They also make a wonderful dark chocolate coffee bean bark.  The roasted espresso beans add crunch and real coffee flavor without bitterness or the aftertaste that some of the flavored syrups can leave behind.

They also offer this same recipe dipped on a spoon.  Yes, dipped and hardened on a spoon so that you can stir your morning coffee and change it into a mocha java!

The smooth and mild 62% chocolate allows the coffee flavor from the roasted bean to take over with just the right amount of intensity.

The shop’s signature line of chocolate is the truffle candy bars that come in a variety of flavors.  Of course, I did my best to try them all, and one of my favorites is the Aztec Chili Truffle.

A dark chocolate coating covers a ganache center blended with spicy, hot chilies.  It really does burn your lips, mouth, and everything else on the way down!  If you like a little chocolate with your heat, try these. 

My mouth is still on fire…

Of course, I didn’t try just one item.  The Sea Turtle, a dark chocolate-covered salty caramel and pecan cluster, captured my attention, too.  It was all I expected and more.  The pecans were crunchy, the salty caramel was smooth, buttery and, yes, salty, and the chocolate, although mild, blended perfectly into all the flavors with ease.

The special mineral salt is imported and “the most expensive ingredient we have” says Lorena, co-owner of the shop. 

The salt intensifies all the flavors but especially the caramel and chocolate.  If you don’t believe me, try this little experiment at home on your own.  Temper some chocolate and using both unsalted almonds and salted almonds, make separate chocolate coated clusters, and have a side by side taste test comparison.  You’ll notice the difference straight away.

I could go on and on.  There are more delicious chocolates to talk about, but I’m going to make you wait until next Monday for Chocolate-Covered Coffee Bean Bark and Aztec Chili Truffle!

The U.S. FDA has produced formal standards of identity that legally define chocolate and all its related ingredients and by-products.  But, read through all that and you will discover there is nothing that defines the “quality” of chocolate. 

Of course there are standards of “Quality Assurance” within each processing step of making chocolate.  These control standards start with the cocoa bean and follow through to the finished product.  But following these rules means that pretty much any final chocolate available for purchase could be defined as being a “quality” chocolate.

So the real definition of quality in chocolate is pretty subjective, and it depends on who you talk to and what product you are referring to.  Here’s an example…  In this case let’s say you consider me your favorite chocolate guru (wow, it’s great you admit that!) and you ask me what I consider as quality in a truffle.

I would say that a quality chocolate truffle tastes fresh, is hand rolled or hand molded, and feels velvety smooth in my mouth.  Mmm.  But ask someone else and you may get a completely different answer.

And that’s just an answer for a truffle.  I would not have the same quality factors when considering a solid chocolate bar.

Taking a look from a consumer prospective, there are some guidelines that indicate quality…

Flavor preferences aside, I believe every type of quality chocolate should include:

1. a good appearance (gloss and sheen, no bloom)
2. a clean snap (showing proper temper)
3. an even melt (proper cocoa butter to cocoa solids ratio)
4. expected flavor delivery (in other words, no off-flavors)
   1. if milk chocolate it should deliver milk and chocolate flavors
   2. if dark chocolate it should deliver components of the blended or single origin flavors
5. satisfaction (I would buy it again)

For the most part, “quality” is a real good marketing term.  Truly, any chocolate company can claim their products are high quality, gourmet, and/or premium.  As long as there is an agreement among the customers that the chocolate meets their personal definitions of “high quality” then I suppose their claims can be true.

A good rule of thumb:  quality chocolate is chocolate at its best.

Previously I had been told the English didn’t celebrate Valentines Day much, but that’s not what I experienced.  The chocolate shops and patisseries surrounding the church fully embraced the holiday with window displays decked out in red hearts, flower bouquets, and lots and lots of chocolate!

Most of the time I don’t buy chocolate truffles by the box and off the shelf because I don’t know how long ago those truffles were made.  I prefer a really fresh, handmade truffle at the corner shop.

But this day I could not resist the trimmings and trappings so I purchased a box of Thorntons Premium Collection of Truffles, Pralines and light Mousses in Milk, Dark, and White chocolate.

The verdict? Pretty good, and better than I expected!  I couldn’t decide if my favorite in the lineup was the dark chocolate covered raspberry truffle or the milk chocolate covered champagne mousse.  Both very different, yet both delicious.

According to Thorntons’ website, they have been in the chocolate-making business for nearly 100 years, with their first shop opened in Sheffield by Joseph William Thornton.  They go on to say they made a name for themselves by creating “a uniquely rich and chewy ‘special’ toffee.”  Later, after World War II, their product line was expanded to include European style soft-centered chocolates.

You can purchase Thorntons chocolates in stores and online.  Shipping is from the U.K.  If you’re in a different country, international shipping charges are quite high.  For example, shipping to the U.S. starts at £26.75.  That’ll be above $40 at today’s exchange rate.  So put in a big order to make it worthwhile.

The cafe portion is truly a restaurant with a complete menu including sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, and salads.  They also serve specialty coffees, hot and iced.  Of course they have fine chocolates and other desserts.

Our interest was in their Chocolate Salon.  Here they had a wide assortment of chocolates made right in the store.  Pam, owner and chocolatier, has been making the chocolates for more than six and a half years now.

We picked up five pieces of chocolate:  the dark chocolate signature truffle, dark chocolate covered sea salt caramel, champagne truffle with dark chocolate, single source Ecuador dark chocolate truffle, and a dark chocolate coconut cluster.  (While our choices were all dark chocolates milk chocolate options were also available.)

While each of the chocolates were all quite enjoyable my favorite was the coconut cluster.  With the smooth dark chocolate and the toasted coconut, in proper proportions, this morsel really hit the spot at the end of a long day.  Delicious!

Before I close out this article I also have to mention the sea salt caramel.  Perhaps you’ve already read my blurbs about bacon and chocolate.  There is a certain appeal to the saltiness combined with the sweet and rich chocolate flavor.  This particular chocolate covered caramel offers that sweet/salty sensation without the smoky flavor of the bacon.

Of course the geographic positioning of Caffe’ Chocolat in Titusville, neighboring the Atlantic, adds just a bit more authenticity to the sea salt experience.

Stop by Caffe’ Chocolat the next time you’re visiting the space coast.  Or try online at www.caffechocolat.com.

It’s a nice shop on Main Street.  They’ve got a plentiful selection of chocolates available to suit any taste.  They’ll even customize formulas on request for special clientele!

Today I want to take a moment to write about their chocolate covered bacon.  Yum!  The bacon is cooked up extra crispy and then covered in a dark chocolate.  The combination of smoky and salty bacon, with the sweetness and impact of the dark chocolate, is marvelous. 

When I first opened the package I was instantly hit with a nice chocolate aroma.  Then, when I took a bite, I immediately noticed that the chocolate itself is really smooth, with a great mouth feel.

I’ve previously tasted a Mo’s Bacon Bar from Vosges.  (I’ll have to post a review of that soon.)  Anyway, the bacon in Mo’s gave me the sense of more of a candied bacon, whereas the chocolate covered bacon from Allô Chocolat was a slab of real bacon with a real dark chocolate.

If you haven’t tried this combination – bacon and chocolate (granted it sounds really strange) – I seriously recommend you do.  And, certainly, if you are in the Waukesha, Wisconsin, area stop by Allô Chocolat on Main Street and pick up a bag for yourself.