ChocolateSpiel - Chai Latte (bar) - Dec. 14, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

ChocolateSpiel 
Chai Latte (bar)
Good + - ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (27 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: ChocolateSpiel, online order (Etsy)

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Chai Tea Week.

Today's Chai Latte (bar) was from ChocolateSpiel (Seattle, WA).

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate; ground, warm chai spices (from Aditi Chai); faint coconut milk; and nuts. The coconut milk chocolate tasted slightly acidic/harsh; but the overall bar was otherwise quite nice.

I enjoyed the pleasing creamy texture; the festive and colorful appearance of this bar--created by spatters of different colors of colored cocoa butter; the short list of ingredients; and the smaller size.

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, coconut milk powder, chai spices from Aditi Chai, colored cocoa butter. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of peanut, gluten, tree nuts."

Public Chocolatory - Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 13, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Public Chocolatory
Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, featuring chocolates with chai spice blends, bars and drinking chocolate.

Today's Masala Chai 55% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) (Batch No. MC240406) was from Public Chocolatory (Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, dark milk chocolate, chai tea and spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and possibly (smaller amounts of) anise/fennel and black pepper.

Texture: This bar had a soft, silken, luxurious fudge-y texture. 

Together, the chai masala tea flavors (that were fully incorporated into the chocolate), the milk -- that contributed to the wonderful creamy, smooth texture conveyed the essence of a cup of warm chai tea -- and the sweetness, all made this chocolate a bit addictive (more-ish).

I also appreciated the thoughtful execution and the short list of quality ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cacao Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Masala Chai Tea"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. 

Intrigue Chocolate - Chai Latte - Oat Milk Dark 60% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 12, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate
Chai Latte Oat Milk Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Chai Latte Oat Milk Dark Chocolate 60% Cacao (bar) was made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). This bar was inspired by the maker's favorite Indian restaurants in Seattle.

Origin story: The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Uganda, Rwenzori, Kisinga microlot (Type: "Mostly Trinitario and Amelonado; Harvest Year: 2022).

Aroma notes included: chocolate and a rich blend of authentic chai tea with warm spices (cloves, star anise, cinnamon, spice cookie and more. (Note: there was no star anise listed in the ingredients.)

Texture: smooth, well-tempered dark chocolate with a pleasing creamy melt, followed by a very slight, fleeting, astringency/fine powder (that could have been very tiny oat milk and/or tea/spice particles. It did not take away from the tasting experience.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (chocolate-y, dark ganache)

I liked many things about this bar. First, I really felt like I was enjoying a great cup of chai tea--with the added flavor(s) of a great dark chocolate. The flavors were well balanced and the sweetness level was just about perfect for a chai tea. 

I also liked the thoughtful, short list of quality ingredients, the lack of emulsifiers or other additives, and the use of raw cane sugar. (I also liked that there was a little black pepper, ginger, fennel pollen and sea salt added--in amounts that were so subtle, you might not be able to identify them...You just know you like the whole blend.)

Makers tasting notes/description: "...sweetened with raw cane sugar, softened by gluten-free oat milk powder, emboldened by Assam black tea, and spiced with some of India's most iconic flavors."

Ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, oat milk powder (oats), black tea, green cardamom, cloves, cassia cinnamon, black pepper, ginger fennel pollen, sea salt. (The maker's Batch # for this bar was: 000000052324)

Allergen-related information: Vegan, no dairy, no soy, no gluten. 

    

Ritual - Gin Juniper Lavender Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) + Intrigue - Fernet Branca Truffle - Dec. 11 , 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Ritual Chocolate
Gin Juniper Lavender Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $11.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Intrigue Chocolate
Fernet Branca Truffle
Good ++
Weight: .314 oz. (8.9 g.) in 1 truffle / for 1 box of 12 (13) truffles
Calories: 49 calories for 1 truffle
Cost: $44.00 for 1 box of 12 (13) truffles
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week, featuring two chocolates -- a gin-infused bar, and an Italian liqueur-inspired truffle.

Ritual Chocolate

Today's Gin Juniper Lavender Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) was made by Ritual Chocolate (Heber City, UT), using Barrel Aged Alpine Distilling Gin from Alpine Distilling (Park City, UT). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: authentic, fragrant and floral (lavender) botanical gin (with juniper) and dark chocolate.

The juniper and lavender both contributed fairly strong flavors--as did the sweet-tart acidity (citrus) taste and astringency in this dark chocolate It was interesting to try this very flavorful blend. However, for those who don't care for gin/juniper and/or lavender, you may find the intersection of all these bold flavors a little overwhelming. 

Maker's tasting notes: Juniper, Lavender, Cardamom, Orange Peel

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Juniper Berries, Lavender, Alpine Distilling Gin 

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes Wheat, Tree nuts"

Intrigue Chocolate - Fernet Branca* Truffle

Today's Fernet Branca* flavored chocolate truffle was created by Intrigue Chocolate (Seattle, WA). It was part of a larger assortment of different truffles.

This individually-wrapped, square dark chocolate truffle had pleasing, authentic mint and herbal (light liqueur) notes, including a slightly mellow richness--likely due to the practice of aging this liqueur in oak barrels. The creamy soft truffle (with a rich, buttery melt) was dusted with a generous amount of cocoa powder. 

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, soy lecithin), Cream (milk), flavors (as described in the truffle name).

Allergen-related information: Contains Dairy, Soy. 

