Gnosis Chocolate - Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar - May 20, 2024

Chocolate of The Day

Gnosis Chocolate 
Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 193 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar was from Gnosis Chocolate (Astoria, NY).

Aroma notes behind this thoughtfully crafted bar included: dark chocolate, very faint fruit (date), and very faint caramel and botanicals.

Texture: smooth (dark chocolate and velvety caramel), yet it was also slightly granular. 

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate and caramel with very faint nut and slightly sweet botanicals (consistent with maca, lucuma).

The sweetness level was relatively high; but it was less than most caramel filled chocolates. And it had less of a sugar buzz. (Thank you!) The salt was very subtle.

Ingredients: "raw cacao beans*, medjool dates*, raw cashews*, virgin coconut oil*, coconut sugar*, raw blue agave*, lucuma*, Balinese pyramid salt, maca root*, Love (* - organic)"

Allergen-related information: (contains cashews; coconut (oil, sugar))

Fjak Sjokolade - Brunost Karameller Med Sjokolade - June 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade
Brunost Karameller Med Sjokolade 
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total box of 8 pieces
Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $26.00 for 1 box of 8 caramels
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cheese Theme Week.

Today's Brunost Karameller (Brown Cheese Caramels and Milk Chocolate) confections were made by Fjak Sjokolade (Hardanger, Norway). 

Norwegian brown cheese* already has a bit of caramel flavor, so it seemed like a natural complement to a chocolate caramel in the hands of a skilled maker. (It was.)

These square caramels were a study in artful contradiction. Uniform but layered, harmonious yet complex. These milk chocolate caramels were silky smooth, yet also had a brief, very slightly granular (cheese) phase--that melted and morphed back to satin smooth. A bit of a magic trick.

Flavor notes: Sweet caramel and flavorful 45% milk chocolate. And the maker(s) successfully incorporated a third element: a balanced, very slightly savory note (brown cheese), without the end product being too sweet or salty. There's no need to over-season great, high-quality flavors. (Fjak used single origin cacao, and local dairy/Norwegian brown cheese products.)

These caramels were well executed, fun to try, and tasty. They were great by themselves. One or two of these rich caramels filled me up. They also would be interesting to try on a fruit and cheese plate, and possibly with other sweet and savory (cheese) pairings.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cocoa beans*, sugar*, dry milk*, cocoa butter*), sugar*, cream*, butter*, brown cheese*, glucose, invert sugar, sea salt*, baking soda (*organic).

Allergen-related information: Allergens: lactose (contains dairy)

*Brown cheese is made by boiling whey (a liquid, cheese by-product) down to thick, sweet caramelized form. It is uniquely Norwegian, and is difficult to find elsewhere. It is often cut off a block, into thin slices, and served on bread/toast. It may be eaten as part of a breakfast sandwich of toast, brown cheese and jam, or as part of a snack.

Beyond Good - Uganda Salted Caramel 73% Cocoa (bar) - July 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Beyond Good  

Organic Uganda Salted Caramel 73% Cocoa (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories in 1/3 bar

Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Uganda Theme Week.

Today's Beyond Good Organic Uganda Salted Caramel 73% Cocoa (bar) was produced in Italy and distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY).

Madecasse has been working with farmers in Madagascar and Uganda to source direct trade certified cocoa for many years, and has a chocolate factory in Madagascar, employing local Malagassy workers. They hope to open a second factory in Uganda. (They also offer a very nice Madagascar vanilla extract which may have been used in today's bar.) 

Aroma notes for this bar included rich dark chocolate, salty earth, brown sugar caramel.

I like well-executed complex chocolates, textures and layered flavors. This chocolate had all of the above. And this 73% cocoa chocolate wasn't too sweet (thank you).

A smooth, but flavorful dark chocolate base (that was bold, mellow as a fine whiskey might be, with gentle upticks of earth, vanilla and salt) was packed with tiny flecks of crunchy caramelized sugar. 

There was a very faint, diffuse stone fruit note, but overwhelmingly the flavor was, as promised, "chocolatey." It had a very authentic, well-rounded cacao/chocolate flavor--beyond brownies.

