The Germans have a genius for chocolate-making and confectionery. My first exposure to German chocolate was Easter candy shared by a college friend, whose papa worked for NATO. Not only were the chocolates delicious, they were the most beautiful I had ever seen.

Vintage papier-maché Easter egg candy containers from Germany.
Later, I had a chance to try the famous Mozartkugeln (made in both Austria and Germany), which are chocolate-covered confections of pistachio, marzipan and nougat.

Mozartkugeln made by the Reber Company in Bavaria.
And most recently, with a little help from a German friend, I discovered the delights of the oldest chocolate factory in Germany, Halloren Schokoladenfabrik.

Halloren is located in the city of Halle, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. As the etymology of “Halle” suggests, the city’s history is connected with salt production.
Halloren’s most famous product is the Kugel (“ball” or “globe”), which comes in a kaleidoscopic range of regular and seasonal flavors. The filling is soft, with a texture sometimes like fluffy marshmallow, and sometimes like marzipan.

The “balls” are cleverly fashioned to give two flavors in every bite. These are Blueberry Chocolate and “American Style” Strawberry Cheesecake.

Yum.
The flavors are bewitching, and despite the “American Style” label, like nothing one can buy here. The Blueberry is especially intense. Other flavors have included Plum-Rum, Choco-Eggnog, Coconut-Chocolate, Raspberry-Yogurt, Black Forest-Kirsch, Latte-Macchiato, Straciatella, and the original Chocolate-Cream.

The “American Style” flavors seem to be those perceived as typically American: Banana and Chocolate Chip; Sea Salt and Caramel.
The factory also makes gold-wrapped coins (Schokogeld), liqueur chocolates (mmmm) and many other delights (including a version of Mozartkugeln). Halloren (and especially the Kugel) seems to have inspired a fandom and culture all its own.

I found this Kugel necklace for sale online. The Kugel beads are made of polymer clay, complete with double fillings.

A Halloren fan embraces the “biggest Kugel in the world.” Photo by (and of) Vintagemädchen. Click for source.

Angela Merkel enjoys a Halloren Kugel (flavor unknown).
One of the differences between candy companies in Europe and in the US is that producers like Hershey and Mars have always marketed their products in one of two ways. Candy was mostly for children, but when pitched to grownups it was touted as a nutritious food. During the 1920s and 30s, there were candy bars called “Chicken Dinner” and “Lunch Bar.” They were a cheap way to take in calories during the Depression. Even today, brands like Snickers suggest that a candy bar can stand in for a meal if you’re busy: “Snickers really satisfies.”
In Europe, on the other hand, candies and chocolate have always been taken seriously as an adult form of pleasure. I remember when Dove chocolate began to be marketed here in the 1980s. It was the first time commercial chocolate was presented to us as a high-quality product for adults. The target audience was women, and the chocolate was “a sensuous indulgence,” with a silky texture. But products like liqueur chocolates are still restricted to smaller, artisanal producers in the US, and most of what I see in markets is imported.

This photo of a model coated in chocolate was taken for an erotic calendar. She is “dusting” a table set with Halloren Kugeln, a chocolate vase with cameo decoration, chocolate roses, and a chocolate book.

Ingredients for Halloren Kugel cupcakes (the Kugel is baked into the center).

