Trader Joe's - Mint Hot Cocoa Ornament + Maxine's Heavenly Chocolate Peppermint Cookies - Dec. 24, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Trader Joe's

Mint Flavored Hot Cocoa Ornaments

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) (estim.) for total ornament

Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1/2 ornament + milk

Cost: $N/A - holiday gift (Thank you Trudi!)

Purchased from: N/A - holiday gift (Trader Joe's)

Maxine's Heavenly

Super Soft Chocolate Peppermint Cane Cane Cookies

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2.44 oz. (69 g.) / 7.2 oz. (284 g.) in total box/package

Calories: 300 calories in 3 cookies

Cost: $6.99 for 1 box/package

Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You CSA delivery box, added item

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

Today (Christmas Eve) was chocolate-filled this year. This is the second post (of two) for today features two chocolate items left out for Santa. 

The first item featured was a 70% Belize Bourbon Barrel Aged dark chocolate from Dick-Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA)--enjoyed by adults before Santa's arrival. 

Trader Joe's Mint Hot Cocoa Ornament

This pretty, shiny rose-hued ornament was submerged in pot of hot milk on the stove. After melting, the inside contents were revealed: tiny marshmallows inside the hollow center. 

The taste (when incorporated into the hot (whole) milk) was chocolate-y, creamy and satisfying with a subtle (just the right) touch of mint.

Extra points for attractive packaging and fun presentation/preparation steps--and the "magical" transformation from holiday ornament to hot chocolate treat.

(This was likely part of a larger packaged set. No packaging to refer to for ingredients.)

Maxine's Heavenly Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies

Maxine's Heavenly Cookies were gluten free, soft and slightly chewy. (A gluten-free oat blend (whole grain oats, oat flour) was the number one ingredient.)

Embedded chunks of dark chocolate and bits of candy cane gave these soft baked cookies layers of holiday flavor and well-integrated, satisfying texture(s).

These were left out on a plate for Santa, along with Maxine's Heavenly Super Soft Gingerbread Cookies (also gluten-free, but with no chocolate). 

Ingredients: Gluten Free Oat Blend (oats, oat flour, oat fiber); palm fruit oil (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certified; Chocolate Chunks (organic cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter); white rice flour; organic coconut sugar; organic coconut nectar; dates; candy cane pieces (cane sugar, organic rice syrup, peppermint oil, colored with red cabbage, purple carrots); water; cocoa powder; organic gum acacia; flaxseed; sunflower lecithin; peppermint extract; sea salt; baking soda.

Allergen-related information: Contains: Tree Nuts (coconut).

Dick Taylor - 70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar) - Dec. 24, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Dick Taylor 

70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar)

Good +++ - Very Good 

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Airport store or Los Altos?

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

Today's 70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar) was created by Dick Taylor (Eureka, CA).

Aroma: heavenly. Rich, dark chocolate (single origin Belize) dark chocolate was enlivened with the aromatic spirit of a well-rounded Bourbon. Slightly fruity, and very slightly woody/woodsy notes were also part of this bouquet.

Flavor notes for this dark, smooth and creamy bar included: very appealing dark chocolate with well-balanced, diffuse fruit (sweet, dark ripe blackberry, plum, sweet citrus). Gently intoxicating Bourbon cask wafts lingered lightly in the finish.

This is one of my favorite bars this year, from one of my favorite chocolate makers. Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor (the creative duo that is Dick-Taylor Craft Chocolate) have been consistently turning out well-crafted, small-batch chocolate in Northern California for many years now. No small feat.

The only sad news: This 70% Belize Bourbon chocolate is a Limited Edition bar, that sells out quickly. So, these may be hard to find out of season.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Bourbon Whiskey

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts. 

Shekoh Confections - Mezcal - Dec. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections

Mezcal

Good ++ - Good +++ 

Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece

Calories: 61 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.50 for 1 piece (part of a 5 piece box for $22.25)

Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's "Mezcal"* luxury chocolate confection was created by Shekoh Moossavi of Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

This attractive, pale yellow-green (artfully colored) dome-shaped dark chocolate had an aroma with balanced (not too sweet) chocolate and very faint/diffuse fruit notes.

Under the pretty color was a thin, dark (balanced bold, faint earth) chocolate couverture (shell) that surrounded a softer, sweeter ivory-hued white chocolate center. The ganache (filling) had subtle, fruit (citrus (faint lemon-lime) and pear) and very faint tequila flavor notes. 

The end result: a sophisticated, spirit-inspired chocolate.

Ingredients: (Made with Valrhona chocolate.) No full ingredient list came with individual pieces.

Allergen-related information: None listed for individual pieces.

*Mezcal is a distilled beverage made from agave (plants). Tequila is a type of mezcal.

Shekoh Confections - Grand Marnier - Dec. 22, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections

Grand Marnier

Good +++

Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece

Calories: 62 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.50 for 1 piece (part of a 5 piece box for $22.25)

Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Grand Marnier chocolate confection (truffle) was created by Shekoh Moossavi of Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

This attractive, filled dome-shaped chocolate had an aroma with balanced, bold (Valrhona) dark chocolate with faint earth and orange liqueur notes. 

The thin dark chocolate shell surrounded a softer, flavorful orange liqueur flavored center, yielding an elegant and tasty dessert.

Ingredients: (Made with Valrhona dark chocolate.) None listed.

Allergen-related information: None listed for individual pieces.

Chocolates Baiani - Tree to Bar Chocolate with Caipirinha 65% (bar) - Dec. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolates Baiani

Dark Chocolate with Caipirinha 65% (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.02 oz. (29 g.) / 2.04 oz. (58 g.) in total bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Dark Chocolate with Ciapirinha 65% (bar) was made by tree-to-bar maker, Chocolates Baiani (Brazil). 

Aroma notes for this cocktail-inspired bar included: dark chocolate and subtle, sweet citrus (limeade).* A Brazilian Caipirinha (drink) contains cachaca (distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice), lime juice and sugar.

This relatively thin dark chocolate was coated with lime-flavored sugar on the backside. 

Flavor notes included relatively bold, smooth, high-quality, dark chocolate with a layered, well-balanced, upbeat, zesty lime and sugar personality.

*Ingredients: "Single origin cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, lime zest and aged cachaca. ** Does not contain alcohol.**"

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of tree nuts and milk.

Noi Sirius - Dark Chocolate 45% with Toffee and Sea Salt (bar) - Dec. 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Noi Sirius 

Dark Chocolate 45% with Toffee and Sea Salt (bar)

Good ++ 

Weight: 1.17 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar

Calories: 174.8 calories in 1/3 bar 

Cost: 419 ISK (Approx. 145 ISK = $1 USD)

Purchased from: (Store in Iceland)

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

Today's Dark Chocolate 45% with Toffee and Sea Salt (bar) was from Noi Sirius (Reykjavik, Iceland).

Aroma notes for this 45% chocolate included: chocolate (dark chocolate pudding, dark ganache), toffee, butter, and very faint, fleeting clean mineral (light clay).

This smooth, creamy dark chocolate was studded with a generous helping of crunchy, sweet buttery toffee bits.

I enjoyed the balance between the less sweet, smooth dark chocolate and the sparkles of sweet crunchy toffee candy and sea salt. (A sweeter milk chocolate base would likely have been too sweet for many dark chocolate lovers.)

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soya lecithin), bourbon vanilla. Cocoa dry solids min. 45%), toffee 10% (sugar, glucose syrup, butterfat, salt, natural flavours, emulsifier (soya lecithin)), sea salt 0.4%. 

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a factory which works with milk, soya, tree nuts and wheat."

Gron Balance OKO - Mork chokolade 70% Kakao (bar) - Dec. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Gron Balance OKO
(Green Balance OKO)
Mork chokolade 70% Kakao
(Dark chocolate 70% Cacao (bar))
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 284 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: 299 ISK (approx. 145 ISK = $1 USD) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kr store, Vik, Iceland

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Iceland Theme Week.

Today's Gron Balance OKO Mork chokolade (dark chocolate) 70% Cacao (bar) was produced by ICAM S.p.A (Italy) for Dagrofa aps. (Ringsted, Denmark).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and faint vanilla with even fainter smoke (aromatic tobacco).

This well-tempered dark chocolate had a creamy melt and smooth texture with a very faint astringency in the finish.

Flavor notes included: bold, balanced 70% dark chocolate (ultra-dark chocolate pudding, deep cacao, dark forest), barely detectable nut, and a roasted earthiness that made this 70% dark seem even a bit darker (more like 75% - 80% cacao). At the end of the finish there was a faint, fleeting red fruit (berry, currant) note.

Ingredients: Organic, Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa mass; organic cane sugar; organic, Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa butter; organic vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: (May contain traces of milk, almond, hazelnut, cashew, pistachio.)

*Note: I bought today's dark chocolate bar in Iceland. It was made by an Italy-based company for a Denmark-based company. Iceland was part of Denmark from 1814 to 1918, and was a "separate kingdom" in relationship with Denmark until 1944--when Iceland declared independence.