Crystallised ginger and chocolate is one of the few sweet pairings built entirely around contrast - heat against sugar, spice against cocoa - and it's been a British confectioner's staple for generations.
How crystallised ginger is actually made
Fresh ginger root is peeled and cut into pieces, then simmered slowly in sugar syrup over several stages, with the syrup concentration increased each time. This candies the ginger from the inside out, leaving it tender rather than fibrous, while giving it a translucent, crystalline appearance. Some crystallised ginger is rolled in granulated sugar once cooled; for chocolate ginger, it's left plain and dipped or enrobed in chocolate instead.
Why dark chocolate specifically
Dark chocolate's higher cocoa content and lower sugar level gives it enough bitterness and depth to stand up to the ginger's heat, rather than being drowned out by it the way milk chocolate can be. Most British chocolate ginger sits in the 40-70% cocoa range for that reason - sweet enough to still read as a treat, dark enough to let the ginger come through.
A grown-up Christmas sweet
Ginger arrived in Britain through centuries of Asian spice trade, and crystallising it in sugar syrup became a way to preserve it long before refrigeration existed. Chocolate-dipping it followed naturally once chocolate confectionery became widespread in the 20th century, and it settled into a niche as a "grown-up" treat - sold in presentation boxes and tins rather than pick 'n' mix bags, and particularly popular as a Christmas gift. British chocolatiers still produce it as a core line today, alongside other dark and milk chocolate lines in our chocolate collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is chocolate ginger made from?
Crystallised stem ginger - ginger root slow-cooked in sugar syrup - coated in dark chocolate.
Why is chocolate ginger usually made with dark chocolate rather than milk?
Dark chocolate's lower sugar content and stronger cocoa flavour balances the ginger's heat rather than being overwhelmed by it.
Is chocolate ginger a British tradition?
Crystallised ginger has been sold in Britain since ginger became available through Asian trade, and chocolate-dipped versions became a fixture of British confectioners over the 20th century, particularly at Christmas.