Kessho Craft Chocolate - Raspberry Dark Chocolate 57% Cacao Semuliki Forest Uganda (bar) - Aug. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kessho Craft Chocolate
Raspberry Dark Chocolate 57% Cacao Semuliki Forest Uganda (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kessho, online order 

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Raspberry Dark Chocolate 57% Cacao Semuliki Forest Uganda (bar) was handcrafted by Kessho Craft Chocolate and distributed by Kessho, LLC in Austin, TX.

Aroma notes included: Red berries (red raspberry) and smooth dark chocolate.

Texture: uniformly smooth, fudge-like texture with a relatively rapid, creamy melt. The raspberry powder was fully incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes for this single origin cacao chocolate included: relatively smooth, tart-sweet, red raspberry, dark chocolate and very faint warm spice. 

The red raspberry flavor was authentically vibrant and was the star of the show--to the point where it eclipsed possible underlying nuances of the Uganda (hybrid Trinitario and Forastero) cacao. There were no obvious bitter or off notes in the slightly fudge-y, 57% dark chocolate; but any fruit or floral notes in the cacao were topped by raspberries/lower percentage of cacao.

I appreciated the use of single origin cacao and the short list of only four ingredients.

Maker's tasting notes: "Red berries, rose petals and chocolate fudge"

Ingredients: "Whole cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter, raspberry powder"

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

 

Goodio - Red Berries 49% Cacao (bar) - Aug. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Goodio 
Red Berries 49% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 270 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order 

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Goodio "Red Berries 49% Cacao (bar) was manufactured by Helsinki Heaven Oy (Vantaa, Finland). The company offers a variety of bars, and some include Nordic flavor inclusions -- made "by a team of magical artists." (Hearts and crafts: a team with heart that also know their craft.)

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweeter/mellower (Criollo-like) dark chocolate, coconut and fruity (red berries: raspberry, strawberry).

Texture: relatively smooth, fudge-y softness in the texture, with slight textural richness from flavor inclusions.

I liked the way the coconut harmonized with the chocolate and red berries and was not too overwhelming. I also appreciated Goodio's thoughtful use of a short list of quality, organic ingredients.

Maker's description: "One more chocolate for the road. Premium craft chocolate sprinkled with organic raspberries and strawberries."

Ingredients: "Cacao beans*, Coconut palm sugar*, Cacao butter*, Coconut flakes*, Strawberry*, Raspberry*. (*Organic)."

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts (cashew)." "Dairy, gluten & soy free" 

Monkey Brittle - Coconut, Cacao, Bananas & Sea Salt (pieces) - Aug. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Huggins Family Farms

Monkey Brittle - Coconut, Cacao, Bananas, Sea Salt 

Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total package 
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 package 
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order 

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

What is a banana + cacao offering doing in a chocolate, berry and cherry themed week? Believe it or not, bananas are, technically, berries.

Today's "Monkey Brittle" with coconut, cacao, bananas and nuts was from Huggins Family Farms (Hood River, OR).

Aroma notes included: fruity (banana bread), nutty and light cocoa and coconut.

Texture: unique and very light-weight, thin crunchy cookie-like brittle. Think banana-bread-nut brownie wafers.

Flavor notes for these wafer-thin brittle pieces included: light cocoa, banana nut bread and subtle coconut.

I was surprised and delighted by the complexity ?? lightness? suitable as a quick meal (breakfast on the go) or a portable snack for a walk/hike... short list of authentic and organic ingredients (with no gums, preservatives or "natural flavors").

Maker's notes? "Coconuts, Cacao, Bananas, Nuts, Raisins, Sea Salt...& Absolutely Nothing Else."

Ingredients: "Organic Bananas, Organic Tree Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts), Organic Raisins, Organic Coconut, Organic Cocoa, Sea Salt"

Allergen-related information: Contains Tree Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts), Coconuts.

Standout Chocolate - Nordic Nature European Blueberry 63% (bar) - Aug. 10, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate 
Nordic Nature European Blueberry 63% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Organic Nordic Nature European Blueberry 63% (bar) was from Standout Chocolate (Goteborg, Sweden). The company has been very reliably producing some very tasty single origin bars in recent years (as well as a line of bars with Nordic-inspired flavor inclusions).

The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Oko Caribe, a cacao co-operative located in the Duarte Province of the Dominican Republic.

Aroma and flavor notes included: appealing dark chocolate and complex, tart-sweet blueberry that resulted in a bar with berry flavor with very light, attractive, herbal/savory (barely there umami, smoke) notes.

I enjoyed the opportunity to taste a chocolate bar with bilberries--and the complex, relatively more intense, flavor of these European blueberries. I also liked the very complementary and flavorful blend of single origin DR cacao with these unique wild berries. 

And, last but not least, I appreciated the short list of thoughtfully sourced, organic ingredients.

Maker's tasting notes: "Wild Blueberries, Fresh Fruitiness"

Ingredients: Cacao beans*, Sugar*, Cacao butter*, Bilberry*. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of Milk. 

