What are inclusions?
In a typical craft dark chocolate bar, you’ll usually find just two ingredients: cacao and sugar. Then come infusions and inclusions. Inclusions are when you add a third (or more) ingredient — like orange, passion fruit, cupuaçu, or even wasabi.
Familiar for some, surprising for others
Cultural background plays a big role in how we perceive these flavors. For example, cupuaçu in chocolate feels completely normal to me (I’m South American). In Scandinavia, there’s another example: the well-known Norwegian Brown Cheese. Many tourists in Denmark react just like I did the first time I saw Fjåk’s Norwegian Brown Cheese bar — it sounds odd, it’s a bit funny, and of course, you have to try it.
A new inclusion: Karuna Stone Pine
Recently, we added a new inclusion bar to our selection: Karuna Stone Pine. It’s a 70% dark chocolate made with cacao from Kokoa Kamili in Tanzania and crafted in South Tyrol. If you’re from Northern Italy, stone pine in chocolate might not sound that unusual — but how much of that flavor actually comes through?
Quite a lot, it turns out. The stone pine gives the chocolate a distinct, aromatic character — noticeable and slightly reminiscent of gin.
The perfect pairing
Where this inclusion truly shines is in pairings. About two months ago, we hosted a pairing event with Bicycle Brewing. We had pre-selected several chocolates to go with a new stout they were launching. Normally, we stick to plain dark chocolate for these events, but this time we decided to experiment with inclusions. The Stone Pine bar paired incredibly well with their vanilla barrel-aged stout, and even with other stouts at their bar, the combination never missed.
That experience made me rethink inclusions altogether. They can be bold, surprising, and — when done right — elevate both the chocolate and whatever you pair it with. It’s a reminder that craft chocolate isn’t just about purity or minimalism; it’s also about curiosity and play. And that’s exactly what makes exploring these “funky inclusions” so much fun.