Berra Bites - Mixed Berry Dark chocolate bites - Dec. 23, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Berra Bites

Mixed Berry Dark chocolate bites

Good

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package

Calories: 190 calories in 1/4 cup (1 serving)

Cost: $4.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: The Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Mixed Berry Dark chocolate bites were manufactured for Berra Bites (San Francisco, CA). The company is committed to avoiding use any artificial flavorings or preservatives in their offerings.

These bites were made from pureed mixed apple, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and black currant fruit pieces—creating concentrated berry fruit flavored centers, covered in dark chocolate.

Tru Fru - Whole Cranberries in dark chocolate - Dec. 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tru Fru, LLC
Whole Cranberries freeze-dried fresh and immersed in dark chocolate
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.2 oz. (91 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1/3 cup
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Whole Cranberries in dark chocolate were from Tru Fru, LLC (South Jordan, UT). Festively colorful, naturally tart sweet, freeze-dried fresh cranberries were at the core of today's glossy ebony-colored rounds. Perfect for the holidays.

These fruit-filled confections had a dark chocolate aroma with a faint hint of coconut,* and like most chocolate-covered pieces, were finished with confectioners glaze.

*There was no coconut listed in ingredients list, which read: Dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin - an emulsifier, natural vanilla flavor), cranberries, tapioca dextrin, confectioners glaze. 

Lindt - Intense Orange Dark bar - Dec. 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lindt and Sprungli
Intense Orange Dark bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving (4 squares) of bar
Cost: $2.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Intense Orange Dark bar was from Lindt and Sprungli USA Inc. (Stratham, NH).

This 47% dark bar had smooth dark chocolate aroma and flavor, with dutched* sweet cocoa and faint orange notes.

Bits of almond and candied orange gave the bar textural interest and tiny bursts of sweet, mild citrus (natural and artificial) flavor.

*Please note, there was no indication this Intense Orange Lindt bar contained "Dutched" cocoa with reduced acidity. Lindt has said in the past that it may use this process in its very high percentage bars, but not generally for bars below 90% cacao. (Best to check directly with them for details on individual bars.)

The following explains what the phrase Dutched cocoa means.

Dutched (aka alkilized, or European-style) cocoa or chocolate has been treated to reduce acidity through a process of adding an alkaline substance, thereby neutralizing acidity. 

This process—invented by Dutch chocolate maker, Coenraad Johannes van Houten, in 1828—is commonly used for hot cocoa mixes, ice creams, baking chocolates, and many other chocolate offerings, when natural cocoa has been determined to be too acidic. The resulting cocoa powder has a darker color and a milder flavor. 

Natural cocoa has a pH of approximately 5 or 6. (Seven is neutral, and lower numbers indicate greater acidity). Dutched cocoa generally has a value of 7. (Lemon or lime juice has a pH between 2 and 3; Tofu has a score in the low 7s. Most foods we eat fall in the range between 3 and 7; although the (logarithmic) pH scale goes all the way to 14. Substances above 10 are inadvisable for us to consume. (Calcium carbonate has a pH of approx. 9.9, Ammonia has a pH of 11, lye clocks in at 13, and sodium hydroxide, at 14, tops the scale.)

JoJo's Chocolate - Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds - Dec. 20, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

JoJo's Chocolate LLC 

Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds

Good +

Weight: 2.4 oz. (68 g.) / 8.4 oz. (238 g.) in total package of 7 bars

Calories: 320 calories in 2 bars

Cost: $10.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bark 70% Dark Chocolate Pistachios, Dried Cranberries, Almonds from JoJo's Chocolate LLC (Orem, UT).

JoJo's Chocolate was created by Jodie Jones (JoJo) after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. The desire to eat and snack healthier led to experimenting with batches of chocolate barks and other treats with less sugar than conventional chocolates. 

These rectangular 70% dark bars had a pleasing dark chocolate aroma with a hint of fruit. Pressed on the back of each one were dried cranberries, pistachio and almond pieces. These bars were smooth yet flavorful. And, best of all, they weren't too sweet (thank you)!

Magnum - Double Cherry Truffle ice cream bar - Dec. 19, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unilever
Magnum Double Cherry Truffle (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 3.04 fl. oz. (90 mL) / 9.12 fl. oz. (270 mL) package of 3 ice cream bars
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information for 1 package of 3 bars
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Magnum Double Cherry Truffle bars were from Unilever, the ice cream colossus* based in Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Each individually-wrapped bar contained cherry ice cream with a "dark chocolate ganache swirl, dipped in a chocolatey coating, cherry sauce and milk chocolate." Complicated and mysterious, in a good way.

Made with Belgian chocolate, this bar was quite tasty, even if the long list of ingredients was a little off-putting.

*Unilever and Nestle are the global market leaders in ice cream. According to one source, Unilever owned an estimated 400 different brands worldwide in 2016.

Torn Ranch Signature Reserve Chocolate Covered Apricots - Dec. 18, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Torn Ranch
Signature Reserve Chocolate Covered Apricots
Good - Good +
Weight: 3.18 oz. (90 g.) / 9.5 oz. (269 g.) in total tin
Calories: 300 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Signature Reserve Chocolate Covered Apricots were from Torn Ranch (Petaluma, CA).

An embossed tin contained six, large (whole) California glace apricots covered in signature dark chocolate. Each plump, premium apricot was wrapped in gold foil.

The inner fruit was the best part. Only slightly tart, these sweet, moist fruits (think fresh apricot nectar, in the flesh) were completely covered in a chocolate shell. (Torn Ranch also offered/offers half-dipped apricots and oranges.)

Located in the Napa-Sonoma wine country, the self-professed foodies at Torn Ranch have been specializing in fruit, nut and chocolate offerings for decades (40 years). And it shows.

Nibble Chocolate - Apple Cinnamon Super Nibbles - Dec. 17, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nibble Chocolate 

Apple Cinnamon - Super Nibbles

Good

Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece

Calories: 66 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $2.50 for 1 piece  

Purchased from: Nibble Chocolate, Old Town, San Diego, CA

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

This morning's Apple Cinnamon Super Nibbles were from Nibble Chocolate (San Diego, CA).

These chocolates were infused with a touch of warm cinnamon spice, wrapped in a thin sheath of golden brown, naturally sweet apple (think fruit leather) and sliced diagonally across the top for a unique look.

These Super Nibbles would be at home on any holiday dessert plate.