Chocolate raisins

Chocolate raisins are raisins coated in milk chocolate. The raisins are tumbled in a rotating drum while warm chocolate is added a little at a time, then polished and glazed: see how are chocolate raisins made?

The first brand was Raisinets, introduced in the United States in 1927 by the Blumenthal Chocolate Company. Nestlé later owned the brand, and Ferrero bought it in 2018.

Two recipes

Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate Raisins, as recorded by Open Food Facts. Milk chocolate, 55 per cent, made from sugar, whole cows' milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, whey powder, soya lecithin and vanilla extract; raisins, 45 per cent; and glucose syrup. The milk chocolate has at least 30 per cent cocoa solids and 18 per cent milk solids.

Morrisons Milk Chocolate Raisins, as recorded by Open Food Facts. Milk chocolate, 55 per cent, made from sugar, cocoa butter, dried whole milk, cocoa mass, sunflower lecithins and vanilla extract; raisins coated in sunflower oil; acacia gum and shellac as glazing agents; and modified tapioca starch. The milk chocolate has at least 30 per cent cocoa solids and 14 per cent milk solids.

Real chocolate

Unlike white mice, which are chocolate flavour candy, these are real milk chocolate. In England, milk chocolate must have at least 25 per cent dry cocoa solids and 14 per cent dry milk solids, and both recipes here clear that: see how is chocolate made? and white chocolate mice

Diet and allergy points

• Milk. Both recipes contain milk, so they are not suitable for anyone with a milk allergy or for vegans: see milk in sweets
• Soya. The Sainsbury's recipe uses soya lecithin, while the Morrisons recipe uses sunflower lecithins instead: see soya in sweets
• Shellac. The Morrisons recipe is glazed with shellac, a resin made by lac insects, so it is not vegan: see what is shellac on sweets?
• Gluten. Neither recipe lists wheat or other cereals containing gluten.

Keep them away from dogs

Chocolate raisins are a double danger to dogs. The PDSA warns that chocolate can be fatal to dogs, and that grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants are potentially fatal too. If a dog eats chocolate raisins, call a vet straight away: see can dogs eat sweets?

In our pick and mix

We sell Milk Chocolate Raisins by the 100 g. Recipes differ between makers, so the card opens up to show the full ingredients and allergens for the chocolate raisins we actually stock.

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