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Ethereal Confections
66% Cacao - Topped with Espresso Beans, Hazelnuts and Cherries bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.12 oz. (32 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: online order, from EtherealConfections.com
Today was Day #6 of Chocolate, Cherry and Nut Theme Week.
This 66% Cacao bar Topped with Espresso Beans, Hazelnuts and Cherries from Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL) was a handcrafted inclusion chocolate bar from owners and chocolate makers Mary and Sara Ervin. And when I say hand-crafted, I mean the Ervins started by making the chocolate themselves from scratch.*
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Getting back to bar specifics: A festive blizzard of toasted hazelnut pieces, dried cherry bits and a hint of espresso crushed espresso beans lay underneath the inner blue foil wrapping. Said blizzard covered the back of this unique bar. I loved the look of it, the crunchy, natural sweet nuttiness of the hazelnuts, and the sparkles of authentic tart sweet cherry flavor.
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The Ervins is also to be commended for what they left out -- this was a dairy and gluten free bar with no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. The company is also committed to using organic ingredients.
*Most chocolate sold in the U.S. (and elsewhere) is made by chocolatiers who buy blocks of "pre-made" chocolate and re-melt (and temper) the chocolate to make confections, truffles and bars. Not to take anything away from anyone who is producing great chocolate treats, but making bean-to-bar chocolate (i.e. "from scratch"), is a much more technically challenging process. And very few women are chief chocolate makers. Brava to the Ervins for being both chocolate makers and creative flavor meisters.