Beyond Good described their bar as follows: "Rich and chocolatey with a caramel crunch"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic caramel (organic cane sugar, organic glucose syrup), organic cocoa butter, sea salt, organic vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and tree nuts." Certified Organic, gluten free, soy free, vegan; Non-GMO Verified

Safeway - Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - July 17, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway
Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
Good 
Weight: .81 oz. (23 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 100 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $0.60 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Savory Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel was from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

The square-shaped, chocolate covered confection had a pleasant chocolate aroma; and each bite yielded a soft swoon into a caramel center punctuated by a few crunchy sea salt crystals. A classic high-end candy combination for a very reasonable price; and just the right size--hearty enough for a tidy, 3 bite serving of sweet, yet small enough to avoid a sugar avalanche.

Sea salt + caramel + chocolate. Adding two addictive substances to a third, and one of the most common example of a savory chocolate. I also sampled this Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel with a small fruit and cheese plate, and the two items paired together very nicely.

Ingredients: Caramel (corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk (milk, sugar), sugar, heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, invert sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, soy lecithin; dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla); sea salt

Dolfin - Milk Chocolate with Salted Butter Caramel bar - Oct. 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dolfin SA
Milk Chocolate with Salted Butter Caramel bar
Good +
Weight: 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Salt and Savory Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Salted Butter Caramel bar was from Dolfin SA (Wauthier-Braine, Belgium).

This smooth, creamy milk chocolate caramel bar contained butter and Guerande sea salt. And, like yesterday's dark milk chocolate savory bar with pretzels and sea salt, this combination was a bit addictive.

Added vanilla and caramel flavorings gave the bar a distinct butterscotch flavor and finish.

Copyright 2019. Unauthorized use of the text and/or images from this site, www.ChocolateBanquet.com, is a copyright violation.

Not Your Sugar Mamas - Salted Caramel Bar - June 6, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Not Your Sugar Mamas

Salted Caramel Handmade Superfood Chocolate Bar

Good

Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.1 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62.2 g.) in total bar

Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $7.59 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's Salted Caramel Handmade Superfood Chocolate Bar from Not Your Sugar Mamas (Vineyard Haven, MA) was, surprisingly, not made with cane sugar, or corn/glucose syrup.

Instead, the Salted Caramel dark (68% cacao) bar's "caramel" center was made with organic coconut nectar and organic maple syrup; and the resulting bar had a darker, richer blend of chocolate and sweetener flavors.

The caramel may not have had the opaque look and creaminess of dairy* and sugar-based caramel, but it was satisfying without a noticeable sugar buzz.

A hint of vanilla and Himalayan sea salt helped evoke a traditional salted caramel tasting experience.

Note: As with all chocolate, keep this bar in a cool, dark place. The maple syrup can get slightly crunchy around the edges. Not a bad thing in this case (it added some textural interest); but things can happen to chocolate if it's inadvertently exposed to higher or lower temperatures.

*The bar was made without dairy, gluten or refined sugar.

Unilever Magnum Gold?! ice cream bars - May 16, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unilever
Magnum Gold?! ice cream bars
Good
Weight: 3.38 fl. oz. (86 g./100 mL) / 10.14 fl. oz. (300 mL) in box of 3 ice cream bars
Calories: 290 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $missing info
Purchased from: Safeway


Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Caramel and Toffee Week, as I transition away from three weeks of chocolate items with salt.

We start this week with an echo from last week's salted caramel series, with today's Magnum Gold!? ice cream bar swathed in a bright, shiny gold wrapper.

Today's box of 3 Magnum frozen ice cream bars was from Unilever (Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

These almost amber-colored bars were described as "vanilla bean ice cream with sea salt caramel swirl, dipped in a golden chocolatey coating."

The (Belgian) chocolate,* the inner coating layer, was relegated to a colorful decorative accent color in these stylish bars.

Unilever's Magnum line includes several flavors. One of the first Magnum ice cream bars I had was a "Double Caramel" ice cream bars. The company also offers a Sea Salt Caramel ice cream bar.


*These bars were made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa and Vanilla.

Ghirardelli - Dark & Sea Salt Caramel squares - May 15, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Dark and Sea Salt Caramel - Squares
Good
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) / Net Wt.: 5.32 oz. (151 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 70 calories for 1 square
Cost: $0 (coupon for 1 free package); $5.29 for 1 package/bag of 10 squares
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Salted Caramel Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate, Caramel and Toffee Theme Week.

I thought I might have tried every flavor of individually-wrapped squares from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (San Leandro, CA).

However, not today's Dark and Sea Salt Caramel. These squares were advertised as "rich, slow-melting dark chocolate and buttery caramel filling enhanced by a touch of sea salt."

Despite the soy lecithin, TBHQ - preservatives, and other extras, I believe this was my favorite flavor in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares line so far.

Coincidentally, I was able to share these squares with others at a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a restored salt marsh area on the shores of San Francisco Bay. *

What I liked about the packaging is that even on a hot day, these were securely wrapped so that people didn't have melted chocolate and caramel everywhere later.


*When Ghirardelli first started making chocolate in the mid-1800s, there were dozens of active sea salt producers still left in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Like many industries that start out with many smaller operations, there was consolidation in salt. Now Cargill is the last company to operate a large-scale sea salt works on San Francisco Bay—one of only two such operations left in the U.S. I believe.

Pretzel Perfection - Salted Caramel Clusters - May 11, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Pretzel Perfection
Salted Caramel Clusters
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85.1 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Ross (store), Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Salted Caramel Theme Week.

Today's (gluten free) Salted Caramel Clusters were crunchy, melty, sweet and salty confections from Pretzel Perfection (Vancouver, WA).

There are a few gluten-free items that may actually approach, or dare I say exceed, conventional wheat-based baked good flavor and texture. Gluten-free brownies, flourless chocolate cakes and certain gluten-free pretzels fall into this category.

So, I'm happy to say there were no sacrifices because today's pretzel-based confection pieces were gluten free.

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

Salazon Chocolate - 57% Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel bar - May 9, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Salazon Chocolate Co. LLC
57% Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Caramel bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.37 oz. (39 g.) / 2.75 oz. (78 g.) in total bar
Calories: 187 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to the second day of Chocolate and Salted Caramel Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Caramel bar was from Salazon Chocolate Co. LLC (Eldersburg, MD).

Salazon crafts their chocolate from organic, single origin, Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade Certified, Hispaniola cacao beans from the Dominican Republic.

The 57% cacao dark chocolate in this bar encased a buttery and slightly salty, liquid caramel filling; so if you're out on the trail, take care when you're breaking this bar open to eat or share.

A relief map of the world was embossed across the top side. And the construction of this bar created a dimensional layering of flavors: chocolate, liquid caramel, and a sprinkle of sea salt on the back.

Today's bar was a Salazon Trail Series bar—meaning, in this case, that at least 2 percent of gross proceeds of this bar will support the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

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

thinkThin - Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Protein Nut Bar - May 8, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

thinkThin
Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Protein Nut Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Salted Caramel Theme Week—the third week of a chocolate + salt-themed trifecta of bars and confections.

thinkThin, LLC (Los Angeles, CA) distributes a family of protein bars, including today's Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Protein Nut Bar.

This gluten-free bar was a crunchy, crispy crumbly amalgam of nuts (almonds and peanuts); seeds (pumpkin and sunflower); soy crisps (protein); chocolate; and other items; and it was suffused with a hint of caramel flavor and sea salt.

From what I can recall, thinkThin bars like this have more whole and/or lightly processed ingredients than several years ago—and, if true, this is a positive move.

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

Chantal Guillon - 3 Macarons - Oct. 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chantal Guillon
1.) Tiramisu macaron - Good
2.) Salted Caramel macaron - Good
3.) Red Velvet - Good
Weight: .9 oz. (25.47 g.) (estimate) for 3 macarons
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) in 3 macarons
Cost: $5.50 for 1/2 box ($11.00 for 6-piece box)
Purchased from: Chantal Guillon (shop), in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week.

These colorful, round gluten-free cookies came from Chantal Guillon's macaron and tea shop in downtown Palo Alto, in northern California. Rows of macarons were displayed in glass cases inside a chic, white interior.

Macarons are airy and sweet, generally gluten-free confection cookies with a creamy filling sandwiched between two rounds. Popular in France and elsewhere in Europe, they've also been easier to find in the U.S. in recent years.

I tried three Chantal Guillon flavors: 1.) Tiramisu (the flavor of the month for September 2014, dusted with cocoa powder); 2.) Salted Caramel (a best seller); and Red Velvet (red and white, with a hint of cocoa powder).

Macarons are a bit sweet for everyday consumption, but these cheery (polka dot) confections were well executed and attractively colored; and I did enjoy exploring the different flavors.

The Salted Caramel was my favorite of the three, followed by the Tiramisu. A bit of salt and butter often helps balance the sweetness. The Tiramisu was lighter in texture and flavor with a hint of mocha flavor which also helped amp down the sugar.

