Trader Joe's - Chocolate Covered Caramels - June 7, 2018

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21 g.) / 10 oz. (284 g.) in total container
Calories: 85 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $3.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

Trader Joe's
Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels
Good
Weight: .128 oz. (3.6 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total package
Calories: 19 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $3.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

After 11+ years of sampling numerous chocolates from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA), it was surprising to find two more un-sampled chocolate and caramel offerings.

The Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels came in a clear plastic container with replaceable lid. These, gluten-free, generously-sized, roughly rectangular pieces were, as promised, covered in dark chocolate and stuffed with traditional soft, sticky caramel—that hearkened back to childhood days of bags of Kraft caramels (purchased to make caramel apples, but often pre-sampled). As an adult, the corn syrup (and cream)-based caramels tasted too sweet; but those with a sweet tooth may enjoy these.

The Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels were glossy rounds with a stiffer caramel and butterscotch flavor-infused filling. If you grew up with Butterscotch Lifesavers in childhood, you may recognize this butterscotch flavor. The (dark) chocolate to caramel ratio was a bit higher with these butterscotch caramels.

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.

OmNom Chocolate - Caramel + Milk bar - June 5, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

OmNom Chocolate
Caramel + Milk bar
Good+
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g. ) in total bar
Calories: 162.3 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: ZombieRunner, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Take a virtual voyage to Iceland, via chocolate. This beautifully packaged Caramel + Milk bar from OmNom Chocolate was made in Reykjavik, Iceland.

The milk chocolate (made with Icelandic milk) was more flavorful than most milk chocolate or caramel bars. It had fruit and faint earth notes that weren't entirely muffled by the milk or overshadowed by sugar.

Instead of a velvety pillow of caramel filling, the caramel in this bar was incorporated into glossy granules that adorned one side of the bar.

Take time for your senses to enjoy the layered goodness as you unwrap and taste this bar.

Chocolove - Salted Caramel Cup - June 4, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolove
Salted Caramel Cup - Dark Chocolate 55%
Good ++
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) in 1 cup
Calories: 80 calories in 1 cup
Cost: $1.19 for 1 cup
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate (55% Cocoa Content) Salted Caramel Cup from Chocolove (Boulder, CO) came in a small (single cup) serving package. But, the flavors were big.

Flavorful deep, dark chocolate was filled with soft, buttery, golden caramel. The 55% chocolate contrasted well with the sweet caramel.

As will any caramel-filled chocolate, don't put this in your back pocket or take a large bite without having a napkin handy.

Five Star Organics - Ocho Organic Caramel Egg - June 3, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Five Star Organics LLC

Ocho Organic Caramel Egg

Good

Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.88 oz. (110 g.) in total package

Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving (3 eggs)

Cost: $5.79 for 1 package of 10 eggs

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

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

The founders of Five Star Organics LLC (Oakland, CA) wanted to remake the standard candy bar, without extra additives and preservatives. The resulting line of organic bars and confections satisfy a candy craving and are made with higher-quality organic ingredients than you might find elsewhere.

The chocolate egg "shell" tasted better than bulk commercial chocolate used to cover caramel eggs. And the generous caramel filling with a hint of sea salt, while quite sweet,* satisfied the sweet tooth.

*Try pairing sweeter milk chocolate caramels with a handful of almonds or other whole food, to slow down a sugar spike.

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Salted Caramel Latte 43% bar - June 2, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Salted Caramel Latte 43% Cocoa Dark Milk bar

Good - Good +

Weight: 1.236 oz. (35 g.) / 3.25 oz. (92 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 3 blocks of bar

Cost: $3.69 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

This Salted Caramel Latte 43% Cocoa Dark Milk (bar) from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, VT) seemed like a good choice for a busy day.

Described as "a salty-sweet mocha treat," this organic, fair trade, Kosher Dairy, filled bar did offer pleasing smooth chocolate and (Dominican) coffee flavor and the sweetness of the "golden salted caramel."

There's also something fun about taking a bite out of a filled caramel chocolate, and looking back at a set of soft caramel "fangs," as the filling oozes slowly out of its shell.

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Milk Chocolate Caramel 34% bar - June 1, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Milk Chocolate Caramel 34% cocoa (bar) 

Good

Weight: 1.236 oz. (35 g.) / 3.25 oz. (92 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 3 blocks of bar

Cost: $1.50 (sale) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Caramel 34% Cocoa (bar) was from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, VT). If you have a sweet tooth to satisfy, you might want to try this "creamy, dessert-style caramel" bar.

As promised—and a bit higher quality chocolate than similar, popular 34% caramel-filled milk chocolate bars—this sweet, smooth milk chocolate bar was filled with soft, golden caramel that politely oozed out every time a bite was taken into each square.