Scorpion Pepper 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) & Raspberry Cream 38% White Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 27, 2026

Chocolate(s) of The Day

Scorpion Pepper - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend (thank you Wendy!)
Purchased from: NA - gift from a friend 

Sted Foods
Raspberry Cream 38% White Chocolate (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.)
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week, featuring three different bars from Sted Foods in Minnesota.

(See previous entry, for information on the first of the three chocolate bars featured today from Sted Foods--the "Cherry Nibbler" 50% Dark Milk Chocolate bar (with crunchy cacao nibs, cherry bits and vanilla.))

All three bars contain a different fruit. And yes, the Scorpion Pepper is, technically, a fruit. 

Today's Sted Foods Scorpion Pepper 70% Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Cream 38% White Chocolate bars were manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN).

Scorpion Pepper 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Aroma and flavor notes for this small bar included: refreshing, smooth and subtly complex dark chocolate with very faint butter, and faint chili pepper fruit, with spicy chili heat kicking in after the first several seconds.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy dark chocolate. (The scorpion pepper was fully incorporated into the chocolate. There were no pepper bits or spice grit.)

I appreciated this blend of pleasant, smooth dark chocolate and the contrasting spiciness of the scorpion pepper that blossomed toward the end of the tasting experience. After the spiciness receded, the pleasant, chocolate-y dark chocolate (with faint caramel and fudge brownie notes) returned.

Maker's tasting notes: "This bar has just a touch of heat from Trinidad scorpion pepper. You'll get the endorphin rush of heat from the pepper, balanced with the richness of our dark chocolate."

Ingredients: "organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic scorpion pepper powder"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that uses coconut, almonds, pecans, and milk"

Raspberry Cream 38% White Chocolate (bar)

White chocolates (with no cocoa solids) may not count here as they lack the darker cocoa solids/mass; but I sometimes include them, or pair them, with other dark or dark milk chocolate bars from the same maker. Such was the case today with this Sted Foods Raspberry Cream 38% white chocolate.

Aroma notes included: a dessert chocolate with aromatic sweet berries (fresh raspberries) and sweet white chocolate 

Flavor notes included: authentic-tasting, tart-sweet raspberry fruit (including some seeds and fruit) and cream. There was no added vanilla (unlike many other sweet white chocolates), which meant the focus stayed on the raspberry flavors and textures. It was more true to its name: Raspberry Cream, vs. a white pudding or other cream-based dessert with raspberry flavoring.

Texture: a pleasing blend of creamy white chocolate with authentic and effectively integrated raspberry textures (raspberry seeds, dried raspberry pulp) that made this more interesting than a plain white chocolate. 

I appreciated the short list of quality and organic ingredients in all three of today's featured Sted Foods bars. And I was glad to have been able to try Dark Milk, Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate bars for this chocolate + fruit series.

Maker's tasting notes: "This bar evokes the joy of sunny days spent gathering freshly picked raspberries. Each bite melds the sweet and tangy flavor of ripe raspberries with the creamy richness of white chocolate."

Ingredients: "organic cocoa butter, organic cane sugar, organic whole milk powder, organic dried raspberry"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that uses sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, coconut, cashews, hazelnuts, and milk."