FAQ
- What is a chocolate maker? What is a chocolatier? What is a craft chocolatier?
A chocolate maker makes chocolate from the bean through all the processes to make a chocolate bar (source, roast, winnow, grind, mold). The final product is typically referred to as bean-to-bar chocolate. A lot of care and attention is taken when determining origin, roasting, and aging.
A chocolatier creates confections and chocolate bars from chocolate made by someone else.
A craft chocolatier is a hybrid of being a chocolate maker and a chocolatier. DWN Chocolate makes its own chocolate, using the same process as bean-to-bar makers, to make innovative chocolate flavours and sometimes incorporates chocolate bought from other companies. The focus at DWN is quality and flavour over quantity, creating unique flavours using chocolate as the medium. Once the chocolate is melted, it is used to make chocolate bars, used to coat fillings using a panning machine, and used to make bonbons.
- Where do you find your ingredients? How do you source your chocolate?
Whenever possible, DWN Chocolate sources Canadian products or Canadian companies supplying chocolate products or derivatives. (Since cacao grows in climates close to the equator, there will never be a truly local Canadian chocolate.) We use Venezuelan cocoa mass and cocoa butter is purchased from Delicacies Valley in Calgary as well as Valrhona chocolate because they are a certified B Corporation.
We are proud to feature local Ontario fruits through Acton, Ontario’s 70 Below dried fruit powders, milk powder from Medallion Milk in Winnipeg, flaked sea salt from Vancouver Island Salt Company and Moon Coffee Company in Bracebridge, Ontario.
- How should chocolate be stored?
Chocolate products should be stored in a cool and dry environment away from heat and direct sunlight. Keep chocolate out of the fridge to protect it from humidity and strong aromas. Chocolate is best eaten at room temperature.
Each product packed by DWN Chocolate will have a best before date provided with the list of ingredients.
- What does the percentage mean in chocolate?
The percentage on a chocolate bar label represents the amount of pure cacao beans or parts thereof (cocoa mass, cocoa butter). For example, a 70% bar is 70 parts cocoa beans and cocoa butter, and 30% sugar.
A milk chocolate bar also contains a proportion of milk ingredients. For example, a 45% milk chocolate bar contains 45 parts cocoa beans and cocoa butter, and 65% sugar and milk powder.
- Do your products contain nuts?
Many of our products contain nuts. There are several common allergens used in our facility and all our chocolate may contain traces of nuts, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soy, dairy and wheat. Products that contain nuts or other allergens are marked as such, and full ingredient lists are available for each product. Our facility is not certified peanut- or tree-nut free. If you have questions about a particular allergen, please reach out before ordering. We will happily guide you through the ingredient details of our chocolate.
If you have a severe allergy to any one of these ingredients (nuts, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soy, dairy, wheat) we must sadly advise that you do not partake.
- Are your products soy free?
Most commercial chocolate contains trace amounts of soy lecithin because it is used in the making of the chocolate to aid with emulsification. DWN Chocolate uses some commercially-made chocolate, which means there can be small amounts of soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin in our products. Products that contain soy are marked as such, and full ingredient lists are available for each product. If you have questions about a particular allergen, please reach out before ordering. We will happily guide you through the ingredient details of our chocolate.
- Do your products contain gluten?
Some of our products do contain gluten and are marked as such. Our facility is not certified gluten free. If you have questions about a particular allergen, please reach out before ordering. We will happily guide you through the ingredient details of our chocolate.
- Do you make sugar free chocolate?
Yes, there is a section in the online store dedicated to sugar free items.
- Is your chocolate vegan?
Yes, some of our products are vegan and can be found here. Please note that dairy is used in our facility and all our chocolate may contain traces of dairy.