Bean to bar chocolate has a lot of flavours that come through from the nature in which the beans are grown in, however, producers are always looking to add more flavours and interest into their bars. This post is about bars that are flavoured bean to bar chocolate bars. Whether it’s from adding fruit and nuts, biscuits, or a whole host of spices, new exciting flavours to try.
I think I’m a magpie when it comes to chocolate packaging, that I love the varied wonder of all the producers and this is no different for Taza’s Chocolate. Stoneground with minimal processing to allow the true chocolate character to shine through. I had the Mexicano Cinnamon, a traditional Mexican chocolate ground with whole cinnamon sticks to give a wonderful warmth and wholesomeness to the bar. Due to its sugar and cinnamon content, I’m saving this bad boy to make traditional Mexican hot chocolate, but saying that I quite like the slightly gritty texture of this bar. They also make a host of different flavours which I want to try, such as Salted Almond, Guajillo Chili and Salt and Pepper.
Michel Cluizel Grand Lait Speculoos. I’ve loved the Michel Cluizel bar’s I’ve tried in the past and the fact this bar has SPECULOOS in it!! It’s going to be a winning bar! A hint of cinnamon and ginger, paired with a delightful crunch, paired with the incredibly smooth base chocolate, has made this bar rock into my top 5 bars at the moment.
Jordi’s Dark Chocolate 60% with Candied Orange is an absolute joy. The tang of the orange peel with the deep chocolate just pairs beautifully. There are plenty of large chunks of tender peel just nestled in the bed of smooth dreamy chocolate. Beautiful.
Amedei – Cicoccolato Al Latte. Pronounced milk notes with a delicate floral honey background and soft mouthfeel make for an exceedingly pleasurable eat. Undemanding but highly rewarding. Stands out against the punchy bars with a fudgy texture that is made of dreams. A true delight!
Coco Chocolatier Gin & Tonic. Another bar picked up on my travels. This time when I visited Edinburgh to see the pandas at the zoo. Coco Chocolatier is known for their fantastic flavours and truffles all in beautifully artist packaging. Being a fan of a drop or five of gin, I was interested to see how all the botanicals would come through. There is mainly juniper flavour present and a citrus burst of lime and lemon as well. I may be fussy but a bigger mix of some of the more complex flavours included too but still an enjoyable bar.
Chocolate Tree Gianduja. Stones throw away from the Coco Chocolatier shop in Edinburgh, was another chocolate producer on my must-visit list. In fact, we had one of the richest hot chocolate at their café whilst there. I’m a sucker for hazelnuts with chocolate and had to buy their gianduja to try. The hazelnuts are ground with the cocoa nibs to create a luxurious bar, that resembles Nutella in bar form. I can’t tell you how amazing this is, don’t share it, eat it all yourself. You won’t be sorry.
Coco Chocolatier Caramel, Hazelnut, Isle of Skye Salt. Flecked with sea salt crystals and nuggets of hazelnut nibs set in a creamy rich buttery bar. The bar had bloomed around the hazelnut nibs but still tasted delicious and a grown-up bar to share with a friend to get them into more interesting makers.
Chocolate Tree Coconut Milk and Sugar. There has been a growing range of dairy-free milk chocolates on the market, some good, some bad and some plain ugly. I would say that having the coconut milk and sugar in the mix just adds a lovely flavour to the bars that compliments and makes it a special bar rather than a substitute. The coconut aroma when opening the wrapper carries through to the flavour. The bar doesn’t snap as crisp as a cocoa butter bar. The bar has a beautiful tropical coconut flavour that isn’t too overpowering in a Bounty way.
Utopick Passion Fruit, Popping Candy and Cereal Pieces. How beautiful is this packaging?? I would love to have wallpaper made of this print. As well as some origin bars I picked up at Utopick’s shop in Valencia, I also got a couple of flavoured bars. This bar has passion fruit dried pieces, popping candy and cereal pieces to excite and delight. The tartness of the fruit with the dancing popping candy with the crunch of the cereal makes for a really fun bar.
Coco Chocolatier Haggis Spice. This flavour might freak out some of you at home. No there is no lamb or other bits included in this bar but the warming spices you would expect in this Scottish speciality of sea salt, black pepper, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. A lovely blend of spice to warm you up on a cold night that would make a great base for a delicious hot chocolate.
Dormouse Toasted White Chocolate. Made with toasted milk powder for a deep biscuity and caramel notes for a very grown-up Caramac, that you won’t be able to stop nibbling on until it’s all gone. This bar has its global fans!
Zara’s Chocolates Hazelnut Latte. As well as origin bars and bars with inclusions, Zara makes epic truffles, check out these flavours; Browned Butter, Tahini Caramel, Coffee and Molasses, Lemon Jelly and Vanilla and Rosemary and Olive Oil. Zara’s also did my personalised favours for my 30th birthday trip, which just got gobbled up by my guests. Of dark afternoons Christmas shopping, stopping for a restorative coffee on the way. A hazelnut praline surrounded by white chocolate studded with Costa Rica coffee. This bar is seriously moorish with the smooth nutty praline and rich coffee, delicious!
Coco Chocolatiers, Sea Salt and Hazelnut. The addition of sea salt to the sweet richness of chocolate is a match made in heaven. Add some hazelnuts in there and you’re in for a right treat. Another of my edible souvenirs from our trip to Edinburgh and a gem of a bar. A beautifully packaged bar of rolling waves for the flakes of delicate sea salt from the Isle of Skye. Savoury pockets from the salt meet nutty earthy notes from the nuggets of hazelnuts. A comforting bar to nibble on.
Utopick Gin & Tonic Chocolate. The second Gin and Tonic flavoured bar tried, this time from Spain. Gin and tonic, has become a popular food flavouring as the popularity of the drink have gone up. My brother kindly got me this bar when in Valencia with me. With a Nicaragua bean base for the milk chocolate, this bar is the best gin flavoured bar I’ve tried. There’s a gentle lemon aroma and with the base being milk chocolate there isn’t a harshness competing with the botanical flavours. The juniper makes itself known but not punchy at all. The bar is like a gin and tonic with its alcohol corners smoothed off to leave a gentle and enjoyable experience.
Dormouse Toasted White Chocolate with Mandarin and Cinnamon. I had fallen in love the Toasted White Chocolate bar when I tried it earlier in the year. When I saw this limited edition bar at The Chocolate Show, I knew this needed to be my Christmas bar. Flakes of mandarin add a rich citrus burst to cut the biscuit deliciousness from the toasted milk powder with the warming cinnamon. A pure Christmas bar but I’m campaigning to get this flavour a part of their core range.
Dormouse Stollen Bar. Dark Guatemalan chocolate ground with roasted almonds and studded with plump dark rich cherries. Melted beautifully with a creamy nutty flavour with the tart cherries. Dreamy. And Dormouse 60% Venezuelan Milk with Speculaas. A warming blend of spices that tastes of winter and snowy scenes. Cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and all things nice! Wish these were part of their core range as so delicious, I need to get my fix all year!
What are your favourite flavours in a chocolate bar?
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