Salzburger Mozart Kugeln 825g/50 Count ~ Imported from Austria

For ten years, my home was Vienna, Austria, and the sweet tooth of my young self had found many favorites. Among them were cakes, chocolates, and other Viennese desserts. In this review, we will take a look at one of my all-time beloved chocolates: Mozartkugeln (by Mirabell, Reber, and Victor Schmidt/Manner). Decadent, smooth or nutty, sweet, and wrapped in a ball of goodness, the rich, milky chocolate taste brings a bit of luxury and indulgence to an otherwise boring day.CAKES- Sachertorte (Sacher Cake from Hotel Sacher)- Imperialtorte (Imperial Cake from Hotel Imperial)Between the two, Sacher is the more famous one although most of my family enjoys the Imperial for a lighter, nuttier, more textured taste.CHOCOLATES- Mirabell Mozartkugeln (Mozart Balls)- Reber Mozartkugeln (Mozart Balls)- Victor Schmidt (Manner) Mozartkugeln (Mozart Balls)- Napoli Dragee Keksi (Chocolate Biscuits)- Mirabell Mozarttalern (Mozart Coins)- Manner Neapolitan WafersOTHER SWEETS- Faschingskrapfen (Carnival Donuts)- Vanilla Kipferl (Crescent Vanilla Cookies)- Topfenpalatschinken (Cheese Curd Pancakes)- Kaiserschmarren (Shredded Pancakes)MOZARTKUGELNMy mother used to make the Sachertorte, Faschingskrapfen, and Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese Cutlet, not the Californian hot dog chain) every birthday and Christmas, but since I had not yet translated her written, German recipe book to English, she likely will not for a while. Nonetheless, one sweet I had been buying every 8-12 months through the Amazon Marketplace had been the Mozartkugeln (100-piece package) that were then shared with family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. They are difficult to find in the United States and are expensive to have delivered directly from Austria. However, seeing the smiles on everyone's face makes the roughly $0.75 - $1.07 delivered cost per piece worthwhile as an occasional treat.The questions commonly asked were:- What are Mozartkugeln?- What are the differences between the Mirabell, Reber, and Victor Schmidt (Manner) versions?WHAT ARE MOZARTKUGELN?According to Wikipedia, the pistachio marzipan (almond), nougat, and chocolate-covered confection was invented by the Salzburg-based Fürst family around 1890 and was named after the country's famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Do not let the marzipan portion turn you off: one of our neighbors dislikes marzipan, but she loved the Kugeln! The Fürsts unfortunately (or fortunately for consumers) did not patent the invention, and several, commercial producers, like Austria's Mirabell and Germany's Reber, made variations off the original recipe. Confusingly, both companies call their versions the "real" Mozartkugeln, but only the Fürsts are allowed to name theirs the "Original" Salzburg Mozartkugeln. Interestingly, between Mirabell and Reber, only the former can be round, Wikipedia added.There are different ways to enjoy the Mozartkugeln. Many just plop the whole ball into their mouth and let the layers melt away, whereas others (myself included from time to time) like to eat the outer layers until the center, pistachio marzipan remains. There really is no wrong way to eat them! For example, I eat McDonald's Big Mac as two, separate burgers (where the bottom half is eaten last) when most likely dig into the whole sandwich with each bite.I have never had the Fürst's "Original Salzburg Mozartkugeln" because I was too young to drive or travel on my own at the time. I would like to try them someday when visiting Salzburg.Mozartkugeln were invented by Salzburg's Fürst family in the 1890s and have enjoyed a big following throughout Europe.Between the Mirabell ,Reber, and Manner, which one tastes better? It depends.MIRABELL MOZARTKUGELNThis company's version is made of pistachio, almonds, and roasted hazelnuts, consisting of a small, marzipan center, surrounded by layers of light and dark praline cream, and coated with dark chocolate.It has a richer, smoother taste with a better flavor and texture balance than Reber's due to its smaller marzipan center. Hazelnuts make a more noticeable presence and are reminiscent of the beloved Nutella. Nutritionally, the Kugeln are identical with Mirabell's coming at 94 Calories (kcal) at 0.6 oz each and Reber's 101 Calories at 0.7 oz.The rich flavor can often make you feel a bit bad after having eaten a few too many, and so enjoy them in moderation. But by golly, they are SO GOOD!Mirabell products have been much more difficult to find in the United States and thus make for a more special gift than Reber's.A variation of the Mozartkugeln are Mirabell's Mozarttalern (Mozart Coins), though they have a different taste than the balls.REBER MOZARTKUGELNThe German version of the Mozart balls are made of similar raw materials as Mirabell's, though they taste very different. Reber's have been easier to find in California brick and mortar stores and have a nuttier taste with a hint of alcohol flavor (even though it is not among the list of ingredients). This Mozartkugel variety makes a larger marzipan core take center stage with its stronger almond flavor profile. Since it tastes and feels less rich than Mirabell's, I have found them easier to digest more of but keep in mind that the caloric values of both brands are identical.As a former citizen of Austria, I do prefer Mirabell (with perhaps a slight bias) to be more "authentic" to the original as both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the Mozartkugeln inventor are Salzburgers. Reber is a German brand.VICTOR SCHMIDT (MANNER) MOZARTKUGELNAnother Austrian variation of the Mozart balls is made by confectioner, Victor Schmidt, under the Manner brand who is perhaps best-known for its Neapolitan Wafers. The wafers were certainly some of my childhood, all-time favorites, but little did I know until late 2020 that they also make the Mozartkugeln. Intrigued, I set out to have some imported to see how it tastes and am so glad I did!Similar to Reber’s version that tastes and feels less chocolatey rich than Mirabell’s, it has a stronger focus on the pistachio-flavor marzipan -- but without the alcoholic hint of the German competitor’s. I instantly felt a familiarity with the dominant flavor and pinpointed it to that of Pistachio Gelato, another favorite dessert (ice cream, in fact) of mine.At the center of Victor Schmidt’s variety is a light nougat surrounded by a generous layer of marzipan and covered with dark chocolate.Mirabell’s is the only kugel that can be round, and so Manner’s has a flat bottom just like Reber’s.WHEN AND WHERE SHOULD YOU BUY?I have found that ordering the Mozartkugeln during the colder months of the year is best as delivering chocolates overseas during the summer heat, for example, could end with a melted mess.In no way as an endorsement, my purchases have been through the below Amazon sellers. Prices paid included shipping.- Monarchy Catering: Mirabell Mozartkugeln (100 pcs @ $74.20 - $72.80)-- 2017: Dec 20 / 2020: Mar 6, Sep 7, Oct 19--- Sep 7, 2020 order was lost in the mail and the purchase was refunded. Customer service was prompt and courteous-- Victor Schmidt (Manner) Mozartkugeln (50 pcs @ $41.90 on Oct 21, 2020)- TheNewMall: Reber Mozartkugeln (45 pcs @ $48 on Nov 23, 2017)- European Grocery: Mirabell Mozartkugeln (18 pcs @ $25.15 on Nov 23, 2017)FINAL THOUGHTSMy family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors — nearly all of them — love the Mirabell Mozartkugeln! The rich, sweet, milky chocolate taste that literally melts in your mouth until the center marzipan is revealed as a kick to the taste buds brings a bit of luxury and indulgence to an otherwise boring day. The Reber Mozartkugeln are a great way to enjoy a stronger, nuttier, lighter flavor and are, in fact, my dad’s favorite between the two. New to the list are the Victor Schmidt (Manner) Mozartkugeln that remind me of Pistachio Gelato and are similar to Reber’s but without the hint of alcohol. Sometimes, I would order two, different products for a bit of variety.I miss Vienna. I truly do. It is a beautiful city with very welcoming, relaxed people, and although my childhood was filled with some moments of racism towards my pre-teenage years by fellow school mates, the memories have been overwhelmingly fond and beautiful. Strolling through Vienna on foot from one end of the city to the other while enjoying sweets along the way during Christmas, Fasching (Carnival), and the mild summer days provided plenty of sights to see with remarkably fresh air. The Prater amusement park and Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) / Stephansplatz square were some of my favorite places to enjoy the Faschingskrapfen, Palatschinken, and -- now in my adulthood who can afford his own purchases -- the decadent Sacher and Imperial Torten of their namesake hotels.The Mozartkugeln are a way for me to remember the many, many good memories of my family's time in Vienna, and I hope that they will eventually catch on in popularity in the United States like Nutella, a staple in Austrian school breakfast, finally did after the early 2000s.

