Stone Grindz - Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Caramels - Oct. 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Stone Grindz
Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Caramels
Good ++
Weight: .95 oz. (26.8 g.) / 1.9 oz. (53.7 g.) (estimate) in total box of 4 pieces
Calories: 147 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $12.00 for 1 box of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Stone Grindz Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Fall Spices.

Today's Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Caramels were from Stone Grindz Small-Batch Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, warm spices (pumpkin spice), faint caramel and vanilla latte.

Texture: The perfectly thin dark chocolate shell was smooth. The caramel was soft, silken and flowing.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla and faint, slightly acidic, pumpkin spice coffee/latte.

Ingredients: dark chocolate (cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla bean), spring water, glucose syrup, heavy cream, grass-fed butter, cold brew coffee, pumpkin spice, vanilla bean, sea salt, lemon juice

Allergen-related information: (Contains dairy.)

 

Love + Chew - The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip - Oct. 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

CompletEats, LLC
Love + Chew The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 cookie 
Calories: 270 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $3.25 (estim.) for 1 cookie 
Purchased from: Love + Chew, online order (box of 12)

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Spices Theme Week.

Today's Love + Chew The Superfood Cookie Pumpkin Chip was created by CompletEats, LLC (San Francisco, CA).

Aroma notes included: dried fruit (date), warm spices, nuts and seeds, vanilla, cocoa, and faint vegetable (pumpkin). 

This plant-based cookie had a chewy, very slightly crunchy (tiny chia seeds), and relatively moist texture. 

Flavor notes for this satisfying and tasty cookie included: dates, fudgey chocolate chips, warm pumpkin spices, vanilla, and an underlying nuttiness (almond). 

The company's mission is to "bake clean-label and indulgent treats made entirely from plant-based ingredients." (I'd say mission accomplished.) An extra bonus for me: no gluten-containing ingredients; and the cookie wasn't dry or crumbly. 

Ingredients: Blanched Almonds, Date Paste, Almond Butter, Water, Dark Chocolate Chips (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Liquor, Organic Cocoa Butter), Chia Seeds, Vegetable Glycerin, Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves), Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), Pure Vanilla Extract, Water), Pumpkin Powder, Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. Manufactured in a facility that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, soy, milk, eggs, wheat, sesame seeds. May Contain Date Pit Fragments.

Good King - "Love" Fragrant and Warm Spices Snacking Cacao - Oct. 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Good King
"Love" - Fragrant and Warm Spices Snacking Cacao
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $0.00 (free with purchase of other items (Thank you Zak's) 
Purchased from: Zak's Chocolate (online order) 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Pumpkins and Warm Fall Spices.

Today's Good King "Love" Fragrant and Warm Spices Snacking Cacao was manufactured by Cocoa Future SPC (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes for this 80% cacao bean-based snack included: freshly baked (warm) spiced molasses cookie; vanilla; and faint cacao.

Texture: crunchy, gently fibrous, whole cacao beans were coated with sugar, cacao butter and warming spices. This coating added a gently sweet, buttery, gently textured, coating that complemented the bean's cocoa essence.

At the center of this snack were 100% cacao beans from Honduras. These beans were caramelized and coated with warm spices (sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom and cacao butter)--bringing the overall cacao percentage for this snack down to 80%.

Flavor notes alternated between these aromatic and engaging warm spices and authentic crunchy cacao beans.

This "Love" Snacking Cacao offered authentic and warm spice flavors, gentle complexity, and an opportunity to taste whole cacao beans--the true source of all chocolate. And, best of all, this snack was not overly sweet. (Thank you!). 

Sadly, this mix is sold out at the moment.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans,* Cane Sugar,* Vanilla Extract* (Vanilla Bean Extractives* In Water, Alcohol*), Cinnamon,* Salt, Nutmeg,* Cloves,* Cardamom,* Cacao Butter.* (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that processes gluten." 

 

Chuao Chocolatier - Golden Goodness Caramelized sugar, cacao nibs (bar) - Oct. 18, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chuao Chocolatier 
Golden Goodness Caramelized sugar, cacao nibs (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Pumpkins, and Warm Fall Spices.

Today's Golden Goodness Caramelized sugar and 100% cacao nibs in sweet white chocolate (bar) was from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA). 

Aroma notes for this white chocolate and nibs bar included: faint cacao, cookie dough, and faint caramel and vanilla.

Texture: Sweet white chocolate blended with caramelized sugar held an abundant field of crunchy cacao nibs.

Flavor notes included: cocoa nibs, caramel, white chocolate and vanilla. Caramelized sugar added warm flavor depth. And this caramelization, and vanilla, added a feeling of warmth to me. 

Yes, 31% cacao white chocolate is sweet. But the other elements added textural and flavor contrast created appealing complexity. The nibs and a perfect amount of salt helped balance flavors and sweetness level.

I paired this white chocolate bar with a cup of warm spiced tea with cinnamon and vanilla.

