Haagen-Dazs - Trio - Salted Caramel and Chocolate ice cream - June 10, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Haagen-Dazs
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Ice Cream - Crispy Trio Layers
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (104 g.) / 14 fl. oz. (414 g.) in total container
Calories: 300 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $3.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Today's Haagen-Dazs Salted Caramel and Chocolate Ice Cream Crispy Trio Layers was a smooth blend of salted caramel and chocolate ice creams with thin layers of darker, Belgian chocolate.

The Haagen-Dazs brand was created 57 years ago in New York City, and has since been part of a few corporate portfolios, including Pillsbury, General Mills, and the Dreyers subsidiary of Nestle. Thankfully, the list of ingredients has stayed relatively short and the quality has remained relatively high over the years.

Green and Black's - Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 70% - June 9, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Green and Black's
Pure Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 70% Cacao
Good - Good +
Weight: .705 oz. (20 g.) / 4.23 oz. (120 g.) in total package
Calories: 115 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $3.81 (sale) for 1 package
Purchased from: Target, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #10 Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Today's package of individually-wrapped Green and Black's Pure Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 70% Cacao (small bars) was distributed by Mondelez International LLC (East Hanover, NJ).

This truly international product started out with cacao grown in Africa,* Yorkshire Caramel and Anglesey Sea Salt. The small bars were made in Poland, and distributed by a large U.S.-based corporation.

The 70% cacao dark chocolate base was smooth and had a pleasant browned butter/brown sugar (with a hint of malt) aroma. Flecks of caramel and flakes of sea salt added some texture.

Good news. These small bars contained no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. However, sadly (for a gluten-free person), they did contain wheat (glucose syrup, from wheat). Caramels made in Europe are more likely to contain glucose syrup, instead of corn syrup more frequently encountered in U.S. confections.

*The company cites their involvement in the Cocoa Life program; cocoa is "hand-harvested from African small-holder farms."

Godiva - Milk Chocolate Caramel Lion - June 8, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Godiva Chocolatier, Inc.
Masterpieces Milk Chocolate Caramel Lion
Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 g.) / 5.1 oz. (146 g.) in total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 serving (5 pieces)
Cost: $3.96 for 1 package
Purchased from: Kohl's, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Caramel

Today's package of individually-wrapped, Masterpieces Milk Chocolate Caramel Lion of Belgium chocolates were from Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. (New York, NY).

The unwrapped, attractive, shield-shaped caramel-filled lions of Belgium were very sweet.* The sugar and corn syrup dominated the tasting experience, with a bit of milk chocolate and caramel texture in the background.

Godiva's Masterpieces filled chocolates highlight some of the company's signature offerings. In this case the iconic embossed lion was likely inspired by a Belgian coat of arms.**

*Ingredients: "Sugar, corn syrup, cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate, milk powder, skim milk powder, heavy cream, invert sugar, butter (unsalted), glycerin, butter oil (milk), emulsifier (soy lecithin), caramel, baking soda, natural flavor."

**In 1837, Belgium adopted a Coat of Arms that included a lion (known as Leo Belgicus).

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.