This Award-Winning Chocolate Bar Only Contains 2 Ingredients

As it turns out, a delicious chocolate bar doesn't need an elaborate recipe with an endless list of ingredients. In fact, it only requires exceptional cacao and the right touch of sugar. That's the philosophy behind Norwegian chocolatier Vigdis Rosenkilde's 70% Quellouno bar, which won top honors in the plain/origin dark bar category at the 2024 International Chocolate Awards. Made with Peruvian cacao from the Quellouno jungle region, this first-class confection proves that the best chocolate on Earth speaks for itself.

Unlike mass-market chocolate, which often contains emulsifiers, dairy, and fancy flavorings, Rosenkilde's iconic bar strips everything down to the essentials. While the only two ingredients are Chuncho cacao and sugar, each bite tells a deeper story. Sourced from a three-generation family farm in Peru's Cusco region, the heirloom cacao beans are transformed through a meticulous, weeklong fermentation process. After the beans are dried for another week, a 22-hour conching process involving thorough kneading and heating refines the cacao, drawing out the chocolate's multilayered, fruity profile.

Vigdis Rosenkilde's 70% Quellouno bar delivers a depth that allows the natural characteristics of the cacao beans to shine. Meanwhile, the sugar enhances the cacao's inherent notes of forest berries, cream, and pecan. Based on its accolades and artisan methods alone, Rosenkilde certainly ranks among the best bean-to-bar chocolate brands you can buy, along with Raaka Chocolate, French Broad Chocolate, KahKow, and Askinosie Chocolate.

What makes this bar particularly special is Rosenkilde's respect for the cacao itself. Rosenkilde works directly with farmers to ensure sustainable practices and fair compensation. This commitment supports the communities cultivating the beans and guarantees consistent quality. The result is a superior product that proves craftsmanship is the ultimate winner.

It's worth noting that one 60-gram (2-ounce) bar can cost up to $16. However, there are plenty of reasons why expensive chocolate tastes so much better, including single-origin sourcing of cacao beans and a pleasant, lingering aftertaste. In a market brimming with colorful packaging and complex recipes, Vigdis Rosenkilde's 70% Quellouno bar is a reminder that great chocolate should focus on purity and authenticity.