Ingredients: "Premium 31% white chocolate (cacao butter, sugar, whole milk powder, lactose, whey powder, nonfat dry milk, caramelized sugar, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, salt), cocoa nibs, pink himalayan salt."

Allergen-related information: Contains: Milk, Soy. No Gluten Ingredients Used.

Fruition Chocolate Works - Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% (bar) - Oct. 17, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fruition Chocolate Works
Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Pumpkins, and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% (bar) was made by Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan, New York). 

"Coquito" means little coconut in Spanish. It's also the name of a Puerto Rican cocktail made with coconut milk/cream.

Inspired by this cocktail, the makers at Fruition set about to create this "...Spiced white chocolate featuring candied cocoa nibs for fun contrast and texture." This chocolate was designed to be "warm and cozy to make you feel at home for the holidays."

Aroma notes included: sweet rum spiced cookie and/or cake; faint cocoa; vanilla.

Texture: One side of this creamy white chocolate bar was almost completely paved with crunchy cacao nibs. The end result was, as the maker intended, an enjoyable textural and flavor contrast between the creamy, spiced white chocolate and the smooth, barely sweetened crunchy cocoa nibs.

Flavor notes included: cocoa nibs, white chocolate, warm spices. Not only were the cocoa nibs candied, they were rum soaked nibs. And there was a nice warm echo of rum and vanilla in the finish.

Loved the complexity and contrast, and that the sweetness was very nicely balanced; i.e. despite its almost cookie dough-sweet white chocolate base, the cacao nibs ensured it wasn't too sweet. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Non-Fat Milk Powder, Coconut, Cane Sugar*, Coconut Flour, Cocoa Nibs, Black Rum, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Spiced Rum, Vanilla Bean, Salt. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Tree Nuts (Coconut). May Contain Traces of Peanuts, Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Sesame.

Chocolove - Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites - Oct. 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolove 
Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 7.05 oz. (200 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Spice Week.

Today's Pumpkin Spice in 33% Milk Chocolate Bites were from Chocolove (Boulder, CO).

Each, individually-wrapped, milk chocolate-covered pumpkin confection was emblazoned with a heart-shaped outline (two "Cs" facing each other), consistent with the Chocolove's love themed chocolates.*

Aroma notes included: chocolate, pumpkin pie/warm spices, and a faint sweet and savory vegetable blend note (pumpkin, sweet potato-tomato sauce).

These individually-wrapped treats had a smooth creamy, easy melt.

Flavor notes included: rich, sweet milk chocolate and authentic pumpkin (with pie spices included). The 33% cacao outer milk chocolate shell was made a bit sweeter by the white chocolate filling. And that bit of extra cocoa (more than you'd find in most holiday/novelty chocolates) helped balance out the sweetness, while still allowing the pumpkin and spices to shine.

This bite was the closest I've ever tasted to real pumpkin pie blended with chocolate. Hats off to Chocolove for using real pumpkin and real spices, and going the extra mile to achieve this.

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Milk, Cocoa Liquor**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic White Chocolate (Organic Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter**, Organic Milk, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Organic Cream (Milk, Gellan Gum), Pumpkin Puree, Pumpkin Concentrate (Pumpkin, Citric Acid), Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Organic Glycerin, Tapioca Syrup, Organic Butter Oil, Spices (Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves), Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin.

(** Rainforest Alliance Certified. Find out more at ra.org.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy. Made in a facility that also processes eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts."

*E.g., Chocolove chocolate bars I've purchased have come with a love poem inside the wrapper. 

And printed on the outside of the package of bites was this tagline: "Share it with someone you love."

 

 

Chocolove - Peanut Butter in 55% Dark Chocolate Bites - Oct. 15, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolove 
Bites - Peanut Butter in 55% Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 7.05 oz. (200 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Spice Week.

Today's Peanut Butter in 55% Dark Chocolate Bites were from Chocolove (Boulder, CO). The company uses Belgian chocolate in their bars and confections. 

Each, individually-wrapped, dark pumpkin (filled) confection was emblazoned with a heart-shaped outline (two "Cs" facing each other), consistent with the Chocolove's love theme.*

Aroma notes for these bites included: rich dark chocolate and faint nut.

Texture varied slightly with temperature throughout today. The outer dark chocolate shell will be a bit firmer if it's cold. Either way the chocolate had a uniform, smooth texture and slightly creamy melt. And the center was a bit softer with smooth, ground peanut butter mouthfeel.

Flavor notes included: bold but smooth 55% cacao dark chocolate (that tasted darker--more like 65% - 70% dark chocolate), and authentic nut (peanut) butter.

This treat will please dark chocolate lovers. Also, it was not too sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Liquor**, Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Peanut Butter (Dark Roasted Blanched Peanuts), Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Milk, Cocoa Liquor**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Organic Butter Oil, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin.

(** Rainforest Alliance Certified. Find out more at ra.org.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains peanuts, milk, soy. Made in a facility that also processes eggs and tree nuts."

*E.g., Chocolove chocolate bars I've purchased have come with a love poem inside the wrapper. Printed on the outside package containing today's bites was this tagline: "Share it with someone you love."