Theo Chocolate - Spring Tea Collection - Jasmine Tea Ganache - Apr. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Theo Chocolate
Jasmine Tea Ganache 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .42 oz. (12 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total box of 4 pieces
Calories: .42 oz. (12 g.) in 1 piece
Cost: $10.99 for 1 box of 4 pieces
Purchased from: FarmFresh to You, online order

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

Today's Jasmine Tea Ganache chocolate confection was part of a 4-piece Spring Tea Collection (assortment) from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA). Each of the four flavors were enrobed in dark chocolate and contained a different tea-infused, ganache filling.

The aroma: rich dark chocolate laced with aromatic jasmine, was exactly as promised.

The silky smooth dark chocolate interior (ganache)--a blend of dark and milk* chocolate--was covered in a firmer dark chocolate shell.

This enjoyably complex, dark confection had a lovely jasmine floral tea flavor from start to finish (thank you)--even though it was surrounded by bold dark chocolate (think Forastero variety cacao) that had balanced earth and dark brownie batter notes--mirroring the image of April flowers springing forth from rich, dark soil outside my window.

A judicious amount of sugar allowed the complementary bittersweet (intense cacao and sweet floral) flavors to shine through. This Jasmine chocolate would be a treat for dark chocolate and botanical/floral fans who normally find confections/filled chocolates too sweet.

According to Theo Chocolate's website: Cacao for this collection was sourced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); and sugar for this collection was sourced in Brazil.

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade Cocoa beans; organic, fair trade cane sugar; jasmine tea-infused cream (organic cream, organic jasmine tea (green tea with jasmine))* -- and possibly organic whole milk powder, organic butter, organic nonfat milk powder and honey. (For a complete list of ingredients for each flavor in this collection, contact Theo Chocolate.)

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk.) "Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat, and sesame."

*Cream in the filling (ganache) served as a "carrier" for the jasmine tea. Flavors are often infused into cream, and then incorporated into chocolates. Cream is much easier to blend with chocolate than water. (Ground cacao beans have a fairly high fat content and are naturally hydrophobic, i.e., they don't easily mix with or dissolve in water. A vat of melted chocolate can "seize up" when water is added.)

Ritter Sport - Raspberry and Rose Limited Edition (bar) - April 18, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ritter Sport

Raspberry and Rose Limited Edition (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar

Calories: 209.6 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Limited Edition Ritter Sport Raspberry and Rose (bar) was from Alfred Ritter GmbH and Co. KG (Waldenbuch, Germany).

Ritter's description for this bar: "Milk chocolate with a yogurt and raspberry filling and raspberry granules refined with rose oil."

I like cacao varieties that have naturally-occurring floral aroma and flavor notes. However, cacao floral notes can be very faint and fleeting; and these delicate notes are easily lost during the chocolate-making process (when cacao beans are roasted, ground, conched, refined, etc.). 

I've been looking forward to sampling chocolates with added floral flavors this week. 

Today's 4x4 (16 squares) bar contained enough rose oil to impart a floral scent that extended throughout the tasting experience. (Very appropriate given we're experiencing a spring explosion of beautiful roses this week where I live.)

The milk chocolate had a smooth texture with a relatively slow, thick/stiff melt at room temperature (68 degrees F.). (The bar contained added palm fat and cocoa butter.) This smoothness was punctuated with tiny bursts--slightly crunchy granules--of bright, tart-sweet, red raspberry.

This sweet, milk chocolate confection of a bar was sweet enough that it was difficult to pick out cacao flavor note nuances. All three flavors: (chocolate, rose and raspberry) were represented in a balanced, complementary way, and were authentic-tasting. I could smell and taste light floral (rose) all the way through. As well as red fruit and milk chocolate.

Ingredients: sugar, certified sustainable palm fat, cocoa butter, yogurt powder (cultured nonfat milk), chocolate liquor, milk, lactose (milk), skim milk, cream, butterfat (milk), maltodextrin, glucose syrup, concentrated raspberry juice, raspberries, raspberry puree, soy lecithin, lemon juice concentrate, rose oil.

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk, soy.) "May contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and egg." 

Shekoh Confections - Raspberry Rose - Apr. 17, 2022

 Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Raspberry Rose
Good ++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for one piece
Calories: 62 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $4.45 (estimate) for 1 piece (part of a 5-piece box)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week. Happy Easter to all who celebrate. 

Today's Raspberry Rose filled chocolate confection was created by accomplished Chef Shekoh Moossavi, who recently opened Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

Chef Moossavi offers a line of skillfully-made, attractive, high-end, filled chocolate confections.

Raspberry Rose

This beautiful red, shiny, domed confection held a blend of flavors that included bold dark chocolate, tart-sweet red raspberry and floral rose--all complementary, and echoing naturally occurring notes that can be found in cacao.

The outer dark chocolate shell was smooth in texture and relatively intense with a slight earth note. Inside was a layered ganache (filling) with a red raspberry fruit layer at the base that gently bloomed in my mouth. The touch of authentic rose flavor was lovely.

This balanced confection was not too sweet, allowing flavors to shine. Thank you.

Shekoh does not use preservatives, so enjoy while fresh and store these chocolates in a cool, dark place.

