Butlers - Chocolate Caramel Crunch Bar - May 21, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Butlers Chocolates
Chocolate Caramel Crunch Bar
Good 
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Caramel Crunch Bar was from Butlers Chocolates (North Dublin, Ireland).

This filled milk chocolate candy bar had a faint sea sal/savory nuttiness note in the aroma. I gently broke off the first segment. And a waterfall of liquid golden sugar burst forth as the milk chocolate shell broke apart. It made me wonder how this bar had survived the shipping and handling process.

The relatively creamy milk chocolate outer layer was overpowered almost immediately by the flowing caramel. As for the hazelnut, I did taste one small bit of hazelnut, but not until the very last bite.

I suggest sharing this bar with a friend. If you do, get a napkin or two first; and divide it on/over a plate, to protect clothing from caramel drips.

Good-bye Caramel Weeks

Most people assume I eat chocolate because I have a sweet tooth. However, if you know me, you know that while I'm a chocolate omnivore, I prefer 100% cacao bars (without any added sugar) over sugary treats. I like the flavors of dark chocolate and am saddened when they're overwhelmed by too much sugar. 

Dark chocolate also fits into my carbohydrate budget and still allows me to eat a few pieces of fresh fruit every day, which I also like. Alas, caramel is high in sugar....because it is sugar. And, after tomorrow, I will still feature an occasional dark chocolate caramel pieces; but this will be my last caramel and/or toffee Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet. It's been fun. 

Candy Math

The following candy math is what drove the point home for me about caramel and toffee.

Today's sweet flowing caramel milk (20%) chocolate (32%) bar contained 44 g. of Total Carb., and 40 g.* of Total Sugars--according to the label. (Note: suggested serving for this bar is 1/2 bar; I ate the whole bar.)

Bottom line: If this is correct, I consumed the equivalent of 9.75 teaspoons of sugar* in less than 10 minutes this morning. The same size (2.65 oz./75 g.) 75% dark chocolate bar** (without milk) contains approximately 18.55 g. of sugars, less than half the amount of sugar. 

*Forty grams of sugar(s) is about the same amount of sugar in one 12 fl. oz. (355 mL) can of Coca Cola (which contains closer to 39 g. of sugar to be precise), i.e. approximately 9.75 teaspoons of sugar in one can.

**For a look at how much sugar you might find in chocolate bars, see this page, with illustrations on Wm. Chocolate website.

The Oakland Chocolate Company - Strawberry Cardamom Caramel - May 20, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Strawberry Cardamom Caramel
Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g. ) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company (online)

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

After eating more industrial versions of chocolate and sugar this week, I really appreciated today's flavorful Strawberry Cardamom Caramel from Nancy Nadel, who is the chief chocolate maker at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA).

Nadel was an early player in the artisan chocolate maker movement that lifted off around the turn of the century (2000). She was also one of the first women making chocolates from scratch in California, starting with cocoa beans rather than blocks of pre-made chocolate.

Nadel's tree to bonbon/bar chocolates, have been crafted using cacao grown in specific areas in one country--originally the Parish of St. Mary in Jamaica via the (now defunct) Jamaican Cocoa Industry Board for 13 years. Cacao beans are now from Bachelors Hall (Parish of St. Thomas) in Jamaica. (And she managed this business and its many moving parts for several years while serving on the Oakland City Council. Impressive.)

Over the years, her chocolates have included an array of flavor inclusions that have incorporated exotic blends and tropical fruits and spices, and today's piece was no exception.

Today's Strawberry Cardamom Caramel was a layering of fresh, authentic flavors. The result was a match made in heaven. Sweet, naturally fruit tart caramel with a very soft chew was surrounded by flavorful dark chocolate. A subtle hint of cardamom added an uplifting spice note. And a tiny piece of strawberry on top contributed a natural berry sparkle.

*Earlier Bay Area chocolate-making pioneers, such as Domingo Ghirardelli (Italy via South America) and Etienne Guittard (France) arrived in the San Francisco area in the 1800s, influenced by the Gold Rush. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (now in San Leandro, CA) is part of Hershey Chocolate Company; and Guittard Chocolate Company is still family-owned as of this writing.

Dagoba - Milk bar + Chocolove Toffee Almonds bar + Dolfin Caramel bar - May 19, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Dagoba
"Milk" - Milk chocolate bar
Good 
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.83 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220? (guess) calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

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

Today we have three bars: a Milk Chocolate bar from Dagoba (Hershey) and a re-taste of a Toffee and Almonds small bar from Chocolove (Boulder, CO), and an even smaller Chocolat Au Lait Caramel bar made in Belgium by Dolfin S.A.

