Eva's Delights - Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles - Oct. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Eva's Delights
Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in a box of 4 pieces
Calories: 232.5 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $13.99 for 1 box of 4 pieces 
Purchased from: Santa Venetia Market, San Rafael, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Fall Spices Week.*

Today's Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles were from Eva's Delights (San Rafael, CA). "Made with love in our home kitchen."

Aroma notes for these seasonal chocolate truffles included: subtle dark chocolate, and very faint pumpkin pie.

The outer, smooth dark chocolate shell gave way to a softer, substantial, pale pumpkin colored white chocolate center. 

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (couverture) and white chocolate ganache (filling)--flavored with very faint pumpkin spice syrup, pumpkin butter, and a very subtle splash of warming brandy. A sprinkle of salt across the top of each truffle helped to balance the overall sweetness.

Ingredients: French chocolate; Pumpkin Spice syrup; Pumpkin butter; cinnamon, cloves, and other warm spices; splash of Brandy; white chocolate and salt sprinkles.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on 4-piece box label.) Contact Eva's Delights if you have questions.

*We believe in over-stuffed chocolate weeks on Chocolate Banquet. One week can easily stretch into two, or more.

Bob's Red Mill Grain Free Brownie Mix with Almond Flour + Pumpkin, Spices - Oct. 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Bob's Red Mill
Grain Free Brownie Mix, Made with Almond Flour  
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 brownies / 12 oz. (340 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: 400 calories (estimate) in 2 brownies
Cost: $6.89 total package of dry mix
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Pumpkin, and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Grain Free Brownie mix with Almond Flour was from Bob's Red Mill (Milwaukie, OR). (I added pumpkin and spices* to this mix.)

Aroma notes included: chocolate (cake, ganache), pumpkin pie spices, very faint nut and molasses.*

The texture was smooth, and made slightly moister and more coherent from added (canned) pureed pumpkin. 

Flavor notes included: sweet chocolate (cake, brownie), and pumpkin spice(s).

These cake-like brownies were sweet. The inclusion of pumpkin and spices* added warm flavor depth and complexity, and helped balance the sweetness.

Ingredients (dry mix): Organic Coconut Sugar, Blanched Almond Flour, Cassava Flour, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Cocoa, Salt. 

*Added to the mix: 7 oz. canned pumpkin, eggs, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and 1 tablespoon of molasses

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Tree nuts (Almond)." (Added ingredients: eggs)

Love + Chew - The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip - Oct. 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

CompletEats, LLC
Love + Chew The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 cookie 
Calories: 270 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $3.25 (estim.) for 1 cookie 
Purchased from: Love + Chew, online order (box of 12)

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Spices Theme Week.

Today's Love + Chew The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip was created by CompletEats, LLC (San Francisco, CA).

Aroma notes included: dried fruit (date), warm spices, nuts and seeds, vanilla, cocoa, and faint vegetable (pumpkin). 

This plant-based cookie had a chewy, very slightly crunchy (tiny chia seeds), and relatively moist texture. 

Flavor notes for this satisfying and tasty cookie included: dates, fudgey chocolate chips, warm pumpkin spices, vanilla, and an underlying nuttiness (almond). 

The company's mission is to "bake clean-label and indulgent treats made entirely from plant-based ingredients." (I'd say mission accomplished.) An extra bonus for me: no gluten-containing ingredients; and the cookie wasn't dry or crumbly. 

Ingredients: Blanched Almonds, Date Paste, Almond Butter, Water, Dark Chocolate Chips (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Liquor, Organic Cocoa Butter), Chia Seeds, Vegetable Glycerin, Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves), Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), Pure Vanilla Extract, Water), Pumpkin Powder, Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. Manufactured in a facility that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, soy, milk, eggs, wheat, sesame seeds. May Contain Date Pit Fragments.

Chocolove - Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites - Oct. 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolove 
Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 7.05 oz. (200 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Spice Week.

