August Storck - Merci Hazelnut Creme bar - Sept. 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

August Storck
Merci Assortment - European chocolates
Hazelnut Creme (small chocolate bar)
Good
Weight: .447 oz. (12.6 g.) / 7 oz. (200 g.) in total package of 16 bars
Calories: 70 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (Thank you Yazz!)

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

Today's August Storck Merci assortment package of European chocolates (made in Germany) contained 16 individually-wrapped small rectangular, 2-square bars. (There were 2 each of 8 different flavors.)

I enjoyed one of the Hazelnut Creme bars today—smooth, creamy and sweet milk chocolate with hazelnut cream flavor and very faint fruit and cereal notes.

Note: These may contain traces of wheat, gluten, peanuts, other tree nuts.

Endangered Species - Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa - Sept. 29, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC
Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa
Good
Weight: 2 TB (37 g.) / 9.7 oz. (275 g.) in total jar
Calories: 210 calories in 2 TB serving
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 jar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis, IN) had the texture of light, whipped silk; and it was sweet. Sugar and vegetable oil (sunflower, palm) were the first ingredients listed.

Next, followed hazelnuts and cocoa, in terms of order on the ingredients list and flavor. Both nuts and cocoa were very finely ground to enable the light, silky texture and each helped dial down the sweetness (a good thing if you're eating this a la carte).

This Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa would be equally at home as a toast or pastry spread, a frosting, a dip for fresh fruit, or a ripple stirred into ice cream.

The Certified Gluten Free Spread was made with Non-GMO and Fairtrade cocoa, sugar and vanilla. The label on the glass jar was adorned with an image of an African Elephant.

Like other chocolate bar and bark products, Endangered Species features an animal on its products that may need human support to continue to survive. The company donates 10% of net proceeds to partners that engage in wildlife protection and/or conservation-related efforts, such as habitat preservation.

Godiva - Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp bar - Sept. 28, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Godiva Chocolatier Inc.
Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 215 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Barnes and Noble Bookstore, El Cerrito, CA


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

Today's Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp bar from Godiva Chocolatier Inc. (New York, NY).  The company was founded in 1926. Hats off to any business this close to celebrating its centennial anniversary.

The slightly fruity, relatively flavorful milk chocolate (42% Cacao) with a very faint artificial flavor note* was billed as Single Origin Mexican Chocolate.

The bar had an unmistakable hazelnut aroma and a relatively creamy sweet milk chocolate mouthfeel.

The smoothness was accented with a slightly crispy texture—accomplished with a combination of rice flour and other ingredients (milk powder, sugar, and perhaps some cocoa butter).

Godiva Chocolate,

*This bar did contain some "natural flavor," emulsifiers and possible traces of gluten (wheat, barley and/or oats).

Nutiva - Organic Hazelnut Spread - Sept. 27, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nutiva
Organic Hazelnut Spread
Good - Good +
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) in 1 packet
Calories: 120 calories in 1 packet
Cost: $1.29 for 1 packet
Purchased from: Sprouts Market, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Organic Hazelnut Spread was from Nutiva (Richmond, CA).

This organic, vegan and certified gluten free chocolate hazelnut spread had "40% sugar than the leading brand." What's not to like?

The creamy, oily spread with cocoa did have a more natural, satisfying taste than most spreads. It was chocolate and sugar forward, but lacked the consistency of hydrogenated fat with additives or emulsifiers (thank you).

The ground hazelnut flavor was less pronounced, in part due to subtle flavors of the oils (palm, coconut, chia seed) and other ingredients (flaxseed and carob flours).

The single-serving packet was a good size for a snack or lunch or trial taste. However, I was reminded, open packets with care or you may have a spray of tiny dots of Nutiva spread (or the oil portion if it's separated) on your shirt/pants.

GuyLian - Signature Hazelnut bar - Sept. 26, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolaterie GuyLian N.V.
Signature Hazelnut bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.24 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Signature Hazelnut bar was from GuyLian Belgian Chocolate, aka Chocolaterie GuyLian N.V. (Sint-Niklass, Belgium).

It might be dismissive to call this attractive bar a candy bar. So I won't. It was more like four pretty confections that were merged into a bar.

The bar had four joined segments or squares. Each square was adorned with a different small, but detailed "white" chocolate, sea-themed creature—such as a seahorse or sea shells. These marine morsels also served as "signature" shapes for the company. These same shapes can also be found on other GuyLian chocolates.

The milk chocolate bar was described as having a praline filling (with finely ground hazelnuts); however, the chocolate (that had a relatively smooth, creamy melt) was blended so thoroughly that the hazelnut flavor was relatively mild.

Chocolat Frey AG - Dark Crunchy Nut - hazelnut bar - Sept. 25, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Frey AG
Dark Crunchy Nut Bar - with hazelnuts
Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) / 6.3 oz. (180 g.) in total bar
Calories: 285 calories in 3 squares of (1.5 serving) bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to the 2nd day of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week.

I have a fondness for hazelnut chocolates from Europe, so today's Swiss-made dark chocolate bar chock full of hazelnuts (31% nuts) made the "must try" list some time ago.

The Dark Crunchy Nut bar from Chocolat Frey AG (Switzerland) was both dark and milk chocolate. The bar contained milk and buttery, sugary crunchy bits, that added crunchy texture and sweetened up the unsweetened dark chocolate.

It was a very edible and satisfying bar.

Tillamook - Oregon Hazelnut Chocolate Gelato - Sept. 24, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tillamook
Oregon Hazelnut Chocolate Farmstyle Gelato
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (99 g.) / 15.5 fl. oz. (458 mL) in total container
Calories: 290 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week. When summer turns to fall, I think of hazelnuts, and the Willamette Valley region of Oregon—where most hazelnuts in the U.S. are grown.

When I peeled off the lid of today's Oregon Hazelnut Gelato from Tillamook* (Tillamook, OR) I was greeted with a visual feast of nuts and chocolate.

The top layer was so generally loaded with chopped hazelnut bits and fudge that you may want to mix this ice cream up a bit if you're sharing with friends. The first scoop had almost all the goodies.

I prefer some layering of flavors—more than over-homogenized blends—so that individual flavors have room to shine, as they did today. The mouthfuls of chopped nuts contained authentic, somewhat bittersweet, hazelnut flavor; and the ice cream and fudge layers were tasty.

*The Tillamook County Creamery Association is a 108-year old dairy farmer-owned cooperative based in Oregon that distributes dairy products including ice cream and gelato.