A mother lode of Halloren candies (note that the packaging is aimed to attract adults, not children). “It’s unbelievable how many kinds of delicious balls they have!” says Ilona (click for the source, Ilona’s Diary).
Next time I am in Germany, Halle may just be the first city on my list, for good chocolate and good friends.
Oh dear lord….. how i miss German chocolates!!! and Belgian ones but i find those often too creamy. I always top up whenever i go through airports and Mozatkugeln has been my favourite chocolate treat since i was a kid. Few things are as pleasurable like chocolate pralines of some sort with alcohol…. Mon Cherie my close second favourite YUM.
But this makes me nearly lick the screen, for real!
And i’ve spread my passion to all my friends, my British friends are now well acquainted with Mozartkugeln, they know how to distinguish the best from the average 🙂 Thankfully the passion for adult chocolate is spreading but the pralines like in Germany have yet to develop like this over here.
yumm, wonder if i can get them online 🙂
Mozartkugeln are your favorite? That is so cool! I fell in love with them when I was little and I saw them in an import shop that specialized in chocolates. They were the most beautifully packaged chocolates I had ever seen, and they also tasted divine. I like Mon Cheri too!! What is your favorite brand of Mozartkugeln?
Reber are definitely the best as they get it right with the dark chocolate cover which tampers down the sweetness and they have alcohol as well which enhances the flavour (i don’t like very sweet desserts, i like flavourful ones, alcoholic ones but not ott on sugar, which is why i struggle with liking most desserts in the UK, too sweet for my taste ;-)) The other ones which are exquisite are the ones made by Furst in Salzburg http://www.original-mozartkugel.com/de/standorte/cafe_fuerst_mirabellplatz.php.
I am big on some desserts, comes from Austrian food tradition and 100 years old home recipes passed on through family. Probably the type of food item i miss most and above all else.. there simply isn’t any chocolate and there aren’t cakes and things around that get anywhere close to what i had growing up, except the trips to Germany and Wien 🙂
by the way since away on business trip i brought with me my own sweet treat as not to fall into some silly temptation and have something meh and the Dahlia bar with peanut and caramalised banana i had a piece of last night was great!!! those are fab! Hope you get to find some and have some as well 🙂 ❤
Caramelized banana, oooooh. I agree, it’s so much better to plan ahead, than to end up really hungry and settling for something mediocre.
it’s the one you gifted me with, i’ve only now let myself have it 🙂 it seemed an adequate treat for a work trip 🙂 I’ll write down the name of the bar for you 🙂
All this talk of chocolate makes me happy. It’s a great topic to wake up to 🙂
ah yes indeed! to continue the theme you know what i found in my Scandinavian cafe/shop? Dark chocolate toasties for your morning brekkie 🙂 http://www.scandikitchen.co.uk/product/toms-palaegschocolade-mork-sandwich-chocolate-thins-120g/
Have a good day 🙂
Fantastic! It recommends using them on rye bread–very Scandinavian 🙂
I will keep you two in mind and send out care packages as soon as fall arrive 🙂 At the moment every chocolate melts away if it’s not properly cooled down
Ah, that is (literally) sweet of you! It’s true, chocolate care packages don’t do so well in summer, LOL
Oh, I wish I had known you like Halloren. I am just back from Germany, and I am sure I could’ve gotten you some. Mind you, I only learnt about Halloren chocolate about 7 or 8 years ago. If I am not completely wrong, the brand was unknown in West Germany pre-reunification because it was produced in the East. A work colleague (born and raised in East-Berlin) introduced me to them, and they were really delicious!
My own home town also produces a brand of up-market, well-known chocolate. It is called Hachez. They are most famous for their dark chocolate thins, which melt in your mouth. I am on a diet at the moment, otherwise I would’ve bought some on my stop-over at home… Here is their US website: https://www.hachez.de/worldwide/usa/
Ah, that’s very interesting, about the East-West distinction. It’s great that with reunification, everyone has access to these products! Thank you for the Hachez link. Their chocolates look mouthwatering. I noticed that they too have a range of “American” flavors like blueberry cheesecake and apple crumble. What is the appeal of these? I like them because we usually can’t get such flavors in a chocolate here, but my favorites are the flavors I think of as “European,” like hazelnut and marzipan. And any fruit + chocolate combination.
Sadly, I am on a diet too. But Halloren Kugeln are nice because they are quite small and I can have one a day as my only “treat.”
i just don’t do diets that exclude chocolate 🙂 and none really need to, but then again i am happy having 90% dark chocolate as the only sweet treat besides fruit if i have to 🙂 and one piece of that is enough for any chocolate craving 😉
Agree–I can eat a small piece of the dark stuff and still feel virtuous, and satisfied.
They look delish! I am trying to be careful what I eat on week days but some M&M’s fell into my mouth before. Whoops.
I admit to a weakness for M&M’s. And Reese’s peanut butter cups. I’ve noticed that M&M’s is trying some new flavors in the US, Coffee Nut, Honey Nut and Chili Nut. I’ve not tried them … yet.
Historic remark for those interested in past-facts:
Halloren was still a BRAND in GDR time (DDR – you might remember “our” highly professionally dopted sportsmen and women with blue dresses and such? – that funny little country, that made the “Berlin wall” come down?) and it was exported so heavily that it was a luxury 🙂 good mainly until ´89. The products were sold outside the country to get back hard-currency. The brand and its factory survived due to its good products and diversified and its still alive. hurray! I hope its not getting “globalized” and “world-cultivated” and keeps up even for someone “ex-East-German” todays Hallorenkugel do not have the original taste anymore since true-SUGAR is not really added anymore and replaced by a lot of flavours…. well. Enjoy the ride!
Yes, I hope they keep their unique look and style of candymaking. But I see they have lots of plans for expansion. They have bought half of the Belgian company Bouchard. But it’s still very difficult to find the Halloren products in the US. On Amazon, a box of Kugeln is about $20!
What?! 20?! I missed a business opportunity here!
Yes, the cheapest I could find on Amazon.com was the choco-rum flavor in a 5-pack for $30 which would be $6 a box, not counting postage. But most of the offers (if you can get them at all) are much more expensive than that.
Interesting. Will have to try to remember to see if we can find some to try next time we’re in Germany. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
I am sure it’s worth the trip. They have a chocolate museum 🙂
I have never heard of Halloren Kugeln. I have, however, just eaten two Mozartkugeln! I can still taste them as I type 🙂
Me too. I love all the ingredients: marzipan, pistachio, nougat, chocolate!!
Yup. Bring it on 🙂
not a good post to come across when one is hungry and there is only a piece of toast in sight 🙂
And I have eaten them all now, so I am kugel-less these days!