Chocolove - Maple Glazed Salted Pecans in Strong Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolove
Maple Glazed Salted Pecans in Strong Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) / 3.2 oz. (90 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.44 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Maple Glazed Salted Pecans in Strong Dark Chocolate was from Chocolove (Boulder, CO). 

The company has been producing a variety of chocolate bars and confections. And true to their name/tradition, there was a "hidden" love poem/poem excerpt printed on the inside of bar wrapper. (Today's poem was from "The Wreath and the Chain" by Thomas Moore.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth dark chocolate and sweet spice (cinnamon) and very faint maple syrup. 

Texture: This relatively thick dark chocolate had a smooth, creamy texture and contained a generous serving of crispy crunchy pecan pieces. 

Flavor notes included: sweet, smooth, fudge-y, dark chocolate (with a faint, fleeting earth and nut); pecans; sparkles of maple sugar (syrup), cinnamon and faint sea salt.

This bar was a lovely and skillful blend of sweetly spiced holiday nuts and dark chocolate. (And a reminder of some wonderful chocolate pecan pie possibilities.) The maple syrup added warmth and flavor depth; and the small amount of added sea salt seemed just right.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Liquor**, Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Pecans, Maple Syrup, Cane Sugar, Organic Butter Oil, Sea Salt, Cinnamon. (** Rainforest Alliance Certified.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains Pecans, Milk, Soy." No Gluten or Eggs (ingredients); No Artificial Preservatives. "Made in a Facility that also processes eggs, peanuts, and other tree nuts."

Eva's Delights - Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles - Oct. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Eva's Delights
Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in a box of 4 pieces
Calories: 232.5 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $13.99 for 1 box of 4 pieces 
Purchased from: Santa Venetia Market, San Rafael, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Fall Spices Week.*

Today's Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Truffles were from Eva's Delights (San Rafael, CA). "Made with love in our home kitchen."

Aroma notes for these seasonal chocolate truffles included: subtle dark chocolate, and very faint pumpkin pie.

The outer, smooth dark chocolate shell gave way to a softer, substantial, pale pumpkin colored white chocolate center. 

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (couverture) and white chocolate ganache (filling)--flavored with very faint pumpkin spice syrup, pumpkin butter, and a very subtle splash of warming brandy. A sprinkle of salt across the top of each truffle helped to balance the overall sweetness.

Ingredients: French chocolate; Pumpkin Spice syrup; Pumpkin butter; cinnamon, cloves, and other warm spices; splash of Brandy; white chocolate and salt sprinkles.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on 4-piece box label.) Contact Eva's Delights if you have questions.

*We believe in over-stuffed chocolate weeks on Chocolate Banquet. One week can easily stretch into two, or more.

SOMA - Chocolate Pecan Pie Pralines - Oct. 24, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

SOMA chocolatemaker
Chocolate Pecan Pie Pralines
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.17 oz. (33 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 180 calories in 1/3 package
Cost: $15.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Pumpkin and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Pecan Pie Pralines were created by SOMA chocolatemaker (Toronto, ON, Canada).

Hope everyone in Canada enjoyed their Thanksgiving (Oct. 9th) this year. Thanksgiving in the U.S. is yet to come; but it's not too early for pumpkin spiced-items, pecan pie and pumpkin pie. 

SOMA's decadent Chocolate Pecan Pie Pralines were enjoyed with a slice of pumpkin pie from Raised Gluten Free (Arcata, CA). 

Aroma notes for these coated oval- and pearl-shaped confections included: caramel, faint rich cocoa, and very faint vanilla. 

A buttery, outer caramel chocolate coating surrounded slightly sweet and crunchy pecan pieces.

Flavor notes for each piece included: caramel, subtle chocolate (rich cocoa), hints of butter, brown sugar and milk, and naturally sweet pecans--all magically rolled into one bite. 

The flavors were authentic and well balanced, and these pralines tumbled in caramel chocolate were sweet, but not overly so.

Ingredients: Pecans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Powder, Cacao Nibs, Egg Whites, Salt, Natural Vanilla.

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk, egg, pecans.) "May contain traces of peanuts."

 

Maya Chocolates - Pumpkin Spice - Dark Chocolate With Pumpkin Spice 60% (bar) - Oct. 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Maya Chocolates
Pumpkin Spice - Dark Chocolate With Pumpkin Spice 60% (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.2 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62.4 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170.5 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Santa Venetia Market, San Rafael, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Pumpkins, and Warm Fall Spices.

Today's Dark Chocolate With Pumpkin Spice 60% (bar) was from Maya Chocolates (Pinole, CA). This Bay Area based company creates small-batch, flavored, gluten-free dark chocolate bars. (The Rose and Pistachio 65% bar was featured previously on Chocolate Banquet.)

Aroma notes included: chocolate (cocoa with a shake of cinnamon) and warm spices (a light, uniform sprinkle was visible, and it was more aromatic, on one side).

This chocolate bar had a pleasing, uniformly buttery, creamy texture and melt. (It contained real butter.)

Flavor notes included: chocolate (gentle, rich cocoa; sweet dark chocolate ganache), warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice blend), and very faint butter. 

This pleasant seasonal bar was a balanced, relatively sweet and creamy chocolate, flavored with a subtle, warm, cinnamon-forward, pumpkin spice blend. 

Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa, Butter, Soy Lecithin, Spice (Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, Sulfiting Agents)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and other tree nuts."

Bob's Red Mill Grain Free Brownie Mix with Almond Flour + Pumpkin, Spices - Oct. 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Bob's Red Mill
Grain Free Brownie Mix, Made with Almond Flour  
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 brownies / 12 oz. (340 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: 400 calories (estimate) in 2 brownies
Cost: $6.89 total package of dry mix
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Pumpkin, and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Grain Free Brownie mix with Almond Flour was from Bob's Red Mill (Milwaukie, OR). (I added pumpkin and spices* to this mix.)

Aroma notes included: chocolate (cake, ganache), pumpkin pie spices, very faint nut and molasses.*

The texture was smooth, and made slightly moister and more coherent from added (canned) pureed pumpkin. 

Flavor notes included: sweet chocolate (cake, brownie), and pumpkin spice(s).

These cake-like brownies were sweet. The inclusion of pumpkin and spices* added warm flavor depth and complexity, and helped balance the sweetness.

Ingredients (dry mix): Organic Coconut Sugar, Blanched Almond Flour, Cassava Flour, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Cocoa, Salt. 

*Added to the mix: 7 oz. canned pumpkin, eggs, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and 1 tablespoon of molasses

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Tree nuts (Almond)." (Added ingredients: eggs)

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.