Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Getting all Willy Wonka in Berlin: Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt

Make your own chocolate in BerlinMy parents were on their third visit to Berlin and though we'd had a great time checking out baby stuff and traipsing about Switzerland, I was determined to show them more to love in my adopted home. After all the war memorials and major tourist sites, I thought chocolate might be the easiest way to charm them.

But 5 minutes away from the Ritter Sport Chocolate Shop we were forced to turn back by thundering rain and hail. HAIL! Oh, April weather. Brave Northwesters that we are, we were ultimately undeterred and found our way back to the site of one of Germany's most famous chocolates.

Officially called Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt (Ritter Sport Colorful Chocolate World), I had heard that you can make your own chocolates there. I knew it could be gimmicky and touristy, but this was my chance to be Willy Wonka and there was no way I was passing that up.

We clearly weren't the only one with this idea as we entered the busy lower level where you select your chocolate innards and joined a line. We were told by the cheery chocolate makers (kidding! No one in the service industry in Berlin in cheery) that there would be a 40 minute wait to collect your chocolate. Boosted by our desire for Schokolade, we selected light or dark chocolate, 3 add-ins, paid our 3.90 euro per bar and wandered through the shop, up the stairs, past the small museum and into the chocolate cafe to wait. 


Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt
The face of German customer service

Make your own chocolate in Berlin

Make your own chocolate in Berlin
Even more chocolatey choices in the shop
I perused the walk-through museum and short film as Ian sought out a bathroom and my parents got to rest their weary feet in the cafe. Something for everyone!

As if we weren't going to get enough chocolate with our individual candy bars, we each ordered a chocolate coffee drink that came with a small side of chocolate. Mine came dusted with coco powder. Seriously. If you have diabetes - run far away. (Sorry Ian.)


Make your own chocolate in Berlin

Berlin Ritter Sport Bunte SchokoweltWhen time was about up, my parents bought some chocolates for gifts (well-priced gift packs) and we made our way to the downstairs counter to collect our bounty. Our receipt with number identified which were ours and 4 different bars were stuffed into their colorful individual containers. While each of us spouted the merits of our chocolate choices, none of us were up for eating more chocolate at that moment. We saved the bars for later and vowed to run a complete taste test with a very biased crew - us.

Ritter Sport Chocolate Bar Taste Test



Make your own chocolate in Berlin
tourist attraction in Berlin




Dad's Bar

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate, cranberry, caramelized almonds & gold stars

Mom's Bar (Cheryl's Creamy Creation)

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate, cranberry, coco nubs & caramelized almonds

Mom
Dad
Ian
ebe
TOTAL
3.75
3.5
3.75
3.25
14.25

Ian's Bar (Satan's Butthole)

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate, chili powder, red peppercorn & caramelized almonds

Mom
Dad
Ian
ebe
TOTAL
3.25
4
3.75
2
13

ebe's Bar

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate, raspberry, yogurt bits & coco nubs

Mom
Dad
Ian
ebe
TOTAL
3.75
3.75
4.25
4.75
16.5

Overall, we all stayed fairly conventional on what we added. Ian was the most adventurous and his chocolate bar turned out the worst with the peppercorn turning out dangerously strong, especially against the milk chocolate.  Even so, it was still edible.

So was it worth it? The bars themselves are fine, and for almost 4 euros pretty expensive, but the value was in spending some time together talking about one of the most beloved substances on earth - chocolate. The primary colors, bustling atmosphere and place to watch the throngs of people moving around Gendarmenmarkt were all key elements in adding another thing to love about Berlin.

Berlin Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt

Details on the shop (as well as the headquarters in Waldenbuch outside of Stutgart):

Make your own Chocolate Bar at Ritter Sport


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We're Back in Berlin Ja!

We're Back in Berlin Ja!
ebe & ian at Yak-toberfest 2008