Dr. Bronner's - All-One Chocolate, Roasted Whole Hazelnuts Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Dec. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's
All-One Chocolate Roasted Whole Hazelnuts Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 255 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.50 for 1 bar (2 for $7.00)
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's All-One Chocolate Roasted Whole Hazelnuts Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) was made in Switzerland and distributed by Dr. Bronner's All-One! Magic Foods* (Vista, CA). 

The company, most well-known for soap-making for many decades, now offers a line of Organic and Fair Trade Certified All-One chocolate bars. (Although it's not as big a stretch as one would think. The company learned that "many of the 800 farmers in our Regenerative Organic Certified Serendipalm project in Ghana also grew cocoa.")*

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate bar included rich cocoa, spices, nuts and very faint fruit-floral notes. 

The segmented bar was thick enough to hold a generous serving of whole, softly crunchy, roasted hazelnuts amidst smooth, flavorful dark chocolate.

Flavor notes included: bold, balanced dark chocolate with hints of roasted nut, coffee and authentic vanilla bean (complex, slightly earthy, floral spice). Bites with whole hazelnuts yielded an honest hazelnut experience.

Because of the bold quality of the cacao (similar to Forastero cacao), and a judicious amount of coconut sugar, this 70% dark chocolate seemed darker (75%-78% cacao) and less sweet (thank you)--allowing more smooth, deep flavor to come through. The chocolate was relatively low in bitterness and acidity, making it fairly accessible to those who might shy away from ultra-dark bars.

Ingredients: Fair trade organic cocoa beans, fair trade organic coconut sugar, organic hazelnuts, fair trade organic cocoa butter, fair trade organic Bourbon vanilla bean

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy." (Contains nuts - hazelnuts.)

*"Dr. Bronner's and its sister company Serendipalm opened the world's first certified organic and fair trade palm oil production facility in 2009."

Magicdates, LLC - Hazelnut 100% Dark Chocolate Covered - Dec. 11, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Magicdates, LLC
Hazelnut - 100% Dark Chocolate Covered
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 2 pieces (1 serving)
Cost: $5.29 for 1 package of 6 pieces
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week.

Today's Hazelnut 100% Dark Chocolate Covered energy bites were from Magicdates, LLC (Los Angeles, CA). The company offers other flavors (including: salted walnut brownie, coconut cream cake, lush lemon, and chocolate coconut cookie).

The aroma for these, oval-shaped, date-sweetened bites included malty, nutty and very faint coconut and cereal notes. An ultra-dark chocolate shell contained a hearty, chewy center made of compressed dates, hazelnuts and walnuts, coconut, and cocoa nibs--with a very fleeting earth note. They had a satisfying taste and were not too sweet (thank you).

These Hazelnut bites were packaged in a sturdy, resealable pouch, well suited to travel in a purse or bag, or as a snack for an outdoor adventure.

Ingredients: Dates, unsweetened chocolate, walnuts, shredded coconut, hazelnut butter, coconut powder, cacao nibs, coconut cream, coconut oil, hazelnut extract, Himalayan pink salt.

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that processes nuts, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, eggs, soybeans and milk." (Contains walnuts, hazelnuts, coconut); Non-GMO Verified, "vegan, gluten free"

 

Exquisito Chocolates - Dark Chocolate "Hazelnut Better" Cups - Dec. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Exquisito Chocolates, LLC

Dark Chocolate "Hazelnut Better" Cups

Good +++

Weight: 1.7 oz. (51 g.) in package of 4 small cups

Calories: 260 calories (estimate) in 4 small cups (1 package)

Cost: $10.00 for 1 package of 4 cups ($39 for a multiple-item order)

Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace via Exquisito (online order)

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate "Hazelnut Better" Cups were from Exquisito Chocolates, LLC (Miami, FL). The company operates a shop and small chocolate factory; and they offer a range of dark chocolate truffles, bars and confections (including at least three Good Food Awards Finalists for 2022) that can also be purchased online.

These dark chocolate cups--three-ingredient confections--were handcrafted in Miami's Historic Little Havana neighborhood. Why is this significant? First, confections typically have more ingredients, sugar and often other additives and are not typically made with fine cacao from scratch. Second, Miami is one of the closest major U.S. cities to Central and South America and the Caribbean where there is great cacao that chocolate makers can source directly.

Today's diminutive, heavenly hazelnut cups had a rich, roasted hazelnut drinking chocolate aroma, and a melt and texture that was a perfect blend of creamy (chocolate and ganache) and crunchy (a generous smattering of tiny hazelnut bits across the top). 

 

Sweet, but not too sweet, these chocolate cups (created by owner and chief chocolate maker Carolina Quijano, and team) landed squarely in my happy zone. I quickly broke my promise to save two cups for a friend. Sorry friend. But I'll be ordering more in the future.

Maker's tasting notes/description: "A handcrafted version of the candy classic, but now made with real ingredients and sustainably sourced cacao. Picture if your favorite childhood treat went off and got its PhD."

Ingredients: "Cacao, organic hazelnuts, unrefined cane sugar"

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (hazelnuts).

Zotter - In-Fusion - Passion Fruit + Orange Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 9, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter

In-Fusion - Passion Fruit + Orange in Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar 

Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Zotterusa.com, online order

Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks.

Today's Zotter In-Fusion Passion Fruit + Orange in Cacao (bar) was made from bean-to-bar, in Austria, and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL). 

This dark chocolate was part of a line of fruit "in-fusion" bars made with fine cacao(s) and flavored with a variety of freeze-dried fruits that mirror/enhance naturally occurring fruit notes found in cacao--a wonderful concept. 

