Dr. Bronner's - Magic Crunchy Hazelnut Butter Oat Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's
Magic Crunchy Hazelnut Butter Oat Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (bar) 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.465 oz. (41.5 g.) / 2.93 oz. (83 g.) in total bar
Calories: 249 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - free sample ($5.99 per bar); available online
Purchased from: N/A - Sample received from Dr. Bronner's

Today's Magic Crunchy Hazelnut Butter Oat Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (bar) was distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). 

The company, well-known for their soaps,* was founded in 1948. Their first line of Magic dark chocolate bars were created in 2021. Today's hazelnut oat milk chocolate was the second of three new Dr. Bronner's oat milk chocolate bars featured this week on Chocolate Banquet.

Organic, Fair for Life Fair Trade, Vegan Certified, and gluten free, today's new Crunchy Hazelnut Butter Oat Milk Chocolate offers food for thoughtful consumers. 

The growing selection of alternative "milk" chocolate bars in recent years has produced mixed results. However, this week's oat milk bars exemplify increasingly tasty variations that have become available in recent years.

Aroma notes for this aromatic bar included: roasted nuts (hazelnuts); sweet dark chocolate (that I usually associate with dark milk chocolate); and faint, freshly baked chocolate fudge brownie + shortbread hazelnut cookies with a trace of vanilla (wafting across the hall from someone's kitchen).

The texture was layered--with a slightly softer, flavorful (crunchy nut butter + chocolate blend) layer inside, surrounded by uniform, well-tempered outer chocolate coating.

Flavor notes included: Roasted nut butters (hazelnuts, almonds), and sweet, rich dark (oat) "milk" chocolate. I'm happy to admit I don't know if I could tell this was an oat milk chocolate vs. milk chocolate in a blind taste test. 

This 45% cacao coconut sugar sweetened chocolate was fairly sweet; and it may create a "moreish" desire to eat more--i.e., more than an ultra-dark chocolate would. Fortunately, the coconut sugar seemed to slow down the sugar buzz.** 

I'm a dark chocolate (and bold, natural flavors) fan. Even though this chocolate was only 45% cacao (more sugar, less cacao), it tasted like sweet, dark chocolate. The quality of the ingredients and nuts (hazelnuts and almonds), and perhaps the oat flour, helped balance out the sweetness. And I really appreciated the depth and richness of these authentic flavor(s).

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Coconut Sugar,* Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter,* Organic Hazelnuts, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Beans,* Organic Whole Oat Flour,  Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Almonds, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon Vanilla Bean (* = Regenerative Organic Certified)

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

*Full disclosure, I was already a long-time fan of Dr. Bronner's liquid soaps before trying their chocolate. Now a B Corporation, Dr. Bronner's (now run by the descendants of the original founder (Dr. Bronner))  continues to be committed to quality ingredients and social good. That extends to working with farmers in Ghana and creating a Regenerative Organic Certified Serendipalm Project in Ghana.

** Coconut sugar is a bit lower on the glycemic scale than more processed/white sugar(s), i.e. is less likely to spike blood sugar as much.

Dr. Bronner's - Magic Golden Milk Chai Oat Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (bar) - Dec. 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's
Magic Golden Milk Chai Oat Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (bar) 
Good +++
Weight: 1.465 oz. (41.5 g.) / 2.93 oz. (83 g.) in total bar
Calories: 234.4 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - free sample ($5.99 for 1 bar; order online)
Purchased from: N/A - Sample received from Dr. Bronner's

Today's Magic Golden Milk Chai Oat Milk Chocolate 45% Cocoa (bar) was distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). 

The family-run company was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Bronner, a third-generation soapmaker. Later, as they worked with farmers in Ghana to produce regenerative, organic oil for their soap line, the company saw an opportunity to expand into cacao and chocolate as well. The first line of Magic dark chocolate bars were created in 2021. This week I'm sampling three new oat milk bars.

Organic, Fair for Life Fair Trade, Vegan Certified, and gluten free, today's new Magic Golden Milk Chai Oat Milk Chocolate ticks many boxes for thoughtful consumers. It's also one of a growing selection of alternative "milk" chocolate bars in recent years.

Some early oat milk bars I've tried have been overly sweet, bland and mealy. So, I wondered, what would this one taste like? 