Today's Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites were from Chocolove (Boulder, CO).

Each, individually-wrapped, milk chocolate-covered pumpkin confection was emblazoned with a heart-shaped outline (two "Cs" facing each other), consistent with the Chocolove's love themed chocolates.*

Aroma notes included: chocolate, pumpkin pie/warm spices, and a faint sweet and savory vegetable blend note (pumpkin, sweet potato-tomato sauce).

These individually-wrapped treats had a smooth creamy, easy melt.

Flavor notes included: rich, sweet milk chocolate and authentic pumpkin (with pie spices included). The 33% cacao outer milk chocolate shell was made a bit sweeter by the white chocolate filling. And that bit of extra cocoa (more than you'd find in most holiday/novelty chocolates) helped balance out the sweetness, while still allowing the pumpkin and spices to shine.

This bite was the closest I've ever tasted to real pumpkin pie blended with chocolate. Hats off to Chocolove for using real pumpkin and real spices, and going the extra mile to achieve this.

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Milk, Cocoa Liquor**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic White Chocolate (Organic Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter**, Organic Milk, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Organic Cream (Milk, Gellan Gum), Pumpkin Puree, Pumpkin Concentrate (Pumpkin, Citric Acid), Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Organic Glycerin, Tapioca Syrup, Organic Butter Oil, Spices (Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves), Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin.

(** Rainforest Alliance Certified. Find out more at ra.org.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy. Made in a facility that also processes eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts."

*E.g., Chocolove chocolate bars I've purchased have come with a love poem inside the wrapper. 

And printed on the outside of the package of bites was this tagline: "Share it with someone you love."

 

 

Raaka Chocolate - Pumpkin Swirl Unroasted Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
Pumpkin Swirl Unroasted Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25.5 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 134 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Spices Theme Weeks.

Today's Pumpkin Swirl Unroasted Dark Chocolate 60% cacao bar was made by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), and included Oat Haus (maple-sweetened) Granola Butter. 

Today's Pumpkin Swirl had a very subtle cacao aroma* with warm spice (maple, cinnamon, pumpkin pie and oatmeal) notes.

The dark chocolate was fully blended with the warm spice blend that was blended with a swirl white chocolate and pumpkin powder, adding even further flavor depth and complexity.

The spice-infused chocolate was sweet but the pumpkin powder, dark chocolate and perhaps some of the "butter" and spices helped balance the sweetness in the well-executed, overall blend. The pumpkin, spice and granola flavors played well together in this, and there were no off notes in this dairy-free and gluten-free bar. 

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, organic coconut, organic Oat Haus Granola Butter** (organic, gluten-free oats; organic flaxseed, organic olive oil, organic maple syrup, organic coconut oil, organic cinnamon, salt, organic allspice, organic cardamom, organic ginger); organic pumpkin powder; organic sunflower lecithin; organic cinnamon; organic ginger; organic allspice; organic cardamom; organic nutmeg.

Allergen-related information: (Contained coconut.) Certified Organic and Kosher. Vegan, Gluten free. Soy free.

*Un-roasted cacao beans can be milder/smoother than roasted cacao(s). However, there were a lot of other flavors in today's Pumpkin Swirl chocolate, making it more difficult to discern the cacao notes from the Zoral Cacao, Dominican Republic cacao used to make this bar. The dark chocolate clearly helped anchor the sweet and spice flavors though.

Chocolat Moderne - Pumpkin Pie Spice bar - April 12, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Moderne
Holiday Avant-Garde Bar - Milk Chocolate Caramel with Organic Pumpkin Puree and Pie Spices
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 187 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Spice Theme Week.

Today's Holiday Avant-Garde Bar - Milk Chocolate Caramel with Organic Pumpkin Puree and Pie Spices was created by Chocolat Moderne (New York, NY).

The thickness of this bar might be off-putting if it were solid chocolate. However, the milk chocolate was easy to break and bite into, while not being too fragile at the same time. (Nothing messier than caramel filling oozing out.)

