Public Chocolatory - Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 13, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Public Chocolatory
Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, featuring chocolates with chai spice blends, bars and drinking chocolate.

Today's Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) (Batch No. MC240406) was from Public Chocolatory (Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, dark milk chocolate, chai tea and spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and possibly (smaller amounts of) anise/fennel and black pepper.

Texture: This bar had a soft, silken, luxurious fudge-y texture. 

Together, the chai masala tea flavors (that were fully incorporated into the chocolate), the milk -- that contributed to the wonderful creamy, smooth texture conveyed the essence of a cup of warm chai tea -- and the sweetness, all made this chocolate a bit addictive (more-ish).

I also appreciated the thoughtful execution and the short list of quality ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cacao Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Masala Chai Tea"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. 

Intrigue Chocolate - Chai Latte - Oat Milk Dark 60% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 12, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate
Chai Latte Oat Milk Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

Today's Chai Latte Oat Milk Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar) was made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). This bar was inspired by the maker's favorite Indian restaurants in Seattle.

Origin story: The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Uganda, Rwenzori, Kisinga microlot (Type: "Mostly Trinitario and Amelonado; Harvest Year: 2022).

Aroma notes included: chocolate and a rich blend of authentic chai tea with warm spices (cloves, star anise, cinnamon, spice cookie and more. (Note: there was no star anise listed in the ingredients.)

Texture: smooth, well-tempered dark chocolate with a pleasing creamy melt, followed by a very slight, fleeting, astringency/fine powder (that could have been very tiny oat milk and/or tea/spice particles. It did not take away from the tasting experience.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (chocolate-y, dark ganache)

I liked many things about this bar. First, I really felt like I was enjoying a great cup of chai tea--with the added flavor(s) of a great dark chocolate. The flavors were well balanced and the sweetness level was just about perfect for a chai tea. 

I also liked the thoughtful, short list of quality ingredients, the lack of emulsifiers or other additives, and the use of raw cane sugar. (I also liked that there was a little black pepper, ginger, fennel pollen and sea salt added--in amounts that were so subtle, you might not be able to identify them...You just know you like the whole blend.)

Makers tasting notes/description: "...sweetened with raw cane sugar, softened by gluten-free oat milk powder, emboldened by Assam black tea, and spiced with some of India's most iconic flavors."

Ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, oat milk powder (oats), black tea, green cardamom, cloves, cassia cinnamon, black pepper, ginger fennel pollen, sea salt. (The maker's Batch # for this bar was: 000000052324)

Allergen-related information: Vegan, no dairy, no soy, no gluten.