Berger Dark Chocolate Raspberry Quark. Filled dark chocolate bar with quark cream and raspberry, 70% cocoa, 100 g.
Berger Dark Chocolate Raspberry Quark is a filled chocolate bar from Lofer in the Salzburg region. A creamy ganache with quark and raspberries is encased in a dark chocolate shell with at least 70% cocoa. The bar weighs 100 g and is filled at the Berger family's confectionery.
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Quark by Berger combines two things that belong together in Austria: dark chocolate and the quark cake (Topfentorte) served with Sunday coffee. Quark is the Austrian word for a fresh acid-set cheese. Berger labels this variety as "Edelbitter" (premium dark) because the shell contains at least 70% cocoa. While we refer to it as "Zartbitter" (dark chocolate), it is the exact same bar. It belongs to their line of filled bars, which are the hallmark of the confectionery. A filled bar is a variation on the classic praline. Instead of individual pralines, there is a flat chocolate shell containing the filling, sealed on top with chocolate. This way, you get the shell and the cream together in every square, without needing to open a box.
Dark shell, fresh cream, and a subtle raspberry note
The bar first tastes of dark cocoa, followed by a milky, fresh quark flavor with a fine raspberry note. The dark chocolate shell breaks with a dry snap, releasing its bitterness as it melts. Beneath it lies the light-colored ganache made of cream, whole milk powder, and quark. The quark provides a slight acidity, just like you know from a spoonful of fresh quark, only softer and sweeter.
The raspberry plays a supporting role. Raspberry juice concentrate and raspberries together account for a good one percent of the bar. They provide scent and color, while the cream sets the tone. Vanilla rounds off the finish, and the cream softens the bitterness of the cocoa. Anyone expecting a punchy fruit bar will find the raspberry a bit too subtle here.
For coffee, as a small dessert, or as a gift
The bar is best enjoyed with an afternoon coffee, a café americano, or an espresso. The bitterness of the cocoa meets the roasted notes of the coffee, while the cream mellows both. After dinner, a single square is often enough as a dessert, accompanied by a glass of water.
Because the filling is creamy, the bar tastes best at room temperature. If it comes from a cool pantry, let it sit for a quarter of an hour before opening. This allows the shell to melt faster and the cream to reveal its freshness. Keep the bar in a cool, dry place and protect it from heat, otherwise the filling will become too soft.
Our tip: Place the bar next to a quark cake or cheesecake at Sunday coffee. This way, you can sample the original inspiration and the chocolate version right next to each other.
Filled in Lofer, a family business since 1994
The bar is created in Lofer in the Pinzgauer Saalachtal valley, where Berger produces exclusively. Hubert Berger is a master confectioner and learned the chocolatier's craft at confectioneries in Germany and Belgium. In 1994, he started with his wife Christine in his parents' garage. Today, their children Anna and Franz Berger help run the business, with Franz responsible for product development as the chocolatier.
For filled bars like this one, the manufacturer describes the process as follows: The filling is cooked, poured into a wafer-thin chocolate shell, and coated with chocolate. According to Berger, they have maintained this artisanal approach even as the company has grown. In the Raspberry Quark bar, the Austrian tradition of "Mehlspeisen" (flour-based dishes) meets the skills of a chocolatier. Quark usually belongs in strudels, dumplings, and cakes, but here it is tucked into a ganache.
For lovers of dark chocolate with a creamy center
This bar is for you if you like dark chocolate and appreciate a soft center. It suits everyone who asks for the quark cake at the bakery first and is perfect as a gift when visiting for coffee. Those seeking pure bitterness should choose the dark plain premium dark bar. The whole milk bar with raspberry pieces is lighter and fruitier. You can find all varieties at Berger Confiserie.
Note: The bar contains milk and may contain traces of peanuts, soy, and tree nuts. The 70% cocoa shell is less suitable for children who only like mild milk chocolate.
A filled dark chocolate bar from Lofer with quark cream and raspberry – for coffee in the afternoon.