*Fernet Branca is an Italian amaro liqueur made with "27 herbs from 4 continents" that's often served as an after-dinner digestif or before-meal appertif. 

Some ingredients said to be part of this recipe include: aloe, angelica, camomile, cardomom, cinchona, gentian, iris, myrrh, peppermint and rhubarb. (Some sources also say it may contain chocolate.) The base is distilled grape spirits.

Fruition Chocolate Works - Gay Bar 69% Cacao Boozy Dark Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 10, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Fruition Chocolate Works
Gay Bar 69% Cacao Boozy Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 163 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Fruition, online order

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week. (Note: this post is likely not appropriate for children. This bar contains alcohol and some adult cocktail references.)

Today's Gay Bar 69% Cacao Boozy Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan, NY).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, and a slight boozy richness and fullness (think oak barrel, citrus, cherry, whiskey, vermouth -- in other words, something like a Manhattan (cocktail) fully incorporated into a smooth, rich dark chocolate.

Flavor notes took the aroma notes (listed above) one step further--with the dark chocolate (Peru (pangoa) + Colombia (tumaco) taking center stage. There was also a pleasing, lingering, slightly boozy (sweet, layered whiskey cocktail with cherry), buttery and very smooth oak finish. (Note: there was no dairy butter in this bar.)

Disclosure: I do very much enjoy dark chocolate and whiskey pairings. In skilled hands, fine quality dark chocolate + spirits and oak barrel/seasoned wood produces some very appealing results. The vermouth, cherries and bitters were well-balanced and well-integrated, and these ingredients conveyed the whole cocktail concept very nicely. I loved the layered flavors in this bar that harmonized so well together.

What's behind the name "Gay Bar" other than the play on words? The packaging features a large, glittering, red (big apple) disco ball--part of a club scene with happy, diverse patrons (cartoon characters of bear, deer, beaver cartoon). "...a portion of the proceeds from each Gay Bar sold will benefit Hudson Valley organizations working to better the lives of Upstate New York's vibrant LGBTQ+ community."

Ingredients: "cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, rye, vermouth, cherries, bitters"

Allergen-related information: "may contain traces of milk, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, sesame"

Fjak Chocolate - Vermouth O'Clock 60% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 9, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Chocolate AS
Vermouth O'Clock 60% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 176 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Vermouth O'Clock 60% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Fjak Chocolate AS (Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, Norway).

Crafted in Norway, Fjak's small batch chocolates (many with Nordic/European and seasonal flavor inclusions) are always a pleasure to try.

Complex, subtle aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate, slight savory (olive, herb); very faint, warm spirits (dry sherry, vermouth); faint tart-sweet fruit (citrus (faint orange), cherry); and barely detectable herb, spice and botanical (sweet straw stalks, fennel sticks, light cinnamon, clove, star anise). (Note: there was no star anise or clove.)

I really liked the well-executed interplay of smooth, sophisticated cocktail flavors. This was a very enjoyable bar to taste, and to share with others. The 60% cacao dark chocolate was relatively sweet and that sweetness was upped a bit with the sweet orange (peel) and warm spice notes, but it seemed comparable to what you might find in a Vermouth cocktail. And the very faint (real) olive balanced things out nicely.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Vermouth, Juniper*, Cinnamon*, Fennel Seeds*, Orange Peel*, Olives, Candied Orange Peel* (Min. 60% cocoa). (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: Certified Organic; Vegan; dairy and gluten free. "Processed in a facility that handles nuts, dairy and gluten"

Seattle Chocolate - Sip Sip Hooray (bar) - Dec. 8, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Seattle Chocolate
Sip Sip Hooray (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar 
Purchased from: Pebble Beach Market Market, Pebble Beach, CA

Welcome to Day # of Chocolate and Spirits* Theme Week

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate, tart-sweet raspberry candy, and faint lemon.

Texture: smooth truffle bar texture: creaminess, punctuated by the crunch and fizz of raspberry popping candy.

What did I like? I enjoyed the creamy + crunchy layered flavors and textures (almost velvety dark chocolate coating and white chocolate interior) and the subtle raspberry popping candy. 

This bar had a festive (touch of bubbly and pink champagne bottle like illustrations on label) feel to it. The label was splashed with celebratory golden yellow and pink. Yes this bar was a little bit sweet, but it was also fun. And fun is underrated.

Ingredients: white chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter*, milk, soy lecithin, natural vanilla), dark chocolate (cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, organic soy lecithin, natural vanilla), popping candy (cane sugar, lactose, corn syrup, carbon dioxide), coconut oil, raspberry powder, citric acid, beet extract (color), organic natural flavor. (* = Rainforest Alliance Certified)

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy, and Coconut. "This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, and wheat products."

*Vedrenne Creme de Cacao Blanc

To make this day technically compliant with the "Chocolate and Spirits" Theme this week, I paired this bar with a very small glass of Vedrenne Creme de Cacao Blanc liqueur (made with the cacao fruit that surrounds cacao beans/seeds). 

This Creme de Cacao was head and shoulders above most liqueur-style spirits in terms of quality and flavor had a refreshing, lovely, tart-sweet, tropical fruit taste--consistent with cacao fruit pulp I've tried in the past--with subtle, authentic notes of mango, tangerine, very faint pineapple and melon. It also had 1-2 other very faint (barely there) botanical notes I associate with chocolate that I couldn't quite identify.