Gnosis Chocolate - A Special Date (bar) - May 24, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Gnosis Chocolate
A Special Date (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (30 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $5.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's "A Special Date" bar was created by Gnosis Chocolate  (Astoria, NYC, NY).

Aroma notes for this bar included: rich dark chocolate and faint dried fruit (date).

Texture: Smooth, creamy dark chocolate. (The whole bar was smooth; there was no date texture or any faint date sugar crystal graininess.)

Flavor notes included: tasty dark chocolate (dark chocolate torte) with subtly complex fruit (date).

Today's bar was one of my favorite date + chocolate blends this week. My two favorites were crafted with the fewest ingredients: just dark chocolate and dates. It's led me to believe that perhaps this is one of those combinations that works fairly well and doesn't necessarily benefit from additional company. 

I enjoyed the sweet, satisfying flavor of this chocolate. And the fact that it was made (with love) and just two, organic ingredients. Thank you to chocolate girl--aka gnosis chocolate maker Vanessa Barg.

Ingredients: 70% raw cacao beans*, ground dates*, Love (* = organic)

Allergen-related information: "Carefully handcrafted in a kitchen that also uses tree nuts and coconut."

Simply - Salted Peanut Chocolate Date Bars - May 23, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Simply Gum, Inc.
Salted Peanut Chocolate Date Bars
Good ++
Weight: 1.48 oz. (42 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $6.66 (sale price)
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA 

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's Salted Peanut Chocolate Date Bars were from Simply Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma notes for these gluten-free, vegan, small bars included: slightly umami/salty peanut, chocolate and date cookie.

An inner peanut and date blend offered a caramel-nougat-like filling, with a pliable date-like chew. The thin outer layer of dark chocolate was quite smooth. 

There was barely any of the faint graininess* in this bar that I've tasted in many other chocolate + date confections.

Flavor notes included: peanut-date-caramel (coconut sugar) nougat-like filling and subtle dark chocolate. The thin layer of dark chocolate took a back seat in this confection; but the flavors were all complementary and well-balanced.

The salted peanuts and chocolate help balance out the date-fruit sweetness. I also liked that these smaller snack-sized bars (that were not individually wrapped) were easy to share (weren't stuck together). 

Ingredients: Organic Dates, Roasted Peanuts, Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Organic Coconut Sugar, Cocoa Butter), Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: Contains: Peanuts, Coconut.

*A sense of graininess is often due to sugar crystals that can form in the dates as they age.

Jooliettes Date Nibbles - Blood Orange Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates) - May 22, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Jooliettes Date Nibbles 
Blood Orange Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's Organic Blood Orange (Organic) Dark Chocolate (Covered Diced Dates) snack was distributed by Joolies Superfruit LLC (Coachella, CA). 

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, relatively strong citrus (slightly floral orange juice) and subtle dried fruit (date). 

Flavor notes included: tart, sweet orange; dark chocolate; and softly chewy date centers. There was a very slight graininess in the texture. They were sweet and satsifying.

This week I've enjoyed the sheer variety of date and chocolate combinations. And many of the dates have hailed from here in California. Medjool dates grown in the Coachella Valley are popular (in) snacks and treats.* 

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate* (Unsweetened Chocolate*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Natural Vanilla Extract*), Dates*, Cane Sugar*, Rice Flour*, Orange Juice Powder*, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tapioca Syrup*, Natural Flavor*. (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also manufactures products that contain Milk, Wheat, Peanuts, and Tree Nuts."

*My favorite childhood, date-related memory: sampling a date + nutmeg + vanilla ice cream milkshake on a visit to Southern California on a hot day.) And the smell of freshly squeezed orange juice being made that same visit. It was probably too hot for chocolate. (No A/C in the family car back then.)

 

Jooliettes Date Nibbles - Sea Salt Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates) - May 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Jooliettes Date Nibbles 
Sea Salt Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order

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

Today's Organic Sea Salt Dark Chocolate (Covered Diced Dates) snack was distributed by Joolies Superfruit LLC (Coachella, CA).