B.T. McElrath - Salted Caramel - Dec. 1, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Salted Butter Caramel
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .38 oz. (10.8 g.) / 1.9 oz. (54 g.) total box
Calories: 56 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $12.00 for 5-piece truffle assortment box
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath (online order)


Happy December 1st! I hope wherever you are, you're making plans to enjoy this last month of 2013. I'm looking forward to combinations of chocolate, caramel, sea salt, sugar and spice, and maybe some cacao nibs and coconut to keep me warm as we head into winter.

Today's chocolate could spread chocolate wings and head south if need be. This butterfly-shaped buttery milk chocolate, from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN), was filled with a silky, flowing caramel center. A hint of salt helped balance and round out the rich, smooth sweet taste.

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

Theo Pink Salt Caramels - March 13, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Pink Salted Vanilla Caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: .228 oz. (6.5 g.) / 1.83 oz. (52 g.) total package of 4 pieces
Calories: 26 calories for 1/2 piece
Cost: $8.95 for 1 package of 4
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today's dark chocolate covered lovelies from bean-to-bar maker, Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA), were filled with vanilla-infused caramel. This caramel was, according to information on the Theo website, crafted in small batches, in copper pots, and hand-stirred. Each chocolate-covered, rectangular caramel was decorated with a diagonal stripe of pink sea salt crystals.


After a first bite, the very smooth vanilla caramel flowed ever so slowly out onto a plate. Just the right texture for a fresh caramel filling. If I'd waited too long to eat this, this caramel may have become tougher and chewier -- more dense, but probably not as fresh and flavorful.

Chocolate and vanilla: two classic, elemental flavors in the periodic table of sweets. These caramels were sparkled up with the right amount of pink sea salt.

Salt Crystals: Size Matters

Salt crystal size matters. Theses pink salt crystals were large enough to stay intact (smaller, finer crystals can melt into the chocolate creating overly homogeneous salty patches); and the crystals were small enough to provide interesting flavor bursts throughout the tasting experience without being too overpowering.

Today was the first Day of Chocolate and Vanilla Theme Week. 

ChocolateBet: May 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Starbucks
Hot Cocoa - Salted Caramel (mix)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 envelope/ 8 oz. (224 g.) in total box
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box of 8 envelopes
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week. I mixed up a packet of salted caramel, dark hot cocoa mix from Starbucks (with hot water), stirred, and enjoyed in the comfort of my own home.

Three years ago, I had tried Starbucks seasonal, Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate, made with milk, at a Starbucks location in San Jose, CA. This in-store version was made with 2% milk, and may have been just a bit better...or was that the whipped cream that they generously applied? Hard to remember that far back.

In any case, it was a testament to today's hot cocoa mix that it tasted rich and smooth, even made with hot water instead of the recommended hot milk.

ChocolateBet: June 22, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

1.) Safeway Select
French Salted Caramel (Fleur de Sel) Ice Cream
Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (66 g.) / 1.5 quarts (1.42 L) total container
Calories: 230 calories
Cost: $ not available
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

2.) Fabrique Delices
Salted Caramel Macaron & Chocolate Macaron
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.48 oz. (42 g.) / 9.25 oz. (262 g.) total package
Calories:
Cost: $11.99 total package
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Mediterranean Theme Week, and the first in a series of Chocolate and Gluten-Free Cookies this week. There's nothing like a petit bit of sea salt (from the Mediterranean or another sea) to liven up caramel and chocolate. In keeping with this theme, Safeway's French Fleur de Sel ice cream contained tiny chocolate covered sea salt caramels. And the Fabrique Delices (Hayward, CA) Macarons came in a (frozen) mixed pack of two flavors: Salted Caramel and Chocolate. Mais oui, these were good. Sweet, but good.

ChocolateBet: December 10, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

6 pieces/1 box
Bissinger's
Salted Margarita Caramels
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 2.2 oz. (62 grams)
Calories: 225 calories in 6 pieces
Cost: $7.99 total box (6 pieces)
Purchased from: Central Market, in Plano, TX

I've enjoyed salted caramels infused with lavender, rosemary, and other flavorings. The Margarita (tequila extract and slight citrus) flavor gave these Bissinger's chocolate covered caramels an interesting twist, and blended authentically with the salt crystals on top.