Libeert - Belgian 85% Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 18, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Libeert s.a.

Belgian Dark Chocolate 85% (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 3 squares of bar

Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, featuring 65% - 90% cacao dark chocolate blends (with no flavor inclusions) and/or bars with unspecified cacao origins.

Today's Belgian 85% Dark Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by Libeert s.a. (Comines, Belgium). It was labeled as a "Luxury" bar. And indeed it offered some sophisticated, rich cacao flavors (at a very reasonable price).

This bar had an enjoyable, shifting, complex aroma bouquet that included dark chocolate (warm, strong cocoa/drinking chocolate), concentrated fruit (prunes, raisins, dried cacao pulp, dried mango) shading into green floral notes. But wait, there's more. I kept sniffing and was rewarded with... the faint scent of a bowl of sweet breakfast cereal (sweet, light roasted rice/malt). 

The texture was smooth, and relatively creamy. The melt accelerated a bit about 3/4 way into chewing each bite. (Not off-putting, but different.) This was followed by a very slight dryness (astringency) toward the end.

The flavor, like the aroma and texture, had its own gentle twists and turns.* Similar concentrated fruit and green notes sashayed through; and the bar was relatively low in bitterness and acidity, making this it an approachable choice for those who want a more polite (more mild, less wild) ultra-dark bar.

Maker's tasting notes: "Bright dark chocolate with an intense and fruity cocoa flavour"

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, soy lecithin, cocoa solids 85% minimum.

Allergen-related information: Contains soy. "May contain traces of milk, almonds, hazelnuts, pecan nuts, wheat and egg."

*Note: Libeert also offers an Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% bar, that I featured earlier this week. The relatively new organic bar was slightly less fruity than today's 85% chocolate and had a bit more of a light vanilla and nutty flavor. (The organic version also contained cocoa powder, vanilla powder and added cocoa butter. It also had a very faint (fainter) dryness toward the end. It did not contain soy lecithin.)

Both Libeert bars were relatively "friendly" for 85% cacao bars. Great for people who are watching their sugar intake (or want a less sweet chocolate), and/or are wanting a milder ultra-bar bar with some natural cacao flavors still intact. 

Larger European makers, specifically Libeert and Lindt, now offer affordable ultra dark (greater than 75%) bars. Although Lindt is a bit easier to find in U.S. stores. (Low prices allow more people to try and develop a liking for darker chocolates. Hoping cacao farmers are getting paid a fair price for their cacao.)

Not Your Sugar Mamas (NYSM) - Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Not Your Sugar Mamas - NYSM

Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate 81% raw cacao bar

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar

Calories: 400 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $7.59 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Not Your Sugar Mama's (NYSM) (Vineyard Haven, MA). 

The company produces chocolates made with less processed ingredients (e.g. raw cacao, less processed sugars/no refined sugar, no emulsifiers). Founder, chef, mother and serial food entrepreneur, Kyleen Keenan (see also eathappyist.com), has been producing plant-based cheeses and chocolates.

Today's Pure and Simple 81%  raw cacao, organic bar had a quiet, natural beauty. This ultra-dark bar was anything but bold, brash or bitter. However, it was also not boring. 

Its subtle aroma was complex and interesting, with authentic smokey vanilla, faint smokey whiskey (at the very beginning only), sweet and clean but rich cocoa nibs, gentle fruit (faint ripe, red plum, faint sweet cherry), implied warm spice, floral (vanilla), very faint, slightly tart green herbal (oxalis, sour grass, sorrel), and very faint, fleeting savory (salt) notes.

The chocolate had a smooth, almost creamy, texture with a slightly rapid/oily melt--while still maintaining a well-tempered, firm integrity.

The flavor notes were even and gentle. The raw cacao (vs. roasted) yielded a very mild dark chocolate flavor and clean finish. 

Maple sugar contributed a natural sweetness--and some of the subtle aroma notes mentioned above. It fused nicely with what seemed to be wonderfully flavorful vanilla bean(s), and the cacao. And the overall taste wasn't too sweet. (Thank you. I did not miss the sugar buzz.)

A judicious trace of Himalayan sea salt created an effortless whisp of balance on the savory side and the salt didn't interfere with any of the subtle aromas and flavors.

Ingredients: Organic raw cacao, organic maple sugar, Himalayan sea salt, organic vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Vegan + Paleo;" No soy, gluten or dairy; and "Processed in a facility that uses tree nuts: almonds and cashews." 

