Moonstruck - Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee bar - June 8, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Moonstruck Chocolate Co.
Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee bar
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Butter Theme Week. I added a bonus day to this week, due to the variety of chocolate items that contain butter.

One of the reasons I like toffee, caramel, and chocolate-covered caramel turtle/terrapin items -- all of which have been featured this past week -- is the butter. It adds a certain richness and balance, and a hint of salt helps to accentuate certain flavors in chocolate -- as long as there is not too much sugar and salt.

The Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee bar from Moonstruck Chocolate Co. (Portland, OR) was made with 31% milk chocolate, so it was relatively sweet. Tiny bits of embedded toffee gave the bar a slight, soft crunch. Despite the toffee, sea salt, almonds, sugar and other ingredients, I could, happily, still make out a faint hint of butter, my favorite part. The bar was stamped with the message: "Share if you dare."

I also paired pieces of this bar with Jeni's Browned Butter Almond Brittle Ice Cream, and topped this sundae with fresh pecan halves. This combination was a bit rich for a hot day outside, but the sundae was in a very small glass. Small-sized and shotglass desserts are always easier to justify, if you feel you need to do so.

Lula's Chocolates - Milk Chocolate Turtles - June 7, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lula's Chocolates
Milk Chocolate Turtles
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 package of 2 turtles
Calories: 450 calories (estimate) in total package, 2 turtles
Cost: $5.75 for 1 package
Purchased from: More Than Caviar, Monterey, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Butter Theme Week.

Sometimes even a small amount of butter can make a big difference in flavor or texture. This was certainly the case for these rich-tasting milk chocolate covered caramel and pecan turtles from Lula's Chocolates (Monterey, CA).

The turtles also tasted quite fresh -- likely due to my buying them at "More Than Caviar" (Monterey, CA), a small shop located a short distance, across town, from where Lula's produces their line of caramels and chocolates, including butter cremes, turtles, toffees and rocky road chocolates.

Thank you to the folks at More Than Caviar for their helpful information about Lula's Chocolates, and Russian chocolates.

Alprose - Chocolate fondue - June 6, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Alprose
Swiss Baking Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 10.5 oz. (300 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. serving of fondue
Cost: $4.99 (estimate, sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway, Menlo Park, CA

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

I melted half of this large (10.5 oz., 300 g.) baking chocolate bar from Alprose (Castano-Lugano, Switzerland) with a generous hunk of butter, and 1 tablespoon of cacao-infused olive oil to make a creamy dark fondue.


This fondue traveled well in a glass jar (with screw-top lid) for a trip to Monterey. We picked up some local fresh strawberries, and when dipped into this chocolate, the combination made for a simple, but elegant and flavorful dessert classic.

Kohler - Original Buttery Terrapins - June 5, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Kohler Co.
Original Buttery Terrapins
Very Good
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) / 3.4 oz. (96 g.) in total box of 4 pieces
Calories: 260 calories for 2 pieces
Cost: $11.99 for a box of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Kohler Co. (online)

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

These rich, buttery terrapins from Kohler Co. (Kohler, WI) did not disappoint. Layers of fresh* tasting, quality ingredients -- chocolate, pecans and buttery caramel were visible with each bite.

Kohler produces a line of terrapins (chocolate turtles) that includes today's Original Buttery, as well as Blackstrap, Java and Cranberry flavors.

*Fresh is key when it comes to caramels.

Lucerne Foods - Gluten Free Brownies - June 4, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Lucerne Foods Inc.
Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mix
OK + - Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 16 oz. (454 g.) total box of mix
Calories: 130 calories for 1 brownie
Cost: $3.99 for 1 box of mix
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

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

These Eating Right Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies from Lucerne Foods, Inc. (Pleasanton, CA) were relatively chocolatey and attractive looking. Made from a mix, I added fresh eggs and butter (a little extra butter actually).

Early versions of commercially available gluten-free cakes and brownies ran the risk of being slightly dry and crumbly. These brownies hung together well -- almost unnaturally well, while still retaining a somewhat moist, slightly spongy texture. It may have been the touch of xanthan gum, a binder used in gluten-free baked goods.

I debated whether to add some buttercream frosting to this batch of brownies, and decided against it. Too much sugar. However, spreading a little salted butter across the top was not out of the question.

Nut 'n Bean - Chocolate Chip Cookie Almond Butter - June 3, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nut 'n Bean
Chocolate Chip Cookie Almond Butter
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3) g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total jar
Calories: 190 calories (estimate) in approx. 2 TB serving
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 jar
Purchased from: Nut 'n Bean table at Palo Alto Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

There are many kinds of butters. The nut butter selection has expanded considerably in the past several years where I live. So, one can buy not just almond butter, but many different kinds of almond butter now.

Today's Chocolate Chip Cookie Almond Butter from Nut 'n Bean (Hayward, CA), purchased at a local farmers market, did capture the flavors of a chocolate chip cookie with a hint of coconut. It was good spread on bread or toast (or, in my case, gluten free bread).

If you like these buttery cookie and coconut flavors, you can take this cookie on toast concept one step further by garnishing your toast with chopped organic coconut butter toffee and almonds. Too much? Perhaps. This isn't an episode of "pimp my toast" after all; however buttery flavors are seductive.

Patric Chocolate - Browned Butter Bar - June 2, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patric Chocolate
Browned Butter Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .766 oz. (11.6 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in 1/3 bar
Calories: 115 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

Butter has become more popular in recent years, as reports have surfaced that margarine isn't as healthy as it was once thought to be, and fats were deemed to be perhaps not quite the death knell that they were made out to be either. But, then again, a good solid majority of Americans continued their love affair with butter, without paying much attention to grim warnings.

Butter lovers now have something else to celebrate -- some new butter and craft chocolate combinations, such as today's glossy Browned Butter Bar from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO).

Dark chocolate with browned butter, brown sugar and sea salt. That's it. This bar was well balanced with fruit acid and tangy flavors from the chocolate and brown sugar and rich brown butter notes.