Chocolate of the Day: Taza Chocolate
Hazelnut Butter bar
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.95 in 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA
Today's Factory Limited Hazelnut Butter bar from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) contained Hazelnut Butter with 52% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate, a smidge of vanilla, and not much else.
The certifications list on the wrapper took up more space than the ingredients list -- in this case, a sign that makers care about quality, customers and the world around them. (These certifications/logos included USDA Organic, Taza Chocolate Direct Trade Certified Cacao, Certified Gluten-Free, Dairy and Soy Free, and the "U" that indicates Pareve.)
Adding hazelnut butter and cocoa butter to this bar helped smooth out "rough edges" (slightly gritty texture) often present with stoneground chocolate.
The upside with stone-ground: more volatile or delicate flavor elements aren't lost due to processing. With less grinding, conching and heating time -- flavors maintain their intensity. A strong, freshly ground cacao aroma wafts up when peeling back the foil inner wrapper of this bar (and other Taza bars) as a result.
Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week, and Day #1 of Spring 2014. Happy Spring to all.
1 comment:
During your chocolate marathon, have you, by chance come across a good milk chocolate bar without soy and soy lecithin? (I seem to be able to find great dark chocolate bars without this ingredient, but not the elusive milk chocolate).
Thanks.
Post a Comment