor is pure cocoa mass and is generally halal!
— halalSG (@halalSG) March 26, 2024
So now you know, but for Muslims and those who generally do not consume alcoholic beverages, do read the ingredients carefully especially if a chocolate item says “contains alcohol” or “contains liquor” as manufacturers may use the word liquor to denote alcohol such as rum or brandy.
Remember that “chocolate liquor” and “contains liquor” are two very different things.
If you’d like to try making your own chocolate liquor, here’s a video we found by How To Make Chocolate At Home on YouTube.
So there you have it, now you know the difference between chocolate liquor and chocolate liqueur.
Yes, we know the cat gif isn’t pertinent to the story but what is a story without a cat gif inserted just for fun? #CatForThought
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