This Avant-Garde holiday-inspired filled bar had a light spice and nutty chocolate aroma. The dark chocolate was smooth and even in flavor.

Hats off to the chocolatier for the caramel filling with authentic pumpkin flavor with light pie spice, and for the this bar not being too sweet (thank you).

Snickers - Pumpkin - Oct. 31, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mars
Snickers - Pumpkin
Good
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.2 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 package
Cost: $0.66 for 1 package /(3 for $2.00 - sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Trick or Treat Theme Week, and to one of the biggest candy and chocolate days of the year. Happy Halloween!

I have fond memories of childhood Halloween nights skipping (as well as one could in a mask and bulky costume) along roads dimly lit by candle-filled, carved pumpkins, and coming home with sacks of tri-colored candy corn, tiny wax teeth and bottles filled with sweet syrup, and the occasional sucker or Tootsie Pop.

However, candy bars, such as today's Snickers bar from Mars (Hackettstown, NJ), were among the most prized treasures.

The joys of childhood don't always carry over into adulthood. And more's the pity for it, mostly. I'm more conscious of what I eat now; and I prefer simpler, more natural foods, including chocolates. Reading labels and finding lactose, hydrogenated oils, palm oil, artificial flavor, etc. can be off-putting.

However, tonight I made an exception and I enjoyed this gooey, crunchy sweet, nutty, chocolatey pumpkin-shaped candy, a variation on the classic Snickers bar. Childhood memories are powerful things.

Neo Cocoa - Pumpkin Spice Milk Chocolate Truffles - Nov. 20, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Neo Cocoa
Pumpkin Spice Milk Chocolate Truffles
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34.5 g.) / 2.4 oz. (69 g.) in box of 6 truffles
Calories: 180 calories (estimate) in 3 truffles (1/2 box)
Cost: $12.00 (estimate) for 1 box of 6
Purchased from: Neo Cocoa, at Fall Chocolate Salon, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Thankful Theme Week.

This week will be laced with pecan, Thanksgiving and pumpkin related chocolate items. It's that time of year.

Today's reason for being thankful lay in these almost velvety smooth Pumpkin Spice Milk Chocolate Truffles from Neo Cocoa (San Francisco/El Granada, CA).

The Neo Cocoa tagline, "Hearts of Chocolate Truffles," refers to head chocolatier, Christine P. Doerr's technique of creating "ganache-based" truffles. The result is a rich, creamy filling without an outer, "harder" covering or shell of chocolate.

These seasonal pumpkin spice truffles captured the holiday spirit perfectly.

Amano - Barlovento Roasted Cocoa Nibs - Oct. 31, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amano Artisan Chocolate
Barlovento Roasted Cocoa Nibs
Good - Good +
Weight: .636 oz. (18 g.)/ 6 oz. (170 g.) total package
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1/8 cup (2 Tb.)
Cost: $lost information
Purchased from: Amano Artisan Chocolate (at a show)

Happy Halloween to all who celebrate this sweet, autumn holiday. And, welcome to Day #5 of Cocoa Nibs Theme Week.

I celebrate Halloween week by baking a gluten-free chocolate cake inside a carved pumpkin each year. (Other squashes work too.)

I re-heated a piece of this year's* pumpkin spice cake for breakfast, and sprinkled it with Barlovento Cocoa Nibs from Amano Artisan Chocolate (Orem, UT).

Seasonal side dishes for the pumpkin cake included: chopped walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt, and berries from the lavender star flower bush in my yard. Both flowers and berries are edible. These tiny, caramel colored berries with the pit in the middle tasted like fruity, miniature dates.

A freshly opened bag of cocoa nibs has so much potential. I'll use these nibs for many other things. E.g., this morning I also made myself a small, but flavorful cup of hot buttered chocolate to go with the cake, by soaking some nibs in some steamed milk ahead of time.

