Fjak Sjokolade - Solbaer Smuldrepai (Blackcurrant Pie) - Sept. 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade
Solbaer Smuldrepai (Blackcurrant Pie) (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / 1.87 oz. (~53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: 85,00 Norwegian Kroner ($7.98 USD)
Purchased from: Gift shop in Hotel Ullensvang, Hardangerfjord, Norway

Fjak Sjokolade
45% Melk Nibs & Eikerokt Salt (45% Milk Nibs & Oak Smoked Salt) (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / 1.87 oz. (~53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 127 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: 85,00 Norwegian Kroner ($7.98 USD)
Purchased from: Gift shop in Hotel Ullensvang, Hardangerfjord, Norway

Welcome to Day #6 of Scandinavian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's White Chocolate Blackcurrant Pie and 45% Milk Nibs and Oak Smoked Chocolate bars were created by Fjak Sjokolade (Eidfjord, Norway) on the Hardangerfjord. 

The company produces small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate. They offer a variety of bars, as well as a few confections and drinking chocolate options.

Blackcurrant Pie

Aroma and flavor notes for this pie-inspired, white chocolate bar included: oats, nuts, and bright sweet berry.

The texture was a satisfying blend of creamy (almost buttery), scarlet-hued berry (blackcurrant infused white chocolate) and crunchy oat and nut ("pie crust") bits. It was berry-sweet, but not overly so (thank you!).

This Nordic bar was well-balanced, with a natural, tart-sweetness and authentic-tasting fruit and crust elements. 

Ingredients: Cocoa butter* cane sugar*, milk powder*, blackcurrant*, gluten free oats*, gluten free almonds*, and honey.* (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

45% Milk Nibs and Oak Smoked Salt

Aroma notes for this dark milk chocolate included: dark milk chocolate, subtle smoked wood, caramel, and very faint savory, nut/seed.

The texture was a blend of creamy (milk chocolate) and crunchy (cacao nibs).

Flavor notes included: sweet (45%) milk chocolate, tiny bits of crunchy cacao nibs and salt, and very faint smoked spice (salt, black pepper).

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar*, milk powder*, cocoa butter*, cacao nibs* and oak smoked salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

Ethel's Baking Co. - Turtle Dandy - Aug. 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ethel's Baking Co.
Turtle Dandy 
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) / 10 oz. (283 g.) in total container
Calories: 235 calories in 1/2 of 1 bar
Cost: $6.59 for 1 container (3 bars)
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Nuts Week.

Today's Turtle Dandy confections were from Ethel's Baking Co. (Shelby Township, MI).

These gluten-free bars were a stacked blend of rich shortbread cookie and chocolate "turtle" confection (thick, oval-ish shaped caramel and nut filled chocolates--often with pecans sticking out that resemble turtle limbs). Now imagine that concept translated into a rich cookie-pie hybrid.

Aroma notes include chocolate, shortbread cookies, nuts and fruit (very faint brown sugar and peach jam), and very faint vanilla. (These did not contain any peach, fruit or jam.)

These very generously-sized Turtle Dandy cookie bars had a thick, pie pastry-like butter cookie bottom, and were topped with layers of caramelized brown sugar chocolate and pecan nut pieces.

These were incredibly rich and buttery. (Butter was the number one ingredient.) I'd advise sharing a bar with someone (and eating these over a plate or napkin to avoid getting crumbs on your lap).

It's nice to see gluten-free confection and cookie/pie-like bar options like this; even if they're quite rich. That same rich, buttery quality could provide an interesting crumble over cooked fruit (plums, apples, peaches).

Ingredients: Butter (sweet cream, salt), brown cane sugar, Ethel's gluten-free flour blend (brown rice flour, modified tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, corn flour, white rice flour, xanthan gum), semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin, vanilla), pecans, cane sugar, honey, eggs, water, vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, extractives of vanilla beans), leavening agent (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate).

Allergen-related information: "Contains: eggs, milk, soy, pecans. Made in a facility with other tree nuts, may contain pit or shell."

Natural Decadence - Gluten Free Chocolate Creamless Pie - Oct. 14, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Natural Decadence
Raised Gluten Free - Gluten Free Chocolate Creamless Pie
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total pie
Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving/piece of pie
Cost: $4.99 for 1 pie
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Hello and welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week.

Today's Raised Gluten Free - Chocolate Creamless Pie was from Natural Decadence (Eureka, CA).

The chocolate pie filling, made with organic coconut milk, organic guar gum and other organic ingredients, including chocolate (with sugar and cocoa butter) and chocolate extract (that latter giving the pie a slight alcohol flavor tinge), cocoa nibs and vanilla. The filling was smooth and fairly creamy (without the dairy cream), as promised.

And yes, it did contain honey. It was the sweetener in the gluten free graham cracker crust.

This demure pie was just the right size to share with a small group—or for one or two people to enjoy over the course of a few days. I like smaller portion desserts. They allow people to comfortably sample a few different chocolate items at a time, and do side-by-side, comparison tastings.

go raw - Chocolate Coconut Crisps - July 1, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Freeland Foods
go raw - Chocolate Coconut Crisps
Good++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

I enjoyed snacking on these organic, gluten free "go raw" Chocolate Coconut Crisps from Freeland Foods (Mountain View, CA). I also used a handful as a topper for an organic chocolate and coconut satin pie (made with coconut butter).

These chocolate covered (unsulphered) coconut pieces had a mild crunch (a great counterpoint to the velvety pie), and nicely balanced flavors -- not too sweet, with a hint of Celtic sea salt.

Freeland Foods specializes in organic, raw, gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, soy-free, and pareve/kosher food and snack products. In quasi-related news...I was excited to hear that Freeland Foods will soon be moving into a new solar-powered facility in San Jose, CA. (I like solar almost as much as I like chocolate.)