Sensory Evaluation of Handmade Dark Chocolate Developed with Chickpea and Pumpkin Seed

This study aimed to develop a dark chocolate product containing chickpea and pumpkin seed and to evaluate its sensory properties in comparison with plain dark chocolate. For this purpose, dark chocolate samples incorporating chickpea and pumpkin seed filling were produced under standardized recipe conditions and compared with conventional dark chocolate in terms of appearance, texture, flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, aftertaste, consistency, and harmony. Sensory analysis was performed by 20 semi-trained panelists using a five-point Likert scale. Since the data did not conform to normal distribution, descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test were used, and effect size values were calculated. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the control and developed chocolate samples in appearance, texture, aroma, aftertaste, consistency, and harmony, whereas significant differences were observed in flavor and mouthfeel. Descriptive findings further indicated that both samples received generally high sensory scores, while the main points of differentiation were concentrated in flavor- and mouthfeel-related perceptions. These findings indicate that chickpea and pumpkin seed can be incorporated into dark chocolate production while maintaining acceptable sensory quality and may be considered as alternative plant-based ingredients in chocolate product development studies.