Chocolate University Online Blog
 October is Breast Cancer awareness month and Ghirardelli is using the power and popularity of chocolate to make a difference. Each time you purchase an Intense Dark chocolate bar, Ghirardelli will donate $1.00 to the National Breast Cancer foundation. After enjoying one of the many varieties of Intense Dark, don’t throw away the wrapper until after you’ve entered the code on their website. The code is printed on the inside of the packaging.
It is hard to choose my favorite among the Intense Dark varieties because they’re all so good!
I most recently had the pleasure of eating Toffee Interlude. This rich, bold chocolate surrounds crunchy toffee pieces and caramelized almonds. The buttery and caramel flavors blend nicely with the soft sweetness of the chocolate and the hint of salt from the almonds.
A couple different wines pair very well with the Toffee Interlude. Choose a Chardonnay with buttery and vanilla notes to bring out the toffee, or a sweet late harvest Riesling to bring out the chocolate and almond.
Ghirardelli (pronounced Gear-ar-delly) was founded in 1852 and has been making chocolate ever since. One of Ghirardelli’s promotional campaigns declares “Lose yourself in the Dark”. They offer seven different flavors to do just that; 60% Evening Dream, 72% Twilight Delight, 86% Midnight Reverie, Espresso Escape, Toffee Interlude, Sea Salt Soiree, and Hazelnut Heaven.
Ghirardelli is a bean to bar operation. They begin by roasting cacao beans and finish with the molded chocolate bar. This means they can control the entire process for flavor, quality and consistency. If you are a Ghirardelli lover, you instantly recognize their signature flavor profile in their chocolates. That’s due to a proprietary bean blend they use to create this unique flavor.
After selecting, blending and roasting the cacao beans, Ghirardelli mixes and refines their chocolate into a velvety smooth texture and a melt-in- your-mouth deliciousness. Ghirardelli takes careful steps to make sure their chocolate is memorable. I have already lost myself to the Dark side of chocolate and it is a beautiful place to be!
Please enjoy an Intense Dark Chocolate. And make a difference in the cure for Breast Cancer at the same time!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: dark chocolate, Ghirardelli, intense dark, National Breast Cancer Foundation
 During a recent chocolate and wine tasting program, I introduced the pairing of a dark chocolate covered pecan and caramel cluster with a Bogle Petite Sirah.
Looking for a wine that would work with cluster, I described what I needed and then took the suggestion from a very knowledgeable wine guru. But up until serving it, I had not tried this particular combination. This always makes me a bit nervous because I am using something unfamiliar, yet I’m simultaneously excited to try something new.
The pairing did not disappoint! This wonderful twosome worked great in the tasting and would also be a very satisfying after dinner treat.
Petite Sirah wine is dark, and inky colored, with firm texture and thick mouth feel. This works well with the thick feeling of caramel and pecan. The flavor notes in this particular petite sirah offered deep fruit of plums and red berries with a hint of spice and a touch of astringency that enhanced the nutty and buttery notes of both the pecans and caramel.
The dark chocolate, around 60% cacao content, complements the tannins in the wine without creating a bitter aftertaste. I think if the dark chocolate were any higher in cocoa solids and the wine a bit more aged, this pairing would be unsuccessful. But somehow all this complexity works, and it works very well!
The wine came from the Bogle Winery in California. According to their website, www.boglewinery.com, Bogle Petite Sirah is “…voluptuous and full-bodied on the entry, the heady aromas of black currants and plums awaken the senses…tones of leather and cocoa…juniper and spice…this wine finishes long and lingering.”
They say it is best served with rich meat dishes and hearty sauces, but I should inform them that it is best enjoyed with Dark Chocolate Pecan Caramel Patties!
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: Bogle Winery, caramel, chocolate pairings, dark chocolate, pecans, petite sirah, Red wine, tasting
Do you remember the slogan for an old commercial that had people taking sides on tacos? Some would say, “I like making it!” and others would say, “I like eating it!” If you are over 40 and grew up in the U.S., I’ll bet you remember.
When it comes to fudge, most people would say they like eating it way more than they like making it!
Making fudge is tiresome, tedious work that often ends with unsatisfactory results. Fudge has to be cooked at a high temperature then cooled while stirred constantly or the sugar will crystallize into a gritty mess.
So, with patience and a gastronomic aptitude one can achieve great fudge. That is why I like eating it. I don’t possess either one of those fudge making qualities.
Aunt Belle’s Chocolate Fudge (Walker, Minnesota) is what fudge ought to be; smooth and creamy and full of flavor. I think the majority of people love fudge because it is sweet and tolerates just about any flavor you mix into it.
I counted ten varieties of fudge offered by Aunt Belle’s. The menu reminded me of ordering in an ice cream shop with Chocolate Walnut, Peppermint, Mint, and Butter Pecan. There are some unusual selections like Pumpkin, Maple, and White Russian.
My son and I shared a slice of chocolate fudge while we walked around the quaint downtown shopping district of Walker. The chocolate was mild but flavorful and balanced in spite of the strong sweetness. Most importantly, the texture was velvety soft. So while I reported disappointment with Aunt Belle’s Bear Paw, I was quite pleased with the fudge.