I have Mozart kugeln in my tummy and they are SO delicious. Very unique and unforgettable. We will manage to eat all 50 of these easily.The only negative is I don't live near Austria so they took a while to ship to the US. But the shippers were very responsive to my questions and the delay was not their fault. They even offered me a refund but I chose to wait for the chocolates and I am NOT sorry. :)

The plastic container was so badly scratched and cloudy, that I wondered how this product was handled. It literally looked dirty. One of the pieces of "scotch" tape securing the lid was pulled away and crumpled and had some black substance in it. The lid was also scored, almost cut through. This totally made me question the safety of eating this product. Had it been tampered with? The container was labeled new. Looked like an old container to me. Was it refilled? 😲The chocolate was not fresh. It was all discolored. Tasted dry. Was crumbling.Sorry. This is not like the package of Mozart Balls I purchased in Salzburg, Austria, just a month ago. 😠

It took a long time to get them, but at the end, they arrived, they are great, and no damage to the product, I should add, they were sent to Mexico, and most of the delay, apparently took place here, and was due to COVID issues.

Bought these because my parents brought them back from Europe and they were amazing.This package arrived and was placed in the mailbox... for some reason. As a result, all of them are partially melted. Just enough to make opening them a mess. I keep them in the fridge so maybe that is affecting the flavor.Also, I still have a few from my parents... and those taste better. The texture in these is off and the marzipan is less noticeable.Still, hard to judge them properly in this state.For how expensive they were to import, I would have preferred much more care.Pictures are from when it was first delivered and unopened.

I bought these to have one to hand out to all the members of my choir and orchestra when we did the Mozart Requiem. Fun and tasty treat. :)

I usually love this chocolate and when I've ordered a box with 12 it's been great. This big tub with 50 pieces is not a good idea. The chocolate is expensive and fancy, but this way of packaging it makes the pieces smushed and looking dirty with chocolate on the outside of the individual wrappings. Definitely not something I would want to serve to guests. They also taste different from the others I bought, more sugary. Not impressed.

There are different versions of the Mozart Kugel, and these are "Mozart Kugeln" in name only. The *Salzburger* Mozart Kugeln are really just milk chocolate chocolate balls, like any other you could buy, like Lindt, for far less. There's relatively little Marzipan and it's not pistachio, I don't think. Reber are the ones you want, probably.