Theo Chocolate - Organic Chocolate for Baking 70% Dark (bar) - July 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo Chocolate
Organic Fair Trade Chocolate for Baking 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) (2 squares) 
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, add-in to CSA delivery box 

Welcome to Day #7 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, featuring 60%-90% cacao dark blends and/or dark chocolates with unspecified origins.

Today's Organic Fair Trade Chocolate for Baking 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

The balanced bouquet of aroma notes in this bold and flavorful chocolate included dark chocolate; concentrated stone fruit (prune, cherry plum) as well as dried fruit with more subtle tartness (dried ripe persimmon slices); very light floral (cherry blossom) and nut (roasted cashew and roasted pine nut).

The taste encompassed most of the aroma notes mentioned above, although the emphasis was more on the "true" chocolate notes (roasted, bold but balanced fudge brownie with a cup of drinking chocolate/cocoa on the side) with balanced, light loamy forest earthiness and faint red fruit/berry fruit acidity.

A bit of light blueberry/red grape astringency (back of the throat tickle) kicked in about mid-way through--an astringency that lingered in the finish, similar to tannic acid in red wine.

As promised, this chocolate was enjoyable for eating, as well as for baking (for brownies and baked goods, shaved over other desserts, or made into small, fill-able chocolate cups).

The cacao used to make today's chocolate was a blend, from beans grown in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Peru. This combination helps explain the rich blend of flavors.

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade cocoa beans; organic, fair trade cane sugar; and organic, fair trade cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes wheat, milk and tree nuts, and in a facility that handles sesame, eggs and peanuts." ("Soy free, Kosher")

 

Hu Products - Snacking and Baking Chocolate Gems - July 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Products LLC

Snacking and Baking Chocolate Gems

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total pkg.

Calories: 360 calories in 2 servings

Cost: $9.99 (estimate) for 1 package

Purchased from: Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's small, hexagonally-shaped, Snacking and Baking Dark Chocolate Gems were distributed by Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX). 

The company's chocolate origins trace back to Hu Kitchen (a New York City restaurant co-founded in 2013 by siblings Jordan Brown and Jessica Karp).* Since then, success has created opportunities for expansion, from chocolate bars to offerings like today's dark chocolate gems/pieces.

These chocolate gems, made from "organic, house-ground 70% cacao," had a sweet aroma of maple syrup and coconut blossom nectar...and sauteed butter with brown sugar that evoked childhood memories of homemade granola being made in a cast iron fry pan on a stove.

Unrefined coconut sugar contributed a noticeable caramel/brown sugar taste to the dark chocolate that had an underlying balanced earthiness and very faint green floral notes. These "gems" would be interesting to try in cookies and other baked goods--perhaps an updated (vegan) German Chocolate Cake. And as the name implied, they were good for snacking too.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic fair-trade cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut. May contain traces of almond, cashew and hazelnut. Allergen cleans are made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk and wheat."

This product is labeled as vegan, organic and paleo, with no cane or refined sugar, and no sugar alcohols or stevia; no stabilizers, soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin; no dairy; and no "natural flavors."

* Hu Kitchen in New York City focused on offering gluten-free and lower inflammation and paleo-style eating using "better" (often Organic) and simplied (shorter list(s) of) ingredients. The founders decided to close their New York restaurant in 2020 to focus on their expanding chocolate and snacks business.

Lindt - 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Lindt
85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good 
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 3 squares (1 serving) of bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Dark Chocolate Week.

Today's 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by from Lindt and Sprungli (USA), Inc. (Stratham, NH).* Today's chocolate was part of the Lindt "Excellence" line of bars.

This almost ebony-colored ultra-dark bar had a surprisingly light and sweet (vanilla and marshmallow hot cocoa) aroma for an 85% cacao bar. 

The chocolate broke with a well-tempered snap and had a smooth texture and mouthfeel.

The flavor was surprisingly smooth as well, with relatively pleasing, roasted, dark cacao notes and a touch of vanilla. The finish was long with bittersweet roasted cacao flavor and faint flickers of balanced acidity.

For this price (at Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, that offers lower prices), this chocolate was certainly a good value. One hopes that cocoa farmers are being paid a fair price. No origin was mentioned on the packaging. If I had to guess I'd say it was a dark blend that included West African, Forastero variety, cacao.

Lindt tasting notes/description of this bar read as follows: "Excellence 85% cocoa is distinguished by a deep brown color, a powerful aroma of cocoa and full bodied chocolate." "Full-bodied cocoa flavor."