Today's bar had a very subtle aroma (chocolate, butter/cream, diffuse fruit); a creamy, even texture; and a smooth chocolately flavor with notes of sweet citrus (faint, sweet orange), very faint tropical fruit (mango, passion fruit), and fleeting, very faint earth and light seed/nut notes. There is also a trace of light passion fruit that shows up in the finish.

While nicely executed and well balanced, milk powder added to this dark chocolate smoothed (but also muted) flavors a bit. Some will really like the sophisticated smoothness. However, leaving out milk would likely have resulted in stronger cocoa and brighter or clearer fruit (passion fruit and orange) notes for fine flavor complexity fans.

Maker's tasting notes: "Dark chocolate with a classic 70% cacao content enhanced with 2 types of couverture--passion fruit and orange. It combines a sublime chocolate indulgence with sweet and tangy citrus fruit. This goes very well with the cacao's natural aroma profile, which is full of citrus notes. It also gets its tender melt from pure cocoa butter. Created...using fine flavor cacao and freeze-dried orange juice and passion fruit. A dark chocolate with a refreshing orange and passion fruit flavor--an absolute zinger!"

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade cocoa mass; organic, fair trade cane sugar; organic, fair trade cocoa butter; dry skim milk yoghurt; organic dried passion fruit (2%); organic dried oranges (2%); organic soy lecithin; organic, fair trade dark brown cane sugar; organic lemon powder (organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar); organic vanilla bean powder; salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy." "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame."

Alec's Ice Cream - Chocolate Organic Ice Cream (+ fruits) - Dec. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Alec's Ice Cream
Chocolate Organic Ice Cream (+ fruits)
Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup (92 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $2.99 for 1 container (pint)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Weeks.

Today's Chocolate Organic Ice Cream was made by Alec's Ice Cream (Petaluma, CA).

This chocolate ice cream was quite tasty, with a creamy melt and texture, and rich chocolate, cream caramel, and fleeting fudge-y earth, faint salt, nut and dark chocolate cookie aroma and flavor notes. 

I tried this ice cream by itself--and with a banana split, with sliced banana and two other ice cream flavors (strawberry and passion fruit). It was good both ways; but I liked it best a la carte. A great, flavorful chocolate ice cream will not let you down.

Ingredients: *Cream, *skim milk, *cane sugar, *bittersweet chocolate (*cacao beans, *cane sugar, *cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin), *cocoa (processed with alkali), *egg yolks. Less than 2% of: *locust bean gum, *guar gum. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Contains: dairy and eggs." "Manufactured on equipment that also processes tree nuts, peanuts and soy."

Chocolate Naive - Soursop Fruit Chocolate 67% (bar) - Dec. 7, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Naive
Soursop Fruit Chocolate 67% (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 316.96 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Weeks.

Today's Soursop Fruit Chocolate 67% (bar) was from Chocolate Naive (Vilnius, Lithuania).

Aroma notes for this bar included: rich, slightly earthy chocolate with diffuse fruit and very faint nut/buttery seed notes.

The chocolate had a smooth texture, with a slight fruit astringency (faint grainy, dryness).

The flavor had a lovely blooming quality upon the first bite. Notes included buttery chocolate and tart-sweet soursop fruit (complex, fluxing notes of plum; custard apple; ripe, sweet fuyu persimmon; very faint strawberry; very faint ripe, sweet pineapple; very faint, sweet kiwi)--and a fleeting faint, sweet parsnip/sweet potato note. 

What a fun, intricate and interesting fruit and chocolate ride--made possible by Chocolate Naive chocolate maker, Domantas Uzpalis, who skillfully showcased soursop*, and enabled us to experience this unique tasty fruit shape-shifter.

Ingredients: "Specialty cacao*, cane sugar*, pure cacao butter*, soursop* (7%). *Wild or all-natural farming"

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of treenuts, peanuts, wheat, milk.

*There are many varieties of soursop (also known as graviola (Brazilian Portuguese) and guanabana (Spanish)). Native to the tropical Americas, soursop (Annona muricata) is related to other "custard apple" fruits, and to fruits like the Brazilian pawpaw, the North American pawpaw, and the cherimoya. (Laxmanphal in India.) Sapote fruits are often included in this broader group. All of these are relatively rare in U.S. markets.

While I don't know exactly which variety of soursop was incorporated into this bar, I enjoyed reading the maker's description (below):

"Healthy doesn't have to mean boring, and this miracle fruit bar sure has its place for the picky chocolate aficionado who plans to live a long, unmiserable, and vigorous life. There are fruits, superfruits, and super mega fruits, but they all bite the dust compared to soursop. Behind the warty spines and thick leathery skin hides the succulent pulp, and oh boy is it delicious! Open your mouth and get ready to heal."

The illustration on this bar's packaging depicted a soursop fruit with a spiky green exterior, and a light-colored interior (fruit pulp) with relatively large, dark seeds.

Raven Rising - 76% Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Red Plum (bar) - Dec. 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raven Rising
76% Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Red Plum (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.71 oz. (105 g.) (estimate) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 50 g. piece of bar (approx. 1/2 bar)
Cost: $13.75 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raven Rising, via invoice 

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Weeks.

Today's 76% Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Red Plum (bar) was from Raven Rising (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada). Chief chocolatier, Chef Tammy Maki, uses chocolate(s) from Barry Callebaut for her creations. 

This beautiful dark bar was adorned with colorful (deep purple shading into magenta), thick, luscious (freeze-dried) plum slices. Aroma notes for this thick chocolate bar included very subtle dark chocolate and fragrant, spiced plum notes. 

Flavor notes included: hearty, smooth, dark chocolate and delicious, tart-sweet, ripe plum. 

Ingredients: "Tanzania 75% (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, natural vanilla flavor), Freeze-dried plum (black doris plums)."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy."