Raaka Chocolate - Popcorn Unroasted Dark Chocolate 64% Cacao (bar) - Nov. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
Popcorn Unroasted Dark Chocolate 64% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 275 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week--where chocolates intersect with film, animation and other forms of entertainment.

Following on the heels of yesterday's Cherry Licorice bar, we're enjoying another movie snack bar item reimagined with chocolate. 

Today's Popcorn Unroasted Dark Chocolate 64% Cacao (bar) was created by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY). The makers "crushed salted popcorn and blended it into our (Semuliki Forest, Uganda cacao) dark chocolate, crafting a thrillingly chunky, buttery, and adventurous treat."

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasing dark chocolate with faint diffuse fruit (stone fruit, dark berry, green/floral banana) and slightly savory (buttery).

Texture: the base dark chocolate was smooth with a relatively creamy melt. There were bites with very tiny pieces of popcorn hull (but it wasn't overwhelming). Raaka's description for this bar read: "Chunky, Crunchy, Buttery!" I found the tiny ivory-colored clouds (popcorn) floating in the dark chocolate to be pleasantly soft and pillow-like.

A digression about salt and chocolate...

My first impression: "This dark chocolate contained popcorn and salt, but the bar tasted surprisingly sweet, and not salty enough to taste like popcorn." Well, that was incorrect. At one point I added salt; and it did not work. Too much salt obscured the fruity, chocolate-y Ugandan (unroasted) cacao chocolate. 

The makers were right in holding back on the salt. Instead they tickled sweet movie theater memories of multiple concession stand snacks, including: dark, slightly fruity chocolate bars; dark hot chocolate/cocoa; fruit (cherry, red raspberry, banana) drinks and candies (even candied popcorn); and a wee bit of my all time favorite: salted, very lightly buttered popcorn. 

This was a fun and educational bar to taste and retaste, and retaste again. 

Movie and dark chocolate fans will appreciate this balanced, flavorful blend; the short list of authentic and organic ingredients; the gentle, fruity and chocoate-y complexity in the unroasted dark chocolate; the incorporation of popcorn (with minimal hulls); and the fact this elevated movie snack wasn't too sweet.

 A perfect bar to watch with a movie, or to savor slowly all by itself.

Maker's tasting notes: " The makers are using unroasted cacao to "capture the "brighter, bolder, and fruitier" side of cacao."

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic popcorn, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic nutritional yeast, salt"

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy Free, Nut Free"

 

Raaka Chocolate - Cherry Licorice Unroasted Dark Chocolate 67% Cacao (bar) - Nov. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
Cherry Licorice Unroasted Dark Chocolate 67% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 275 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week, and the first day of Chocolate & Entertainment Theme Week--where chocolates intersect with film, animation and other forms of entertainment.

Let's start with film...What happens when you elevate movie snack bar items with chocolate? Let's find out.

Today's Cherry Licorice Unroasted Dark Chocolate 67% Cacao (bar) from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), was "an ode to the twisty, cherry-flavored concession stand favorite...". It was crafted with unroasted cacao from Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania.

Aroma and flavor notes included: deep dark chocolate (faint sweet green botanical), bittersweet cherry/almond and chocolate cookie/cake. 

The bar had a long finish that ended on a mellow, sweet, upbeat cherry and chocolate note. An enjoyable journey with a happy ending -- just like the movies I chose to watch with this chocolate.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap and had a smooth melt, and mild astringency in the middle, that tailed off in the finish.

I appreciated this thoughtful homage to cherry licorice (with chocolate); the short list of authentic, organic ingredients; the gentle, dark complexity in the unroasted dark chocolate; and the light touch of star anise.

Maker's tasting notes: "Fruity & Nostalgic...Red fruit-forward with just a hint of anise." The makers are using unroasted cacao to "capture the "brighter, bolder, and fruitier" side of cacao."

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cherries, organic brown rice syrup, organic star anise"

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy Free, Nut Free"

Mitica - Choco Cherries dark chocolate candied cherries - Nov. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mitica 
Choco Cherries dark chocolate candied cherries
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 4.94 oz. (140 g.) in total container/box
Calories: 120 calories in 2-piece serving
Cost: $N/A - gift from family member
Purchased from: - N/A - gift from family - Thank you Megan!

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Mitica Choco Cherries dark chocolate candied cherries were made in Spain and imported to the U.S. by Forever Cheese LLC (New York).

Aroma notes included: cherry, chocolate, cherry cordial/liqueur, and warm spices (star anise, faint vanilla).

Texture for these small rounded confections: dark chocolate shells surrounded pale yellow translucent, candied cherries.

Flavor notes included: very smooth dark chocolate, candied cherry and spice (star anise). 

I liked that these flavorful cherries were sweet without being overwhelmingly so. The 59% dark chocolate, liqueur and vanilla helped balance the sweetness. Cherries with dark chocolate, always, please.

Ingredients: Candied Cherries (cherry, glucose and fructose syrup, sugar, liqueur, citric acid, natural anise aroma) and Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, SOY lecithin, natural vanilla flavoring). Cocoa minimum 59%.

Allergen-related information: (Contains Soy.) "May contain traces of sulphites, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and milk.

Endorfin Foods - Cherry Amaretto 70% Cacao (bar) - Nov. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Endorfin Foods
Cherry Amaretto 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 + shipping
Purchased from: Endorfin Foods, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Endorfin Foods Organic Cherry Amaretto 70% Cacao (bar) was manufactured by Coracao Confections (Richmond, CA).

Tasting notes for this flavorful bar included: dark chocolate, and aromatic cherry/cherry amaretto (bitter almond) liqueur. 

Texture: uniformly smooth, with a rich melt. This bar contained cocoa butter and caramelized coconut butter. (The cherries were fully incorporated into the chocolate.)

The cherry and almond flavors added sweetness. I liked that the makers used coconut sugar, to help prevent a sugar rush. The dark chocolate tasted slightly darker than 70%. But, the very faint sharpness/bitter flavor(s) also may have come from the bitter almond extract used to flavor this bar. (Any lasting aftertaste of sharpness or acidity diminished fairly quickly.)

This chocolate would be tasty in desserts: brownies, cookies and other baked goods--or as chocolate shavings in/over vanilla ice cream or custard. 

This dark chocolate was livelier and less sweet than most marzipan confections. This Ecuadorian cacao bar reminded me of higher-end European marzipan confections covered with fine flavored dark chocolate.

The bitter almond enlivened the tart cherries that had been fully ground (incorporated) into the melted chocolate.

Ingredients: Cacao+*, Coconut Sugar*, Cacao Butter+*, Caramelized Coconut Butter*, Tart Cherry* (Dried Cherries*, Dextrin*), Essential Oil of Bitter Almond (*Organic ingredients; + = Fair Trade Certified)

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut.

 

Ritual Chocolate - Vanilla Chocolate Cherries - Nov. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Ritual Chocolate

Vanilla Chocolate Cherries 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 6 oz. (171 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $16.50 for 1 box
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Cherries Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet. 

Today's Vanilla Chocolate Cherries were from Ritual Chocolate (Heber City, UT).

Aroma notes included: sweet warm vanilla, chocolate (rich cocoa), and stone fruit (cherries). (The cherries were Montmorency cherries sourced from Payson Fruit Growers in Utah.)

Texture: smooth, dark chocolate coating that surrounded chewy, dried cherries.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate and concentrated, tart, dried cherries (from Utah).

The makers tasting notes read: "Vanilla, Dried Cherries, Floral." Also included was a great pairing suggestion: "Best Enjoyed On A Charcuterie Board with Soft Cheeses and Sourdough Bread" 

I liked the relatively short list of quality and organic ingredients; and the sweetness level. (They were not too sweet.) It was a satisfying blend of authentic warm vanilla and chocolate and tart cherries.

Ingredients: "Dried Cherries, Organic Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Powder, Organic Cocoa Powder"

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also produces soy, tree nuts and wheat." "Vegan"

  

Jouvay Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Pistachio & Cherry 72% Cocoa Content (bar) - Nov. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Jouvay Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Pistachio & Cherry 72% Cocoa Content (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 212 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from work colleague
Purchased from: N/A - gift from work colleague (Thank you Sean!)

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Pistachio & Cherry 72% Cocoa Content (bar) from Jouvay* Chocolate -- a partnership between Grenada's Diamond Chocolate Factory (Grenada, West Indies) and the Burdick family."** 

The dark chocolate used to make this bar: "100% Grenadian Cocoa."

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (smooth with very faint, fleeting earth/smokey peat); authentic, tart-sweet cherry; and and faint nut (pistachio). 

Texture: very smooth, with softly crunchy pistachio nuts and cherry cherries.

I liked the authentic, fresh-tasting flavor inclusions (cherry fruit, pistachio nuts). The 72% dark chocolate was well-executed, balanced, had a pleasing rich texture and was not too sweet.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cocoa butter, cane sugar, pistachios, cherries

Allergen-related information: (Contains tree nuts: pistachios)

*Jouvay is "Caribbean Patois for the opening day of Carnival - From the French "jour ouvert" (opening day)"

**Sadly the U.S. distributor wound down this chocolate business in October 2025; and the website showed they were out of stock on this bar and others.

Cachet - Dark Chocolate Cherry (bar) - Nov. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cachet 
Dark Chocolate Cherry (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 260 calories in 4 squares of bar
Cost: $7.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Market, Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Cachet 57% Dark Chocolate Cherry (bar) was manufactured by Kim's Chocolates (Tienen, Belgium).

Aroma and flavor notes included: relatively smooth, dark chocolate (dark chocolate cake/black forest chocolate cherry cake) and sweet, slightly tart, cherry.

Texture: smooth, dark chocolate. (The cherry elements were fully incorporated into the dark chocolate.)

Sweet, flavorful and addictive if you're hungry.

Ingredients: "Chocolate Liquor, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Sour Cherry, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Natural Cherry Flavor"

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy. May Contain: Wheat, Egg, Tree Nuts, Milk."