Any questions I had vanished with the first look and smell. This Golden Milk bar had the appearance not of a golden-ivory (white) chocolate, but a fine dark chocolate; and it was divinely fragrant.

Aroma notes for this aromatic bar included: coconut cookie, chocolate gingerbread, chai tea, and sweet coconut rice pudding with saffron, spices and turmeric.

The well-tempered chocolate bar broke with a hard snap (in a cool room). And the texture was layered--with a slightly softer, flavorful layer on/inside a more solid, outer chocolate layer(s). There were a few bites with very fine ground oat texture toward the finish, but it was not off-putting. (More like the oat bits you might find in a moist, baked cookie.)

Flavor notes included: chocolate, golden milk chai tea with turmeric, gingerbread oatmeal cookie, and spiced coconut milk flan. (Could I taste the oats? Not really.) I loved all the authentic spices and flavors together in one chocolate.

The sweetness level (supplied by coconut sugar) was in the baked goods and desserts range, and seemed just right for this spiced chocolate. The only reminder I was eating a sweeter (45% cacao) chocolate was I was starting to eat more than I would normally. Fortunately, the coconut sugar seemed to slow down the sugar buzz.*

The chocolate (cacao) tasted quite smooth. The bit of coconut milk helped convey authentic golden milk (chai)** flavor. The cacao and spice levels were well-balanced, satisfying and had some oomph to them. This was far from instant oatmeal-bland. 

These artfully layered flavors made me feel I was enjoying the best of multiple desserts. Harmoniously integrated yet experienced individually as well. Magic indeed. 

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic Coconut Sugar,* Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter,* Fair Trade Organic Coconut, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Beans,* Organic Whole Oat Flour, Fair Trade Organic Coconut Milk Powder, Organic Turmeric, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Organic Cardamom, Organic Ginger, Organic Black Pepper, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon Vanilla Bean (* = Regenerative Organic Certified)

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

* Coconut sugar is a bit lower on the glycemic scale than more processed/white sugar(s), i.e. is less likely to spike blood sugar as much.

** Golden milk is a traditional Ayurvedic warm beverage made with milk (often coconut milk in California) and spices, including turmeric--which gives this drink a golden color.

Marana - Chocotejas - Pecan 70% Dark Chocolate - Dec. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Marana Craft Chocolate
Chocotejas - Pecan 70% Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .99 oz. (28 g.) / 17.82 oz. (504 g.) in total box of 18 pcs
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $52.00 for a box of 18 pieces (6 flavors)
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Chocotejas* - Pecan 70% Dark chocolate confections from Marana Craft Chocolate were manufactured by Cacao Valley S.A.C. (Lima, Peru).

Aroma notes these traditional Peruvian, filled chocolate confections included: well-toasted bread, caramelized nut, and faint dark chocolate.

A smooth dark chocolate shell covered the large, (oval loaf-shaped) chocolate covered confection. Flavor notes included: nutty, earthy, chocolate-y with balanced burnt caramel/dulce de leche flavored milk fondant filling with pecan pieces.

Ingredients: Manjar/milk caramel (whole milk, sugar, agar, disodium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), 70% dark chocolate (cacao mass, sugar, and cacao butter), and pecans.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, nuts.

Peruvian Chocotejas often contain a thick fondant (manjar blanco) similar to dulce de leche, nuts (pecans) and/or dried fruits. 

Pure Chocolate Ltd. - Toffee Pecan Milk Chocolate Truffles - Dec. 9, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Pure Chocolate Ltd.
Toffee Pecan Milk Chocolate Truffles
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) / 5.40 oz. (153 g.) in box of 16 pieces
Calories: 240 calories in 5 pieces
Cost: $2.99 for 1 box of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA  

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Pecans Theme Week.

Today's Toffee Pecan Milk Chocolate Truffles were from Pure Chocolate Ltd. (Tukums Municipality, Latvia). I was happy to find this chocolate from Latvia, a country that hasn't been represented yet on Chocolate Banquet. 

Aroma notes included: caramel candy, milk chocolate and nuts.

A crunchy exterior coating (tiny bits of toffee and pecan nut) surrounded a round creamy, sweet milk chocolate interior. These sweet confections tasted exactly as advertised, with notes of creamy milk chocolate, toffee (caramelized sugars) and nut (sugared pecan).