Preston's Candy by Javier - "5X Very Berry" Dark Chocolate 63% cacao (bar) - Aug. 9, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Preston's Candy by Javier
"5X Very Berry" Dark Chocolate 63% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Filoli store, Woodside, CA

Dandelion Chocolate
Halva Bonbons
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (54.9 g.) / 6.8 oz. (192.7 g.) in total box of 7 pieces
Calories: 310 calories (estimate) in 2 bonbons
Cost: N/A - gift from family member - Thank you Megan!
Purchased from: N/A - gift from family member

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

5X Very Berry Dark Chocolate bar

Today's 5X Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate 63% cacao (bar) was from Preston's Candy By Javier (Burlingame, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this 5-fruit studded dark chocolate bar included: rich, bittersweet chocolate;  hearty, balanced fruitiness with bursts of tart-sweet goji, raisin, cherry, and other berries; and very faint nut. (Note: there were no nut ingredients.)

I enjoyed the hearty blend of smooth dark chocolate and the dried (but still relatively plump and moist) berries and fruits. It was indeed a 5x Very Berry chocolate.

Note: This was very similar to a bar I tasted in 2023. So, I also enjoyed this bar with some Halva Bonbons from Dandelion Chocolate (San Francisco, CA). No berries on the bonbons, but they were berry, berry good.

Ingredients: "63% Bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla beans), Dried Goji, raisins, raspberry, blueberry and cherries."

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat."

Halva Bonbons

These Halva Bonbons were a collaboration between Seed + Mill (New York) and Dandelion Chocolate (a bean-to-bar chocolate maker in San Francisco, CA). 

Dandelion has been reliably turning out great chocolate bars for many years; and in recent years, has been producing an increasing number of tasty chocolate confections (typically made with one of their single origin chocolates).

I really enjoyed these luxe, halva-filled chocolate confections--covered with creamy (Tumaco) Colombia cacao-based dark chocolate. 

I paired these generously-sized bonbons with the above berry chocolate bar + fresh cherries and vanilla cherry ice cream. It was a very decadent, sweet summer day and evening.

Aroma and flavor notes for these creamy bonbons included: authentic sesame tahini aroma and flavor; rich, dark, single origin chocolate; and very faint sweet spice (cardamom).

Sweet, complex, layered flavors and rich textures: very slightly crispy-crunchy sesame halva on top of flavorful chocolate ganache, then enrobed in creamy, high-quality chocolate. Delicious.

Ingredients: Dandelion 70% House Blend chocolate (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar), halva (sesame paste, sugar, glucose, saponaria extract), Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Tumaco, Colombia, organic cane sugar), cocoa butter, heavy whipping cream, glucose syrup, cardamom, sea salt, edible gold leaf).

Allergen-related information: Contains: Milk, Sesame Seeds. "Crafted in a facility that also processes wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts (hazelnuts, coconuts, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds)."

 

Spring & Mulberry - Mixed Berry Date-Sweetened Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) - Aug. 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Spring & Mulberry 
Mixed Berry Date-Sweetened Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.75 for 1 bar (part of a larger 6-bar order)
Purchased from: Spring & Mulberry, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Mixed Berry Date-Sweetened Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) was from Spring & Mulberry (Raleigh, NC).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate; rich sweetness (dates, brown sugar); and faint berry (strawberry, red raspberry).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a very slight stone-ground aspect (that could have been from ground dates), interspersed with small fruit pieces. 

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate that was relatively low in bitterness; dates/brown sugar; and authentic red raspberry tartness (with raspberry seeds), with periodic upticks in strawberry (thin, dried slices) and flavorful, dried blueberry.

I appreciated the short list of authentic, balanced and organic ingredients, as well as a more minimal sugar buzz (use of dates as a sweetener vs. cane sugar).

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Dates*, Cacao Butter*, Strawberries*, Red Raspberries*, Blueberries* (* = Organic)

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

Raaka - Raspberry Waffle Crunch Unroasted Dark Chocolate 59% Cacao (bar) - Aug. 7, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka
Raspberry Waffle Crunch Unroasted Dark Chocolate 59% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Berries & Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Raspberry Waffle Crunch Unroasted Dark Chocolate 59% Cacao (bar) was made from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, dark red raspberry, and very faint vanilla.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate and tiny crunchy bits. (The berry flavor was fully integrated, so there were no berry bits or seeds.)

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate with balanced bitterness, and subtle dark berry. 

I enjoyed that this bar wasn't too sweet. This single origin (Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania) dark chocolate was relatively smooth in flavor, and tasted "darker" than its 59% cacao content might indicate. I also appreciated that the waffle pieces were gluten-free and were not too sweet. The berry (raspberry) and vanilla were authentic-tasting, background flavors.

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, organic gluten-free waffle cone (coconut oil*, cane sugar*, rice flour*, brown rice flour*, tapioca flour*, millet flour*, apple sauce*, flax seed*, cacao powder*, arrowroot powder*, baking powder, inulin*, ascorbic acid, xanthan gum), organic raspberry juice powder, organic vanilla" (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Certified Organic and Kosher; Vegan, Gluten Free; Soy Free"