Chocolate of the Day
Fjak Sjokolade
Brunost Karameller Med Sjokolade
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total box of 8 pieces
Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $26.00 for 1 box of 8 caramels
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order
Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cheese Theme Week.
Today's Brunost Karameller (Brown Cheese Caramels and Milk Chocolate) confections were made by Fjak Sjokolade (Hardanger, Norway).
Norwegian brown cheese* already has a bit of caramel flavor, so it seemed like a natural complement to a chocolate caramel in the hands of a skilled maker. (It was.)
These square caramels were a study in artful contradiction. Uniform but layered, harmonious yet complex. These milk chocolate caramels were silky smooth, yet also had a brief, very slightly granular (cheese) phase--that melted and morphed back to satin smooth. A bit of a magic trick.
Flavor notes: Sweet caramel and flavorful 45% milk chocolate. And the maker(s) successfully incorporated a third element: a balanced, very slightly savory note (brown cheese), without the end product being too sweet or salty. There's no need to over-season great, high-quality flavors. (Fjak used single origin cacao, and local dairy/Norwegian brown cheese products.)
These caramels were well executed, fun to try, and tasty. They were great by themselves. One or two of these rich caramels filled me up. They also would be interesting to try on a fruit and cheese plate, and possibly with other sweet and savory (cheese) pairings.
Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cocoa beans*, sugar*, dry milk*, cocoa butter*), sugar*, cream*, butter*, brown cheese*, glucose, invert sugar, sea salt*, baking soda (*organic).
Allergen-related information: Allergens: lactose (contains dairy)
*Brown cheese is made by boiling whey (a liquid, cheese by-product) down to thick, sweet caramelized form. It is uniquely Norwegian, and is difficult to find elsewhere. It is often cut off a block, into thin slices, and served on bread/toast. It may be eaten as part of a breakfast sandwich of toast, brown cheese and jam, or as part of a snack.