A small serving of cacao nibs can be very satisfying over cake, ice cream, or baked into brownies. Use them in a "rub" for roasts. Or, grind them up and make your own mole or drinking chocolate. Nibs are chocolate building blocks, without the sugar.

*I don't follow recipes; but every year the cake contains different ingredients. This year it included blackstrap molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, chopped walnuts, and cocoa powder. This type of moist cake works best with a small pumpkin. Go too large, and the cake will be soggy or uncooked in the middle.

jcoco - dark bar with nibs; Cocoa Rumpkin - Oct. 27, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Seattle Chocolate Company
jcoco
Noble Dark - 72% Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: N/A - gift; thank you Toni!
Purchased from: N/A - gift; thank you Toni!

Cocoa Rumpkin
(various ingredients)
Good +
Weight: 1 small glass
Calories: disregarded
Cost: N/A - used existing ingredients
Purchased from: N/A - used existing ingredients

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Halloween Cocktail Theme Week.

Cocoa nibs are concentrated bits of chocolate flavor. Their essence can be contained in a dark chocolate bar, or infused into spirits. (Not Halloween ghosts, but distilled spirits.) Being that Halloween—one of the great chocolate holidays—is upon us, I'm going with both a dark chocolate bar with cocoa nibs and a Halloween cocktail called a Cocoa Rumpkin (see below).

First up...the jcoco Noble Dark bar (72% dark chocolate with cocoa nibs). This bar was one of a set of small bars I received as a gift.

The jcoco brand is part of Seattle Chocolate Company (Seattle, WA). The design and packaging for the jcoco line is high fashion fun, and the chocolate isn't bad either*. The company has pledged to give one serving of food to a person in need for each chocolate purchased.

The bar had a chocolate fudge brownie aroma and taste and the nibs added some texture. The "non-gmo, vegan, gluten-free" Noble Dark bar was also kosher.

Cocoa Rumpkin
A Cocoa Rumpkin is a three-layer cocktail that I made up.

The bottom layer was Aperol (an orange-flavored apertif) and honey. The middle layer was a pumpkin-infused cream with spices (cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger).

And, saving the best for last, the top layer was cocoa nib infused dark rum**. The cocoa nibs imparted an extra dark chocolate, almost coffee-like flavor to the dark rum.

Carefully "float" one layer atop another and there you have it: a Cocoa Rumpkin, today's chocolate rum and spicy orange Halloween cocktail. Or, you can stir all these layers together, and freeze, to enjoy as an adult milkshake.

*The jcoco Cayenne Veracruz Orange white chocolate bar is an example of how tasty white chocolate can be.
**First, I infused cocoa nibs into Myers's dark rum for a week. Then I drained off the rum to use as a top layer for this cocktail. Leftover cocoa nibs, can be used for cookies, brownies or with ice cream in adult milkshakes.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

The Oakland Choc. Co. - Pumpkin truffle - Nov. 1, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Pimento Pumpkin Truffle
Good ++
Weight: .49 oz. (13.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 72 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $N/A - sample (Thank you Nancy)
Purchased from: N/A - sample, The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #1 of Holiday Spice Theme Week.

I had the good fortune to visit Nancy Nadel, the creative force behind The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA) today. When I arrived at her relatively new facility and tasting room, I donned a hairnet and interviewed her while she was roasting beans, pouring liquid chocolate into containers, and making caramels.

Nancy is a bean-to-bar-to-bonbon chocolate maker and chocolatier (one of the few women to make chocolate from scratch in the San Francisco Bay Area). She has a relationship with the farmers in and buys her beans from St. Mary Parish in Jamaica.

Toward the end of my visit with Nancy, I sampled a few holiday-relevant* offerings, including today's Pimento Pumpkin Truffle. The dark (Jamaican) glossy, pumpkin-shaped chocolate shell enclosed a spiced pumpkin (white chocolate) filling.

