Chapter Eighteen: Bovetti Flourless Chocolate Cake

We were so impressed with the Bovetti bar that we tried in Chapter Six that we decided to pick up another to try this week. The Bovetti Dark Chocolate & Fleur de Sel Bar a 73% cacao bar that is fair trade with the cacao originating in Ghana, New Guinea, and Ecuador.

Tasting No.: 16

Bovetti Dark Chocolate & Fleur de Sel

Initial Impressions:

This bar had a very firm snap in comparison to the base bar.  It was not red in color, but a rich, dark brown.  The smell of this bar was different from what we expected.  Although it has caramel, we found the aroma to be distinctly tobacco, like a humidor.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – vanilla, cinnamon, molasses

Middle – chocolate bomb, pure chocolate

After – vanilla, butterscotch

Texture:

The texture of this bar was creamy, which surprised us because of the candy-like caramel morsels covering one side of the bar.  It reminded us of a dense, flourless chocolate cake.  We found it to be quite thick and enveloping.  The texture of this bar was very similar to last week’s TCHO bar, which differed dramatically from the base bar.

Overall:

Bovetti has been the star brand in our tastings thus far and we have yet to be disappointed.  This brand is one that we would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone with a craving for satisfaction.  For those that want to get lost in the moment with a single square, Bovetti is for you.  This particular bar reminded us instantly of a flourless chocolate cake, with intense chocolate flavor.  There was a subtle element of salt and the caramel came through as potent.  This bar also makes Gaby’s and Laura’s individual favorite lists.

Rating: 9/10

*Notes:

Purchased at Central Market

Price range under $10

Next week, it’s another Trader Joe’s bar!  Don’t forget to have a look!

For now savor: “In the beginning, the Lord created chocolate, and he saw that it was good. Then he separated the light from the dark, and it was better.” - Anonymous

Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.

Chapter Fifteen: Coconut Caramel

We obtained the Dark Chocolate Coconut Caramel bar as a part of a chocolate shopping frenzy at Trader Joe’s.  In light of our recent tasting of the Black Salt Caramel bar, we’re excited to try another caramel filled option.  Like all chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s, this is another budget friendly choice.

Tasting No.: 13

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Bar: Coconut Caramel

Initial Impressions:

The snap was firmer than the base bar due to the squares not being completely filled with caramel.  The golden brown caramel quickly oozed out and was a thin consistency.   The chocolate was slightly less red than our base bar but the most striking feature was the strong toasted coconut scent.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – burnt molasses, salt

Middle – burnt coconut

After – burnt rose

Texture:

While we found the coconut flavor to be overwhelming, the coconut shavings made for a pleasant textural element.  The packaging mentioned cacao nibs which could be adding to the texture experience, but they were difficult to distinguish. 

Overall:

For being the same percentage as the base bar, it was sweet to the point of being sickly sweet.  Between the amount of corn syrup and sugar and the strong coconut flavor, it was almost too much for us. We finally concluded that this bar is more of a candy bar than a chocolate bar.

Rating: 3/10



*Notes:

Purchased at Trader Joe’s

Price range under $3

This bar isn’t going to satisfy your chocolate craving, dark chocolate lovers should look elsewhere.  It is an adventurous combination to taste if you’re looking for a sugar fix but if it's coconut you're after we highly recommend the Bovetti bar from Chapter 6.

Next week we'll be tucking into another Guittard bar, see you then!

For now savor: “The Duchess set about studying Annette and shortly found her adversary's tragic flaw. Chocolate.”  William Goldman – The Princess Bride

Chapter Twelve: Haut Chocolat

We bought the Vosges Haut Chocolat 70% Black Salt Caramel Bar honestly for the packaging.  After reading a little more about this brand, we were excited to partake of the tasting adventure laid out on the back of the packaging which asked us to breathe, see, smell, snap, and taste as a part of the total experience of the bar.

Tasting No.: 10

Vosges Haut Chocolat 70% Black Salt Caramel Bar

Initial Impressions:

For being a filled bar, there is still a substantial snap which then turns into goo.  The caramel aroma was pleasantly prominent but not overwhelming or cloying.  It was darker and browner when compared with our base bar; the caramel was a deep, burnt orange.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – citrus

Middle – caramel, butterscotch, butter

After – burnt, smoke

Texture:

This bar was creamy and silky smooth, the chocolate melted into the caramel which was perfectly proportioned.  The black salt used in this bar is from the ocean surrounding Hawaii and contains volcanic charcoal which lends to the burnt smokey flavor that reminds Gaby of flan.  It was difficult to compare it with our base bar since it was a filled bar.

Overall:

We both enjoyed this bar thoroughly, but agreed that it wasn’t an everyday sort of bar.  This is the perfect bar when you’re in the mood for some gooey delight but we typically prefer a solid chocolate bar to fulfill our cravings.  This would make a nice gift, but be sure to keep it cool or it will melt!

Rating: 7.5/10

*Notes:

Purchased at World Market

Price range under $7

This bar will satisfy a sweet tooth like no other.  Eat it with some strong black tea to cut the sweetness.

Next week we’ll be tasting another filled bar; this one is passionfruit!

For now savor: “Researchers have discovered that chocolate produced some of the same reactions in the brain as marijuana. The researchers also discovered other similarities between the two, but can't remember what they are.” – Matt Lauer, NBC’s Today Show

This bar was 63% fairly traded.  Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.