Often, milk chocolate bars will have a slight caramel taste to them, a result of the interaction between the added milk (powder) and sugar. This Dagoba bar did not. Although it did taste smooth and milky.

Caramel and toffee are both forms of cooked sugar(s) where the sugar molecules change state. Caramel, typically made with white sugar, is brought to 340 degrees F. (170 degrees C.). In the U.S. toffee can be made with brown or white sugar; and toffee is typically more well done (harder) than al dente (caramel) in the U.S. Both forms can complement chocolate nicely in the right proportions.

Unless one is armed with a candy thermometer, one can go from soft, flowing golden caramel to hard toffee-like, crunchy bits and pendants in minutes. (The degree of "caramel" flavor may vary depending on technique as well.) Almost any cooked sugar is a potentially interesting plaything, but you'll want to plan ahead if you're expecting company. Not everyone is a rabidly curious scientist--a pity really. And friends don't always appreciate being used as guinea pigs.

Whether you accidentally made caramel when you meant to create toffee or vice versa, a small bite of either homemade golden brown sweet treat can be delicious. Although, your teeth (after being sugar-jacketed) will may remind you a little goes a long way.

Every chocolate maker has their own way of incorporating cooked sugars into chocolate (covering, substrate, companion, getting wholly lost in each other, etc.)

Chocolove
Toffee and Almonds in Milk Chocolate small bar
Good +
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

I re-tasted this small Toffee and Almonds in Milk Chocolate bar from Chocolove (Boulder, CO). This was probably my favorite of the three bars. For a 33% cocoa chocolate, this one seemed more flavorful than other comparable milk chocolates with caramel. Identifiable pieces of toffee and almonds make it a more interesting bar to taste by adding layered flavors and textures. Nuts tend to balance out sweetness.

Dolfin 

Chocolat au Lait Caramel (bar)

Good 

Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) in 1 small bar

Calories: 53 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar

Cost: $N/A part of a bigger sale 

Purchased from: missing information

Last but not least was this thin milk chocolate caramel cutie from Dolfin (Belgium). It was the perfect size for a snack, or to accompany tea or coffee for dessert.

The company has done a nice job with flavors in bars over the years. Most flavor inclusions in their bars are balanced and subtle and fully incorporated into the chocolate creating a uniform smoothness. It was the same with this mini bar. The milk and caramel flavors were merged completely with the chocolat, giving it a smooth texture and flavor ride.

I would have loved to have tried a 40% - 50% cacao version of this one, with a little less sugar and milk, to see if I could taste un petit more of the chocolate flavor; but for this, there are other styles of chocolates ranging from small disks of chocolates adorned with fruit and nuts (mendiants*) to their chocolate descendants: artisan dark chocolate bars artfully sprinkled (or fully loaded) with a wide variety of ingredients on the back side.

*Mendiants (literally means beggars in English) are chocolate confections from France. Flat chocolate discs were adorned with nuts and pieces/slices of dried fruits (raisins, figs, etc.) that were said to represent the colors of monastic robes (from four mendicant or monastic orders) that were shades of brown and beige, grayish brown and a purplish (grape) color. Monks who took a vow of poverty may have depended on the charity of others, thus the name.

Since then chocolatiers in the U.S. and elsewhere have taken this mendiant format and added some brighter fruit colors, kiwi green, oranges, yellows, purples, reds, you name it, to brighten things up a bit, making this concept our own.

Vosges Haut Chocolat - 72% Dark Chocolate Black Salt Caramel Petites - May 18, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Vosges IP, LLC
72% Dark Chocolate Black Salt Caramel Petites
Good 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.2 oz. (90 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's attractively-packaged 72% Dark Chocolate Black Salt Caramel Petites were from Vosges (Chicago, IL).

These individually-wrapped and gluten free chocolate squares were an adventure on the dark side of caramel. They were still fairly sweet, but the choice to use darker chocolate, black sea salt and a darker-hued flowing caramel made them more complex and interesting than most milk chocolate caramel squares on the market.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company - Intense Dark Salted Caramel Cascade (bar) - May 17, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Intense Dark Salted Caramel Cascade (bar)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving of bar (2 squares)
Cost: $2.50 for 1 bar (2 bars for $5.00)
Purchased from: Walgreens, midtown Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Intense Dark Salted Caramel Cascade (bar) was from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (San Leandro, CA).