The "Pimento" in this Pimento Pumpkin Truffle didn't refer to a pimento as we know it in the U.S., but rather to an allspice berry blend. The filling was infused with a subtle hint of Berry Hill pimento allspice liqueur from Wray and Nephew (Kingston, Jamaica).

The pumpkin and spice flavors were well balanced, and not overpowering, and stood up nicely to the rich, dark chocolate couverature.

*I also sampled a juniper berry truffle (think a tall, cylindrical flavored truffle, like a gin and tonic glass) that I hope to feature in the future.

Sixth Course - Pumpkin Spice Truffle - Dec. 21, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sixth Course
Pumpkin Spice Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .416 oz. (11.79 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) total box of 6
Calories: 62 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $17.00 for box of 6 different chocolates
Purchased from: Heath Ceramics, San Francisco, CA


Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Holiday Spice Theme Week.

This holiday Caramelized Pumpkin Spice truffle from the two chefs at Sixth Course (San Francisco) was sweet, pumpkin sugar and spice atop a round truffle filled with creamy chocolate ganache.

Sjaak's Almond and Peanut Butter Bites - Nov. 28, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates
1.) Almond Butter Bites - Good - Good +
2.) Peanut Butter Bites - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in 2 pieces
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $1.71 for 2 pieces (with discount)
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the U.S.!

I'm now completely stuffed. The Thanksgiving feasting started with breakfast, and a small bag of chocolates.

Breakfast consisted of a tiny gluten-free pumpkin pie from Natural Decadence (Eureka, CA), topped with a mini-scoop of homemade saffron vanilla ice cream with freshly grated nutmet; toasted almonds and walnuts; and two flower-shaped Almond Butter (silver foil) and Peanut Butter (gold foil) chocolate "bites" from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates (Petaluma, CA).

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Flower Theme Week. 

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal 54 - Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 package/bag
Cost: $1.00
Purchased from: CVS Pharmacy, Mountain View, CA

Trick or Treat. This week has been filled with treats. If you're going to eat Halloween candy, may I suggest "unjunked" chocolate candy choices from Unreal Brands (Boston, MA).

Today I enjoyed Unreal's Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts, No. 54 in their candy series. What does unjunked mean? Answer: Among other things, it means: "no artificials, no hydrogenateds, no corn syrups, no preservatives, no GMOs." Unreal, and much appreciated.

I also enjoyed a pumpkin sundae with Double Rainbow Pumpkin and Dulce de Leche ice creams, topped with a chopped Unreal caramel bar, that I'll write about later.

This week was brought to you by the color Orange. This was the last day of Chocolate and Pumpkin week (lots of orange and brown, and piles of pumpkins from everywhere in town).

San Francisco buildings have been lit up orange; and today the city held a welcome home parade for the San Francisco Giants baseball team (orange and black) to celebrate their World Series Championship win -- on Halloween day (more orange and black), no less.

I've added a skeleton, and a few flowers and candles today to celebrate this great Orange day. Happy Halloween to all who celebrate pumpkin day, and a great day for chocolates as well.

ChocolateBet: October 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Milk Chocolate (filled with) Caramel bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (41 g.) in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Menlo Park, CA

Today was a chocolate-for-breakfast day -- with four products from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA). Fortunately, Trader Joe's offers a variety of interesting chocolates and gluten-free foods. I started with a small container of Pumpkin, 0% fat, Greek yogurt, a seasonal speciality item, and loaded it up with pumpkin seeds, diced almonds, and pieces of roughly chopped Milk Chocolate (filled with) Caramel bar.

This bar, made with Belgian chocolate, was smooth, sweet and very satisfying, with caramel that had just the right texture and taste. The milk chocolate and the sweet caramel blended well with the yogurt.

I later finished the remaining bar during a hike on Mt. Diablo -- literally Devil Mountain, located east of, and across the Bay from, San Francisco -- a fitting location for a week that includes Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations.