Ingredients: *Chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, demerara sugar, Bourbon vanilla beans. Dark chocolate contains cocoa solids: 85% min."

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, soy and tree nuts."

*The company's roots in Switzerland date back to 1845.

Cacao Crudo - Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) - July 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo

Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) 

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) for 1 bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #4 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) was made by Cacao Crudo S.r.l. (Roma, Italia/Rome, Italy).

The aroma and flavor notes for this Taveletta di Cioccolato Fondente Biologico (dark chocolate organic bar) were a mix of intoxicating, naturally sweet (green molasses* if that's possible) and very clear and clean green floral (white flowers: jasmine, magnolia, orchid) and very faint, green fruit notes that lightly lingered into the finish.

This was not your typical ultra-dark (80% or above) bar. It was low in acidity, bitterness and strong fruit. (In a blind tasting I might have guessed this was a 70%-73% cacao chocolate.) 

Speaking of fruit, far from being walloped with prune, pomegranate, orange peel and/or tart red berries--which are delightful in their own right, this chocolate caressed the palette with faint green fruit notes that lay at the opposite (mild) end of the tasting spectrum. Think very faint green kiwi shading into light cucumber blended with mild green table grapes.

Will everyone love this bar? Not necessarily, if you favor bolder, heavier, roasted flavors. But, please do try this bar if you have the opportunity. (It's currently available in specialty stores or online.)

The unique green floral aroma and flavor notes for this bar were made possible by using Criollo cacao that was unroasted--a processing choice that preserves more delicate floral and flavor notes that can be lost during conventional roasting and higher temperature grinding/conching.

The Criollo variety of cacao is prized for its more delicate flavors, which can include soft, complex fruit and cream notes.

Floral chocolate lovers rejoice. You may find yourself virtually transported to a celebration of green, floral chocolate flavors inside an orchid conservatory, or in a tropical jungle filled with green vines and wildflowers.

Ingredients: Organic Criollo cacao powder, organic Criollo cacao butter, organic coconut blossom nectar, organic coconut pulp, organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free...May contain traces of hazelnuts and pistachios." 

*The coconut blossom nectar (used as a sweetener instead of cane sugar) also contributed to a gentler (lower on the glycemic index), slightly aromatic sugar experience. Various descriptions of faint flavor notes this sweetener imparts include: brown sugar, caramel--and less frequently: barely there musky (floral), and/or very faint smoke. 

It does not taste like coconut meat or milk, even though the blossoms are clustered at the top of coconut palm trees. Floral sap is collected in small buckets and then made into coconut sugar.

Libeert - Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar) - July 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Libeert s.a.
Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (3 squares of) bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, featuring 60% - 90% cacao chocolates made with a blend or cacao origins, and/or unspecified origins.

Today's Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar) was made by Libeert s.a. (Comines, Belgium). The company produces a variety of chocolate bars (and confections), including certified organic and fair trade bars, such as this ultra-dark bar.

Aroma notes for this bold, balanced bar included deep, dense forest, dark chocolate, subtle concentrated/dried fruit (plum-prune), and very faint, clean, clay-like aromatic floral (vanilla, rose, jasmine) perfume (very light baby powder) notes.

This relatively high-cacao percent chocolate was, it almost goes without saying, not sweet (thank you). It had an even, sustained dark, roasted, earthy, fudge brownie note, and a well-managed, slightly bitter dark finish with no off-notes.

The bar had smooth texture with relatively low astringency and acid along with a mellow bitterness for an ultra-dark 85% cacao chocolate (origin unspecified). It was a great value for the price. (If I had to guess the cacao variety of this Belgian, organic bittersweet chocolate, I'd say Forastero from West Africa.) 

Pairing suggestions

If ultra-dark bars were little black dresses, I'd say this one deserves to be in daily rotation. You might even use it for baking and dress it up with some brightly colored fruits (homemade ultra dark chocolate cups filled with sliced fruits (yellow nectarine/peach) and a drizzle of raspberry liqueur/juice/jam perhaps). Or fill these dark cups with coffee ice cream and top with whiskey-soaked (or just lightly toasted) cacao nibs and almond slices.

Ingredients: Organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic low fat cocoa powder, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla powder. Cocoa solids 85% minimum. ("Sustainable cocoa...Traded in compliance with Fairtrade standards.")

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk, soy, almonds, hazelnuts, pecan nuts and pistachios."