Ingredients: (None listed on small box)

Allergen-related information: (None listed on small box)

 

Shekoh Confections - Persian Rose - Apr. 16, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Persian Rose
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.) (estimate) for one piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $4.45 (estimate) for 1 piece (part of a 5-piece box)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Persian Rose filled chocolate confection was created by accomplished Chef Shekoh Moossavi, who recently opened Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

Chef Moossavi offers a line of skillfully-made, attractive, high-end, filled chocolate confections.

Persian Rose

This lovely heart-shaped confection was beautiful, from start to finish, a true gift for the senses. The appearance was elevated with a velvety soft red exterior (finish). (Note: be careful handling or plating these as this delicate finish may rub off easily.) 

This multi-layered chocolate had a faint, pleasing caramel note in the aroma. 

The outer (chocolate) shell surrounded a white chocolate ganache (filling) infused with beautiful and authentic rose flavor, topped with a raspberry-colored pate de fruit/gel layer. It was very good.

Shekoh does not use preservatives, so enjoy while fresh and store these chocolates in a cool, dark place.

Ingredients: (None listed on small box)

Allergen-related information: (None listed on small box)

 

Ocho Candy - Egg shaped milk chocolate with Peanut Butter filling - Apr. 15, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ocho Candy, Inc.
Egg shaped milk chocolate with Peanut Butter filling
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package of 10 eggs
Calories: 340 calories in 6 eggs (2 servings)
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 package of 10 eggs
Purchased from: FarmFresh To You, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Today's package of Certified Organic, Egg shaped milk chocolate(s) with (a) Peanut Butter filling were distributed by Ocho Candy, Inc. (Oakland, CA) and made in ("Product of") Trinidad and Tobago.

Tis' the season...Spring and Easter. Cue the chocolate eggs.

These individually-wrapped, chocolate and peanut butter eggs had an appealing chocolate and peanut candy aroma* and flavor.

The chocolate egg "shell" was creamy. The filling contained both creamy and crunchy peanut butter, as well as tiny crunchy sparkles of salt/sugar that added some textural interest.

Yes, they were sweet, but also had nicely balanced flavors and were rather addictive. The Easter/Spring Bunny on the package kept tossing chocolate eggs to me. It would have been rude to say no.

Ingredients: Organic milk chocolate (organic sugar, organic fair trade cocoa butter, organic whole milk powder, organic fair trade chocolate liquor, organic soy lecithin (emulsifier), organic vanilla), organic peanut butter (organic peanuts), organic peanut flour, organic fair trade cocoa butter, organic cane sugar, organic sugar (organic cane sugar, organic tapioca starch), and sea salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains peanuts, milk. Made on shared equipment that processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, and wheat.

*The aroma was almost Butterfinger like. The chocolate-covered Butterfinger candy bar (with a fine flaked, crunchy peanut candy interior) was first created almost 100 years ago (in the 1920s) in the U.S. The brand is now owned by Ferraro.

Exquisito Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups - Apr. 14, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Exquisito Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .85 oz. (25.5 g.) / 1.7 oz. (51 g.) in total box/package
Calories: 131 calories (estimate) for 2 peanut butter cups
Cost: $10.00 (estimate) for 1 box/package of 4 peanut butter cups
Purchased from: Exquisito Chocolates, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups were from Exquisito Chocolates, LLC (Little Havana, Miami, FL). 

These filled peanut butter cup confections had a smooth, and relatively complex, dark chocolate-forward aroma and flavor, that blended well with the sweeter, slow-roasted peanut (smooth peanut butter) flavors in the filling.

Unlike many other chocolatiers, Exquisito does make bean-to-bar chocolate and offers some single origin bars. The cacao used for the outer (73% cacao) dark chocolate cup "shell" may have been made using Tumaco (Colombia) cacao (according to information, as of 4/14/22, on the Exquisito Chocolates website).

Maker's tasting notes: "A handcrafted version of the candy classic, but now made with real ingredients and sustainably sourced cacao. Picture if your favorite childhood treat went off and got its PhD."

Ingredients: Cacao, unrefined cane sugar, peanuts, cacao butter, powdered sugar (sugar, corn starch), sea salt.

Allergen-related information: (Contained peanuts.) For more information, contact company.

Niagara Chocolates - Peanut Butter Cups - Apr. 13, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Niagara Chocolates
Peanut Butter Cups
Good +
Weight: .89 oz. (25 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 2 cups
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package 
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups were manufactured by Niagara Chocolates (Cheektowaga, New York). The company was founded in Buffalo, New York in 1956 and offers a variety of chocolate bars, cups and confections.

Aroma notes for these peanut butter cups included: chocolate green, nut (peanut), and warm floral spice (vanilla).

Texture: Creamy, buttery milk chocolate with a smooth peanut butter filling. 

The milk chocolate cup/shell had a confection level sweetness, while the smooth, uniform peanut butter filling was not overly sweet--the opposite of a dark (less sweet) chocolate shell with a sugary peanut butter interior. The nutty, peanut butter core helped balance the sweeter chocolate exterior to create a tasty overall treat.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter*, skim milk powder, chocolate*, butterfat (milk), soy lecithin, natural flavor), peanut butter (dry roasted peanuts, sucrose, palm oil and sea salt), sugar, palm kernel oil, cocoa powder*, whey powder (milk), nonfat milk powder, soy lecithin, vanilla.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, soy, peanut. May contain: egg, wheat, tree nuts.

*Rainforest Alliance Certified