Day #6 of Chocolate and Pumpkin Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 28, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (52.5 g.)/ 1 Quart (946 mL) total container
Calories: 125 calories in 1/4 cup; (210 cals. total with 1/6 cup Pumpkin ice cream)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Menlo Park, CA

A mixture of two "Super Premium" ice creams from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) -- Ultra Chocolate and Pumpkin -- tasted slightly better than the two flavors did separately. The Pumpkin ice cream by itself was a bit sweet and unremarkable, but when used in moderation with a larger scoop of Ultra Chocolate ice cream, the resulting spicy chocolate flavor was quite nice.

The Ultra Chocolate might be a good mix with cherry ice cream and other flavors as well.

Top this ice cream with some caramelized nibs and chopped almonds, and you have yourself a tasty fall-themed ice cream treat.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Pumpkin Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 27, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Le Grand Confectionary
Pumpkin Pie truffle
Good +
Weight: .6 oz. (16.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 truffle
Calories: 90 calories (estimate) for 1 truffle
Cost: $1.75 (estimate) for 1 truffle
Purchased from: The Candy Store, in Tiburon, CA

I was drawn to these Pumpkin Pie truffles from Le Grand Confectionary (Sacramento, CA), when I visited The Candy Store in Tiburon, CA, while on a walk by San Francisco Bay.

These generously sized, seasonal pumpkin-shaped chocolates tasted fresh (always a plus with filled chocolates/confections), and they were filled with a smooth, sweet milk chocolate ganache infused with pumpkin pie spices -- cinnamon, cloves, perhaps some allspice.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Pumpkin Theme Week. 

ChocolateBet: October 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Dark Chocolate Coconut Caramel bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 112 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Menlo Park, CA

I enjoyed today's Dark Chocolate Coconut Caramel bar from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) -- both plain and with a pumpkin dessert.

The answer to the question you didn't know you were asking: Can you cook a cake in a pumpkin? The answer is yes you can! I made a gluten-free pumpkin spice cake, poured the batter into a pumpkin, cooked it, and then carved out a face on said pumpkin. Serve this cake, if you dare, with chunks of cooked sweet pumpkin carvings and pieces of this dark (70% cacao) bar. The caramel complemented the pumpkin spice flavors nicely.

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

ChocolateBet: October 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Jo's Candies
Pumpkin Spice Bark
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 160 calories
Cost: $1.34 (sale)
Purchased from: World Market/Cost Plus, Reno, NV

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Pumpkin Theme Week, and this Pumpkin Spice Bark from Jo's Candies (Torrance, CA), with swirls of chocolate and redolent of pumpkin pie-style spices, fit the theme. The smooth bark was made with pumpkin-flavored white orange chocolate, decorated with milk chocolate. A little sweet, but perfectly seasonal.

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:


1.) 1 witch monster pop
Long Grove Confectionery Co.
Monster Pop
Good+
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.)
Calories: 225 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.69
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA


2.) 1 piece
Chocolate Visions
Pumpkin
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) /piece
Calories: 60 calories
Cost: $2.00
Purchased from: Chocolate Visions, Scotts Valley, CA

Halloween is a major holiday for chocolate consumption in the U.S., so Happy Halloween all! Listed here are some items from my Halloween treat plate.


Long Grove Confectionery makes several novelty, Halloween and holiday chocolate items. This witch monster pop was good chocolate Halloween fun. I enjoyed this witch monster with two Salted Bourbon Caramels -- a carryover from Chocolate and Whisk(e)y Theme Week (from Salted Caramel, Chicago, IL).

And Pumpkin too!

The Chocolate Visions (Scotts Valley, CA) seasonal Pumpkin chocolate had a very authentic pumpkin pie taste. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some real pumpkin mixed in with pumpkin pie spices. (Postscript: They roast and puree "Cinderalla" pumpkins and mix with dark chocolate, butter, cream and spices.)