Aroma notes for today's dark chocolate date nibbles included: dark chocolate; sweet-tart green (sugar + oxalis + vanilla); and faint dried fruit (date).

Texture: hearty, soft chew; plump, soft date pieces covered with smooth dark chocolate; with a very faint graininess (possibly from dates/rice flour).

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (with barely there vanilla), dates*, and tiny undulations of sea salt that balanced the sweetness. 

I liked the balance and layering of flavors; and the relatively short list of quality, organic ingredients. 

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate* (Unsweetened Chocolate*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Natural Vanilla Extract*), Dates*, Rice Flour*, Sea Salt. (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also manufactures products that contain Milk, Wheat, Peanuts, and Tree Nuts." 

*This snack was made using upcycled Ugglies dates.

Gnosis Chocolate - Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar - May 20, 2024

Chocolate of The Day

Gnosis Chocolate 
Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 193 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's Salted Caramel Filled Raw Chocolate Bar was from Gnosis Chocolate (Astoria, NY).

Aroma notes behind this thoughtfully crafted bar included: dark chocolate, very faint fruit (date), and very faint caramel and botanicals.

Texture: smooth (dark chocolate and velvety caramel), yet it was also slightly granular. 

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate and caramel with very faint nut and slightly sweet botanicals (consistent with maca, lucuma).

The sweetness level was relatively high; but it was less than most caramel filled chocolates. And it had less of a sugar buzz. (Thank you!) The salt was very subtle.

Ingredients: "raw cacao beans*, medjool dates*, raw cashews*, virgin coconut oil*, coconut sugar*, raw blue agave*, lucuma*, Balinese pyramid salt, maca root*, Love (* - organic)"

Allergen-related information: (contains cashews; coconut (oil, sugar))

The Conscious Bar - 75% Cacao Espresso Crunch (bar) - May 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

The Conscious Bar
75% Cacao - Espresso Crunch (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $81.90 for 7-bar variety pack
Purchased from: The Conscious Bar, online order

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

Today's 75% Cacao Espresso Crunch (bar) was distributed by The Conscious Bar LLC (Miami, FL).

Aroma notes included: strong, roasted coffee and dark chocolate.

Texture and flavor notes included: crunchy espresso roast coffee bits; faint/mild, fleeting, green pepper; and smooth dark chocolate. The relatively fibrous, roasted espresso bean texture and flavor lingered into the finish.

I liked the short list of organic ingredients. In today's bar the strong coffee (espresso) dominated the texture and flavor profile--making it difficult to pick up the nuances of the (fully incorporated) dates and dark chocolate. Although I did enjoy the espresso-in-chocolate taste more than the initial (strong) aroma. This would be an interesting bar for espresso, mocha and/or coffee fans to try. 

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Coffee Beans, Organic Dates, Organic Cacao Butter

Allergen-related information: "Made In A Facility That Handles Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, And Tree Nuts."

The Conscious Bar - 75% Cacao Creamy Tahini (bar) - May 18, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

The Conscious Bar
75% Cacao - Creamy Tahini (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $81.90 for 7-bar variety pack
Purchased from: The Conscious Bar, online order

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

Today's 75% Cacao Creamy Tahini (bar) was distributed by The Conscious Bar LLC (Miami, FL).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, nut butter, sesame peanuts--and very faint, fleeting bitter fruit vinegar (that dissipated over a short time).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a velvety nut-butter creaminess. Both dates and tahini were fully incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate; subtle tahini (toasted, fully ground sesame seeds with creamy nut butter-like texture). Not too sweet (thank you!). The flavors were not too bold (nothing spikey or off that I could taste). And it was mellow without being too blah. 

I enjoyed the blend of these three ingredients (cacao, date and sesame). It was well balanced and executed. And I appreciated the maker's choice to fully blend them together, resulting in a creamy, smooth end product. (I normally like layered flavors and textures, but this was a great choice here.)

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Dates, Organic Tahini, Organic Cacao Butter

Allergen-related information: "Made In A Facility That Handles Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, And Tree Nuts."