Chocolate Made with Tigernuts? Let Us Explain...
Some of our chocolate ideas begin in the makery.
This one began in Valencia.
Two years ago, we were wandering through the city when we discovered Horchata, a traditional Valencian drink made from Tigernuts. Served ice-cold from street vendors, it's creamy, naturally sweet, and deeply rooted in the local culture.
One sip and we were hooked.
As bean-to-bar chocolate makers, we're always inspired by flavours, ingredients, and food traditions from around the world. Naturally, our minds started wandering towards chocolate. What if we could take the comforting flavours of horchata and combine them with our handcrafted chocolate?
That question sparked what would become one of our most challenging and rewarding creations.
First Things First... What Is a Tigernut?
Despite the name, Tigernuts are not nuts.
They're actually small fibrous tubers from the same family as sweet potatoes. Naturally sweet, earthy, and packed with character, they've been enjoyed for centuries, particularly in Spain where they're used to make horchata.
When blended, Tigernuts create a creamy, naturally sweet drink with subtle malty and caramel-like notes. Perfect for drinking. Potentially perfect for chocolate.
Turning an Idea into Chocolate
When we returned to Nottingham, we brought a kilo of Valencian Tigernuts home with us and headed straight into experimentation mode.
Like all our chocolate, we wanted this bar to be made with the same attention to detail and craftsmanship that defines our bean-to-bar process.
There was just one problem. Tigernuts are incredibly fibrous.
Our first attempts had all the flavour we were hoping for, but the texture wasn't right. The chocolate felt grainy, and if there's one thing we're particular about, it's texture. A smooth, slow-melting mouthfeel is something we care deeply about. So we kept refining.
We tested different approaches, adjusted recipes, and spent months working through small batches until we finally achieved the balance we were looking for.
Almost a year later, what started as an idea became reality. The process wasn't quick, but some ideas are worth taking the time to get right.
The Result
The finished bar is unlike anything else we've made.
Creamy, malty, and gently caramel-like, it has a familiar milk chocolate character while remaining completely plant-based and entirely unique.
The natural sweetness of the tigernut complements the flavour of our carefully sourced cacao, creating a chocolate that's comforting, nostalgic, and wonderfully smooth.
It's a meeting point between traditional Valencian horchata and handcrafted Nottingham bean-to-bar chocolate.
A little taste of Valencia, reimagined through our chocolate-making craft.
Chocolate with a Story
One of the things we love most about bean-to-bar chocolate is the stories ingredients can carry with them. From the farmers who grow our cacao to the places that inspire new creations, every bar has a journey behind it.
Our Tigernut Chocolate is a reminder of a summer trip, a chance discovery, months of experimentation, and the joy of bringing something unexpected to life. We discovered something special while travelling and brought that inspiration back into our chocolate world.
Now we're excited to share it with you.