Most mass market chocolates tend to be very sweet. Add caramel to the mix and one can't taste the chocolate that's covering a mass of sugary goo. Thankfully, this dark chocolate (I wouldn't use the term "intense," but it) was smooth. And the sweetness level was held in check by the inclusion of sea salt.

I liked the thinness of this filled chocolate bar. A layer of crunchy and slightly chewy sweet caramel bits was sandwiched between two ultra-thin layers of dark chocolate, making these balanced flavors rapidly accessible.

Ingredients: Sugar, unsweetened chocolate, glucose syrup (wheat), cocoa butter, milk fat, cream (milk), butter (cream, salt), nonfat dry milk, sea salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin, salt, vanilla extract. 

Note: there may be traces of wheat/gluten in this bar.

Atypic Chocolate - Caramel Brittle 72% Dark Chocolate Vanuatu bar - May 16, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Atypic Chocolate
Caramel Brittle 72% Dark Chocolate Vanuatu bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 161.35 calories (estimate based on label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Caramel and Toffee Theme Week.

Today's Caramel Brittle 72% Dark Chocolate Vanuatu bar was from Atypic Artiste Chocolatier/Atypic Chocolate (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia).

Atypic Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolaterie, co-founded by Charles Lemai, that offers chocolate bars, confections and spreads. The company sources sustainably farmed cacao beans from "all over the South Pacific to carefully craft the finest single origin chocolates."

This attractively-packaged, ebony-colored Caramel Brittle bar was a piece of art--an avant-garde stained glass window--adorned with panes of caramel brittle on one side. A line art map of Melbourne was printed on one side of the inner wrapper. (I'm a sucker for map art and have enjoyed this tradition, e.g. SOMA Chocolate (Toronto) and various chocolate city maps over the years.)

The base chocolate, made from cacao grown in Vanuatu, had a dark chocolate (72%) aroma and a very slightly grainy texture--possibly from the organic cane sugar or the cacao being more coarsely ground. It had the dense dark flavor of a forastero cacao but with some mild fruit and other flavor notes (trinitario cacao?)* This chocolate was not too sweet (thank you!) which left room to enjoy the contrasting sweet brittle elements.

"Ingredients: cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cacao butter, sunflower lecithin, butter, salt flakes, bicarb soda."

"Vanuatu cacao may only make up one percent or less of the world's cacao supply; but cacao is well-suited to grow there, particularly in the warmer, northern provinces (closer to the Equator). Forastero and trinitario varieties are grown there. And cacao trees may be planted with crops like coconut palms, one of several varieties of bananas, and/or coffee. Like most developing countries where cacao is grown, cacao beans are fermented and dried "in country" where they're grown, but production--where these beans are transformed into chocolate--almost always takes place in fairly sophisticated, climate-controlled facilities in more developed countries.

Moka Origins - Organic Toffee Almond Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) - May 15, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Moka Origins
Toffee Almond Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 2.4 oz. (68 g.) in total bar
Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.95 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Moka Origins, online order

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

Today's Toffee Almond Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) was made by Moka Origins (Honesdale, PA).

Moka Origins was founded in 2015 with a focus on small batch chocolate and coffee. The founders, Ishan Tigunait and Jeff Abella, gained farm and community development experience in Cameroon. This initial project expanded to ethically sourced coffee and cacao partnerships in Uganda and elsewhere in cacao-producing countries, and chocolate making and coffee offerings in Pennsylvania.

Their organic Toffee Almond bar tasted fresh, and was a satisfying blend of smooth, almost creamy 72% cacao dark chocolate (Uganda cacao) with dark dense flavor and traces of balanced acidity and earth notes; authentic flecks of toffee--made with real unsalted butter and kosher salt; and pieces of roasted organic almonds.*

People don't believe me when I tell them I've been eating a different chocolate every day (usually grouped into theme weeks) for almost 14 years, and I don't really care for sugar. Once a year I generally run a theme week featuring chocolates that contain caramel and/or toffee. And most of them are too sweet for my taste; but I continue to search for favorites in this category.

Today's Moka Origins bar was perfect for those who don't want to feel overwhelmed by sugar. The toffee flecks in the dark chocolate offered sparkles of warm caramelized sugar, without hitting a wall of sweetness. The judicious flecks (combined with the specific chocolate) allowed one to actually taste the flavor nuances in the chocolate underneath, generally impossible with most chocolates with caramel fillings or toffee inclusions.

*Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic toffee (organic cane sugar, organic unsalted butter, Kosher salt), organic cocoa butter, organic roasted almonds.