Ingredients: "Sugar, Caramelized Pecan Pieces, Dry Whole Milk, Cocoa Butter Vegetable Oils (Palm, Shea), Chocolate Liquor, Condensed Milk, Dry Skim Milk, Glucose Syrup, Caramelized Sugar Syrup, Soy Lecithin, Ethyl Alcohol, Natural Flavorings, See (Sea) Salt. Milk Chocolate - Minimum Cocoa Solids 34%."

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy, and Tree Nuts (Pecans). "Made in a facility that also processes peanuts."

Gnosis Chocolate - Raw Trail Mix "Immunity" - Dec. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Gnosis Chocolate 
"Immunity" Raw Trail Mix
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz.  (56.6 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 2 oz. serving
Cost: $15.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate (online order)

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Pecans Theme Week.

Today's Immunity Raw Trail Mix was made by Gnosis Chocolate (Astoria, NY).

Aroma notes for this gluten free, vegan and raw offering included: aromatic dried fruits (persimmon, currant, golden berry/golden raisin), and subtle nut, seed and dark chocolate.

This trail mix was made with generous squares of raw, dark chocolate that had a smooth chocolate-y flavor and a very faint (fruit) astringency. 

The dried fruits offered a range of chewy, tart-sweet flavors. (I enjoyed the seasonal persimmon, cranberries, and the South American golden berries.) The pecans, pumpkin seeds and nibs rounded out the blend and added some softly crunchy texture.

This grain-free trail mix was balanced, flavorful and not too sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: pecans*, raw chocolate* (raw cacao beans*, coconut sugar*), cranberries*, pumpkin seeds*, black currants*, persimmons*, goldenberries*, raw cacao nibs.* (* = organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nut(s) (pecans), coconut (sugar)

  

Nuts.com - Dark Chocolate Covered Pecans - Dec. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nuts.com
Dark Chocolate Covered Pecans 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (29 g.) / 16 oz. (1 lb.) (454 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $17.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Nuts.com (online order)

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Pecans Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Pecans were distributed by Nuts.com (Cranford, NJ).

Aroma notes for these jumbo-sized nut confections included: rich, dark chocolate (rich cocoa, fresh cacao nibs, mild nut/wood) with very faint vanilla.

A generous coat of satisfying dark chocolate surrounded large and authentic-tasting, crunchy pecan halves. The dark chocolate coating was flavorful, well-balanced and sweet, but not overly so. 

Some of the cocoa was alkalized--a process used to reduce bitterness/acidity in cacao; but happily some was not (something dark chocolate fans will likely appreciate). The balance seemed just right; some dark flavor complexity, but not too strong. The complementary, fine pecan nut flavors (smooth, slightly slight sweet, mellow and wood(s)y) were allowed to shine through.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate Liquor processed with Alkali, Butterfat, Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier), Natural Vanilla Flavor, Salt), Pecans (Pecans, Soybean Oil), Water, Gum Arabic, Confectioner's Glaze, Modified Food Starch (Tapioca), Coconut Oil, Canola Oil.

Allergen-related information: "Contains Tree Nut (pecans). Soy, and Milk."

  

Nuts.com - Chocolate Cinnamon Bun Pecans - Dec. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nuts.com
Chocolate Cinnamon Bun Pecans 
Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (30 g.) /16 oz. (1 lb.) (453 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $16.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Nuts.com (online order)

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

Today's Chocolate Cinnamon Bun Pecans were distributed by Nuts.com (Cranford, NJ).

Aroma notes for these substantial chocolate-covered confections included: subtle cinnamon roll and vanilla, and faint chocolate. 

Textures and flavors were layered. With each bite, there were three layers: 1.) the dry outer, cinnamon sugar dusting (that really did conjure up the taste of cinnamon bun dough*); 2.) milk chocolate (couverture) with a rich chocolate-y melt; and 3.) a softly crunchy pecan nut at the center. 

*A little vanilla contributed to the baked goods flavor and sweetness. And speaking of sweetness, these were just about right, i.e. sweet, but not overly sweet--especially given they were successfully conjuring up a cinnamon bun. 

Ingredients: Pure Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Cocoa Mass, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla), Dry Roasted Pecans, Cane Sugar, Ground Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder, Confectioner's Sugar, Gum Arabic, Natural and Artificial Flavors. 

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nut(s) (pecans). soy, and milk.