chocoTown : the best chocolate review blog

Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82%:

I place a small piece into my mouth and as it starts to melt, the complex taste emerges.. Sort of smokey, definitely earthy. Chewing releases an acidic flavor with intense tannins! This chocolate is bitter, with hardly any sweetness at all. There are distinct red wine tones..

Here’s what Scharffen Berger tells us on the label of the bar:

“Our 82% Cacao Extra Dark Chocolate suggests the flavor of dried figs with a mild peppery spiciness reminiscent of red wine.”

i’d say my experience matched the label’s description with the exception of the ‘mild’ term.. it was anything but mild. As my paw used to say, “this stuff will put hair on your chest!”

Best served with a fine beverage - i’m thinking scotch.

[score: 7/10 nibs]

www.scharffenberger.com

Vosges Woolloomooloo Bar:

Roasted and salted macadamia nuts, Indonesian coconut, hemp seeds, deep milk chocolate.

this is how milk chocolate should taste! the salty macadamia nuts add texture while the hemp seed oil warms and brings all the flavors together nicely. eating a Woolloomooloo Bar is a comforting experience!

www.vosgeschocolate.com

Chocolate is Healthy!

Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!

Cocoa posesses nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times that of green tea.

So What’s the deal with Antioxidants?

Whaaale… oxidation in the body (think: rust!) can sometimes produce reactive substances known as free radicals that can cause oxidative stress or damage to the cells and this has been closely linked with cancer. Antioxidants, as their title indicates, stablelize free radicals before they can react and cause harm to cells.

Chocolate: The Love Drug

Cacao also contains the natural chemicals Phenylethylamine (linked to sensations of Love), Anandamide (a cannabinoid, similar to those found in marijuana), Theobromine (a mild stimulant similar to caffein).

The Lesson:

Eat dark chocolate every day..I’m not talking about hershey’s, milky ways, butterfingers, bon bons, and all that processed sugar-laden crap.. I’m talking about the real stuff.  It needs to be consumed dark to get the antioxidant punch. Look for dark chocolate with a cacao content of 70% or greater, preferably 85%.  Spend your money on chocolate or cocoa that has undergone as little processing as possible. Tops on my list at the moment is Scharffen Berger chocolate - they dont use any emulsifiers or alkali to process their cocoa… its as pure as you can get.

kshocolat Dark Chocolate Bar

this is a respectable chocolate bar.. simple and understated.. its not gonna change your life or anything, but it will satiate your dark chocolate cravings.. its got a clean and simple taste.. i didnt notice much nuance or character, but was somewhat refreshed by the minimalist quality of this kshocolat dark chocolate bar. 
5/10 cacao beans

Veritas Espresso & Dark Chocolate True Flats:

from the package:

“our all-natural Espresso & Dark Chocolate True Flats are created from a signature blend of Arabica espresso beans, which we crush and sprinkle onto a thin layer of deep, rich 54% dark chocolate. Aromatic and bold, creamy and crunchy - a unique taste senstation with a buzz”

upon tasting, these words were tossed around: smoothe, rich, creamy, elegant, flavorful, bold, defined, pure

It is uniquely apparent that this chocolate bar by Veritas Chocolatiers was engineered by true artisans.. the texture and hardness are spot-on.. the dark chocolate (54%) has a soft firmness to it, as it without getting chalky.. the espresso beans are chipped into tiny shards that provide a subtle crunch and add boldness to the flavor. I cant find any fault in the experience of eating this chocolate bar..it made me happy. highly reccommended!

7.5/10 cacao beans

www.veritaschocolatier.com

Chuao Chinita Nibs

Dark Chocolate Bar with caramelized cacao nibs and nutmeg. (60% cacao)
from the label:

“Named in tribute to the beloved patron virgin of Maracaibo, who protected the famed regions’ cacao growers in Venezuela, the Chinita Nibs bar melds our private blend of premium dark chocolate with fresh netmug and caramelized cacao nibs.”

I was impressed by the creativity of the last Chuao bar that I tried, the Firecracker, and this one is equally inventive and adventurous. Who knew you could caramelize cacao nibs?

The flavor is complex and multi-layered. At first bite, the prodominant flavor comes from the merging of the caramel-like taste of the nibs and the nutmeg, which comes together in a sweet harmony that will instantly evoke memories of holiday egg nogg.

As you continue to chew, the fine quality of the Chuao dark chocolate ushers you along and the crunchyness of the nibs provide a hearty, textural finish. well done Chuao!
www.chuaochocolatier.com

Kshocolat Lemon & Pepper White Chocolate Bar:

I’ve never been too keen on white chocolate.. i mean.. its kinda an oxymoron, isnt it? it tastes more to me like butter..maybe because its made with cocoa butter, which is derived from the oil from cocao beans.

i was intrigued by this lemon & pepper white chocolate bar from Kshocolat. lemon and pepper are snappy flavors that could possibly bite through the smooth, richness of white chocolate.

the verdict: this is an excellent tasting white chocolate bar. while still a little too rich for my personal taste, the flavors match nicely and interact suprisingly well with the pallete.  I think this chocolate could make an excellent compliment to other foods if used sparingly - perhaps to ice cream, brownies, or something less rich. 
www.kshocolat.co.uk

Valor Sugar Free Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs

i have been trying to avoid sugar as much as possible lately.. so i thought i would try some sugar free dark chocolate.. produced in Spain, this Valor 72% bar with cocoa nibs is pretty tasty.

the cocoa nibs give it a nice crunch and heartyness, and you’d almost think they were crushed peanuts if it weren’t for their dark brown appearance.

the chocolate taste was sort of neutral… not bad, but not much character either. and for a sugar free dark chocolate bar, this stuff is actually pretty sweet.

i was a little dissappointed when i read the ingredients and back label:

“Ingredients: Chocolate processed with alkali maltitol*, cocoa, cocoa bean pieves, cocoa butter, soy lecithin: an emulsifier, edulcorants acesulfame k* and aspartame, vanillin: artificial flavor.      *ingredient not found in regular chocolate”

meh. i would rather do without the aspartame and the processing..  then further down on the label was this warning:

“excess consumption may cause a laxative effect”

wtf? i’m-a hold off on my usual chain eating and put this one back in the fridge.

www.valor.es

Chuao Firecracker Dark Chocolate Bar

chipotle, salt and popping candy..60% cacao
talk about an explosion in your mouth! give a piece of this stuff to someone without telling them what it is and watch them get punked by chocolate!

when you pop a square into your mouth, the creamy dark chocolate greets your pallate at the door.. unsuspecting, you work your way to the center of the morsel and start to taste the warming tones of the salt, then the fireworks go off! its alarming for sure. just as the pop rocks begin their show, you are slapped in the tongue with a fairly intense burn from the chipotle peppers. its a 30 second party in your mouth and i like it.

not the kind of thing that you eat a lot of.. its probably more fun to trick your kids with..

www.chuaochocolatier.com