Scharffen Berger - 70% Dark Chocolate with Cherries + Almonds + Sea Salt (bar) - June 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker 
70% Dark Chocolate with Cherries + Almonds + Sea Salt (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: (Missing information) 
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate with Cherries + Almonds + Sea Salt (bar) was manufactured by Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker (Ashland, OR).

Aroma notes included: hearty, sweet dark chocolate (dark ganache); dark tart-sweet cherry fruit; nut (almond); and faint vanilla.

The blend of textures and flavors included: smooth, rich dark chocolate; crunchy crispy-sea-salty nut bits, and fleeting, chewy, tart-sweet, cherry fruit. The upticks of sea salt and small almond bits helped balance the sweetness.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Cane Sugar, Almonds, Sweetened Tart Cherries (Tart Cherries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Vanilla Bean." 

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. Produced in a Facility That Also Processes Other Tree Nuts and Dairy.

Zotter Chocolate - Blueberry + Hazelnut (bar) - June 2, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter Chocolate
Blueberry + Hazelnut (bar) 
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotter, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. Cherries, berries and citrus are heavily represented this week. It's always nice to find a bar with blueberries.

Today's Blueberry + Hazelnut - Blueberry candy bar and hazelnut praline with hazelnut pieces (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers an abundant variety of creatively executed and packaged bars -- both filled ("hand-scooped") and single origin ("Labooko" line) chocolate bars.*

Aroma notes for this filled milk chocolate bar included: chocolate; blueberry; and very faint berry cereal milk and vanilla.

Texture: Creamy milk chocolate with a softer milk chocolate filling/center that contained crunchy hazelnut pieces.

Flavor notes included: sweet, slightly tangy blueberry-infused, rich and creamy milk chocolate, and subtle nut (hazelnut). 

The authentic flavors in this high-end, sweet candy bar (including the organic brown sugar) helped make this candy bar more interesting and mildly addicting. I would say that it was too sweet, but I had no trouble eating more than I'd planned. As in other candy bars, nuts helped balance out the sweetness. 

Ingredients: Cane Sugar**, Cocoa Butter** (24%), Hazelnuts** (21%), Cocoa Mass**, Dry Skim Milk, Dried Blueberries* (14%), Dry Whole Milk, Soy Lecithin*, Lemon Powder* (Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Corn Starch*, Sugar*), Dark Brown Cane Sugar**, Salt, Vanilla Bean Powder*, Cardamom*, Star Anise*. 

(* = Organic; ** = Organic and Fair Traded) Fair Trade Content: 87%

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame." 

*Zotter is one of the only chocolate makers offering dark chocolate single origin bars "sweetened" with just milk, and with NO sugars. (No artificial or other sweeteners.) Not sure why more makers haven't done this. Hats off to the maker for this decision.

Zotter - Cranberry - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with cranberry ganache (bar) - June 1, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter Chocolate
Cranberry - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with cranberry ganache
Good ++  
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotter, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Cranberry - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with cranberry ganache (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers an abundant variety of bars -- both filled ("hand-scooped") and single origin ("Labooko" line) chocolate bars. Today's organic Cranberry bar was one of the company's first 100% vegan fruit filled bars.

Aroma notes for this 70% filled chocolate bar included: dark chocolate; subtle fruit (red berry); and very faint coconut and vanilla.

Texture: The soft, pink ganache (center) was surrounded by a thin but firm, dark chocolate shell.

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate and a uniform, authentic tasting, tart-sweet cranberry filling. 

Ingredients: Cane Sugar**, Cocoa Mass**, Cocoa Butter**, Cranberries*(17%), Rice Drink Powder* (Rice*, Sunflower Oil*, Salt), Cranberry Concentrate*, Apple Juice*, Invert Sugar Syrup*, Dried Cranberries*, Glucose Syrup*, Coconut Powder* (Coconut Paste*, Coconut Milk*, Coconut Flour*), Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Toasted Coconut**, Lecithin (Soy)*, Salt, Emulsifier: Lecithin (Sunflower)*, Lemon Powder* (Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Corn Starch*, Sugar*), Vanilla Bean Powder** 

(* = Organic; ** = Organic and Fair Traded); "Fair Trade Content in Total: 70%"

Allergen-related information: Contains soy (and coconut). "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, gluten and sesame."