Fudge has an interesting history. The best information I found is an article called The Origin of Fudge at a great website called The Nibble. Read that article to learn more about fudge in general.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: Aunt Belle's, fudge, milk chocolate
Aunt Belle’s Confectionary, LLC has two stores in northern Minnesota, and I just found one of them in Walker, MN.
Walker is a small town with a main street that looks and feels like a trip back in time. Aunt Belle’s boasts old fashioned homemade candies and fudge. According to their website, you’ll step into their store and feel like a kid again. I did feel giddy like a kid in a candy store (pun intended) and picked out all the goodies I thought I’d enjoy; chocolate dipped brittle, chocolate covered potato chips, chocolate covered nut clusters, and chocolate fudge.
While they had several different types of nut clusters such as the traditional turtle, I chose one of the variations called the Bear Paw.
The Bear Paw is a caramel pattie with mixed nuts, completely covered in a dark milk (blend of milk and dark) chocolate. With full coverage that’s more chocolate than a typical turtle. And with more nut variety too, it piqued my interest. However, the combination brought great expectations but delivered mediocre results.
I was disappointed by the chocolate impact. The chocolate was too mild for the sweet caramel and nutty flavors of the pattie. I did not taste much chocolate even at the end. The caramel was sweeter than it was buttery and, unfortunately, some of the nuts were a bit off-flavor. Overall, it reminded me more of a vending machine candy bar experience - I was simply not impressed nor satisfied.
Now, part of the joy of sampling is to keep going, trying something else, and giving the confections as many second chances as you can. I know, it is a tough job, but chocolate lovers just have to do it! :) Next week, I’ll review one of the fudges in Aunt Belle’s assortment. Did Aunt Belle’s get it right? You’ll find out!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: Aunt Belle's, caramel, chocolate covered nuts, dark milk
Like most people, I crave a sweet treat at the end of a meal. In the summer, when food is generally on the lighter side, I like something sweet but not TOO sweet.
 After you‘ve eaten your grilled chicken breasts and pasta salad, try this pairing between Ghirardelli LUXE MILK™ Toffee and Round Hill Chardonnay.
The Milk Chocolate with Toffee has bold buttery and crunchy toffee bits that blend very well with the subtle chocolaty notes and intense creamy flavors of the milk chocolate. The Chardonnay adds more butter and toffee notes with hints of vanilla, apricot, and spice.
I bought both these items at my local grocery store. The 2009 Round Hill Chardonnay was a bargain at $6.49 (on their website it still sells for a reasonable $8.00). I liked the wine by itself, too!
Oh, one more thing. Just recently, a friend of mine asked me how to pronounce Ghirardelli as she had heard at least two different variations. Since I also have had that experience, I went to the ultimate authority. The Ghirardelli website.
According to the company, you should say Gear-ar-delly!
Now go and enjoy your Toffee Gear-ar-delly with the Round Hill Shar-doe-nay!
Categories: chocolate pairings, chocolate review
Tags: Ghirardelli, grocery product, milk chocolate, Round Hill, white wine, wine
 “Simply the finest chocolates on earth!”
Whatever happened to truth in advertising?
I review a lot of chocolate, and I’d be the first to emphasize that anything I report is a matter of subjective opinion and personal preference. That is, what I write is MY personal preference. Just because I like it, doesn’t mean everyone will like it. We all get that.
This time, however, you can take my review as gospel truth and just trust me…. YOU WILL NOT like Sweet Obsession™ chocolate.
Contrary to the tag line that is on the wrapper, this bar is simply the worst chocolate on earth. At a minimum, it’s one of the worst I have ever tasted.
The Sweet Obsession Milk Chocolate bar is boldly labeled as “Fine European Chocolate.” I’ve enjoyed fine European chocolate. This is not it. European chocolate makers should be embarrassed to see this phrase on these packages.
There were plenty of warning signs before I bought this bar. In other words, my my expectations were pretty low from the start.
1. The bar sells for $1.00 despite being a larger size (5.3 oz/150 g) than typical chocolate bars.
2. The ingredient statement declares that in addition to cocoa butter there is vegetable fat, and in addition to whole milk there is whey powder.
3. It is imported by a company (Global Brands, LLC) that is “committed to creating and supplying food products that will never cost more than $1.00 retail.” Ok, it really said supplying “extreme value foods,” but that makes it sound like a good thing.
It only took one small bite to confirm my suspicions. The chocolate was gritty, tasteless, and waxy. To punish myself even more, I tried the dark chocolate version and guess what? It was gritty, tasteless, and waxy – only in a darker color!
I bought these extreme value chocolates at the local Pick ‘n Save grocery store. Don’t get sucked in by the price. And don’t believe, even for a second, that Sweet Obsession makes the finest chocolates on earth!
Beware!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: dark chocolate, grocery product, milk chocolate, Sweet Obsession
The Stash Tea Company makes a trio of “dessert teas”; chocolate hazelnut, vanilla cream, and almond cream. These teas are made with decaffeinated black tea.
I drank my chocolate hazelnut tea one afternoon when I was “in the mood for something.” I didn’t actually know what I was in the mood for, but since I didn’t have my usual chocolate pick me up handy, I thought this tea might do the trick.
It did. I brewed the tea until the cup had a dark, rich brown color. The aroma of this tea was wonderful! Both the chocolate and hazelnut aroma were strong and enticing. I hoped the flavor was going to be as good as the smell.
I was not disappointed. The taste was true to the aroma.
At first, the hazelnut was the only flavor note I could taste and I was momentarily disappointed that the chocolate wasn’t going to come through. But it did present itself at the end, and the finish was chocolatey.
I did not add any sugar or milk to my first cup because I wanted to taste the tea without distraction. My next cup was a different experience completely since adding a little sugar and milk really made the chocolate and hazelnut flavors pop!
I wonder what it tastes like as iced tea?
On the Stash Tea website, there is a Knowledge Center. This was my favorite part of their website. I learned about the history of tea, terminology used in tea tasting, and tea’s benefits in health and nutrition.
Did you know that all tea; white, green, oolong and black, originates from one small flowering evergreen bush in China? And that Green tea contains large amounts of antioxidants, vitamin B and folic acid? There’s more, but you can find out for yourself at www.stashtea.com. Don’t forget to check out the recipes for Tea Smoothies!
I’m looking forward to more cups o’ tea.
Available from Amazon.com: Stash Premium Decaf Chocolate Hazelnut Tea, Tea Bags, 18-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: hazelnuts, not quite chocolate, Stash Tea Company, tea
A couple nights ago my teenage daughter had a craving for chocolate cake. Although this sounded good to me too, we had one big obstacle in our way–no working oven. Our oven called it quits one week earlier and we had not replaced it yet.
The next day, with chocolate cake still on my mind, I looked up dessert recipes for the crock pot, microwave, grill, Nesco Roaster, anything that did not require baking it in an oven. To my surprise, I found A LOT of recipes out there using alternate cooking devices.
Eventually, I found a recipe for a one-minute microwaveable chocolate cake in a mug.
The recipe is simple, fast, and you can customize it any way you want. You just mix up the basic ingredients in a medium-sized coffee mug, microwave for one minute, top with whatever toots your horn and EAT!
The chocolate cake had excellent texture and flavor, although the chocolate impact was a bit too mild for my liking.
Instead of trying to figure out how to make the cake more chocolatey, I concentrated on the toppings and that took care of the problem! My daughter chose chocolate ice cream sprinkled with chocolate chips and I chose mint chocolate chip frozen yogurt. Both were absolutely outstanding choices, and we highly recommend them.
Needless to say, we completely satisfied our craving for chocolate cake.
Curious for more?? Make sure you come back to read Wednesday’s blog where I will reveal the recipe!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: chocolate cake, microwave
I recently attended an outdoor BBQ and at the “drink station” was a pitcher of ice water with an assortment of small bottles sitting next to it. Each bottle had a dropper style lid and inside was flavored liquid sweetened with stevia. The host encouraged me to create my own sugar-free beverage.
 I was intrigued, of course, and poured myself a glass of water. Then, as instructed, put 6 to 8 drops of liquid flavoring into my glass. This was a starting point as more can be added according to individual preference.
I chose the chocolate raspberry. And? Delicious!
I thought the chocolate was a little subdued with the raspberry coming through a bit stronger, but the flavor was very “natural” tasting and not too sweet or syrupy. I found it very refreshing. I wish I had added just one or two drops more to see if that brought out extra chocolate flavor.
SweetLeaf brand liquid stevia is an all natural sweetener. I read that, “…at only a penny per drop, you can easily dress up water, coffee, tea, yogurt, cocktails, whip cream, smoothies, ice cubes, and nearly anything else you can dream up. A great replacement for sodas and soft drinks for your kids (and adults)!”
Chocolate raspberry was just one of many flavors offered. You can choose from rootbeer, grape, cinnamon, lemon ,toffee, vanilla, orange, and many more.
There are a number of online sources, from the manufacturers own site at www.buywisdom.com, to a stevia information site www.stevia.com that also leads into an online store.
I think I have some experimenting to do this summer! Let me know your creative uses for liquid stevia by commenting below.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: flavors, raspberry, stevia extract, sweeteners
 The Terravita Chocolate Company is a Polish chocolate manufacturer making some uniquely flavored chocolate. I recently tasted the 77% Orange and Chili Dark Chocolate.
The Terravita line of dark chocolate uses 77% cocoa as a bold, chocolate base. The added, exotic flavor combinations include orange peels and chili, as well as coffee and cardamom.
What I like most about the orange and chili combination is the intense chocolate and orange up front when you first bite into it, and then just when you think you have finished, the heat from the chili kicks in. It is a pleasant finish albeit a surprise!
The orange peels are tiny and chewy and flavorful–just the way I like them. The most impressive thing about his bar is the powerful impact of the chocolate at 77%. (The Lindt Intense Orange is very good, but the chocolate cocoa content is 47% and thus more subdued.)
The website for TerraVita is very interesting. It is in Polish and built for entertainment. Check it out–www.terravita.pl.
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: chili, Cocoacara, dark chocolate, orange peel, Terravita
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