There is a god after all. I’ve pontificated on before about the wonders of dark chocolate and yet I’ve always been partial to the odd KitKat or seven.
Classic or chunky, they’re both good but to see it now available in dark chocolate…! As Homer says, Whoo Hoo!
Sure, Nestlé’s definition of dark in this instance is a minimum of 40% cocoa solids, but that’s a mere quibble in the KitKat world and not worth getting into a Dark Side Snoot about. What is cheekier is their claim – as they do on all dark chocolate products available in Australia – that it is a source of antioxidants. Yes, their chocolate bar might be a ‘source’ but you’d need to eat a bucketful to get the right amount and then you’d have bigger problems than a lack of antioxidants.
These are perfect. Simply sensational. Glossy, attractively dark with a sweetly fragrant odour that hits you as soon as the packet is open. Add to that introduction the perfect ‘Snap’ sound as each row is broken off and you’ve found yourself in snack chocolate heaven. KitKat have always done a decent wafer, and this one is no let down. It’s cracklingly crisp and literally ‘sings’ to the solid dark chocolate on the outside. Ten out of ten, Nestlé.
However, the only negative I can see is that they’re a mere 45 grams (a Mars Bar tends to be 60 grams), which has always left me wanting more with their classic milk chocolate variety and thus is made even worse with this magnificent improvement. That is, until my daughter helpfully pointed out that it is also available in 200g family sized blocks (or single reviewer-size, as is my personal preference) at our nearest supermarket. The stars have well and truly aligned.
I came across this bar while browsing in a branch of Oil & Vinegar, wherein I was very pleased to discover a number of unusual chocolatey products.
There were a number of Nuggs bars available, but I chose this one because I happen to LOVE cardamom. The milk chocolate is a healthy 35% cocoa, although no country of origin is given. It would seem that Nuggs are fairly close to me geographically, being based in Guildford, Surrey, but as yet they have don’t have a web presence.
The chocolate delivers the flavour of the cardamom almost before it hits your palate. That unique, almost citrus, spicy tang is all over your tongue as soon as the chocolate begins to melt. The trick is to start attacking the sliver of dried mango as soon as possible in order to allow it to ad its more subtle fruit flavours to the mix. The chocolate is a rich, creamy milk chocolate with a full, rounded flavour and a clean finish. Inevitably you’re left with the mango as a finisher, and it works as an excellent fruity palate cleanser
A good mix of two flavours not found everyday, and seemingly available by a chain (of sorts). Well worth checking out.
Christmas was a pretty quiet affair this year, and I even asked that Santa not bother paying me a visit – I’m old enough now to have the things I need, and can afford the things I want when I want them. And I don’t want or need much anyhow.
But in spite of this, Santa did come a-calling, and he left me few chocolaty goodies, some that I’ll report on soon, but one was a box of Newmans Chilli Bites.
These are subtitled on the box “The Pleasure Society”. The mind truly boggles. The box also goes on to say “A spicy love affair with chilli and rich dark chocolate.”
A check on the web reveals that these come from Ernest Hillier chocolates, made in Melbourne, Australia. and there seem to be a series of these “pleasure society” boxes. One wonders what appears on the backs of the others, because this one has a big panel which reads:
“Society Rules On: Role Playing. There are many ways to spice up your relationship, one popular method is to write out your fantasies and read them to each other in bed. Here’s an example: “Honey, lets pretend you’re a courier and you’ve just received an emergency call to go down to the shops and pick up a box of chilli chocolates”.
Hmm.
Opening the box reveals a dozen or so individually wrapped thingies, which just increases the anticipation.
Finally, when we get through the final layer of packaging, we find the prize:
They sure are not kidding when they call them “bites”, that’s how much you get from one of these. Still, the trying is the ultimate test.
These are a truffle filling, lightly zinged up with a bit of chilli, and with a dark chocolate coating – which at 53% is respectable without being seriously dark.
The outside is fairly soft, and melts away quite quickly. The inside is luscious, and the chilli gradually builds to quite a pleasant addition.
I’m not actually much of a fan of chilli chocolate – particularly a big well-known brand that I won’t mention here, where I think it’s a bit overpowering. Cayenne seems to work better in many cases.
But these little suckers are not half bad. Quite moreish. Perhaps that role-playing has something to it after all!
Chocablogger Kath has just moved to Melbourne. Perhaps she should be trying for a factory tour with reporting back here!
When I received a package from Emily’s Chocolates with four (I’ll get to the other two next time) of their offerings, I naturally started to open one of them to see if I could get away with some tasting before I got the camera out. Not that I really wanted chocolate at this moment. Horrible as it is to admit that, I was simply past my usual sugar intake and ready to do the entire tasting another day. But, nonetheless, how could I help trying just one lonely Milk Chocolate Cocoa Dusted Pecan?
My reaction: a slight widening of the eyes and an instant calming feeling in my head. I hadn’t been too excited about the whole pecan thing: many of my neighbors are overrrun with pecans from their trees, so when they “kindly” give us a box of them, they usually take quite a while to disappear. Abundance isn’t always such a good thing. But these! The pecan itself is very soft and gentle, appearing much like a walnut somehow. The milk chocolate is of that breed that tastes not of “sweet,” not of “caramel,” but of chocolate. I hate to call it “light” or anything; it’s simply well-balanced in its essence. The addition of cocoa powder adds a nice warmth that reminds me of cinnamon. Completely wonderful.
When I moved onto the Milk Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers a little later, I was initially disappointed that there were only five in the box. I dismissed it, though, seeing that they are fairly big. Two and a half inches (6 cm) long. Thick, too, and rather pretty. Definately not stingy on chocolate here: there’s as much (if not more) of it as there is cracker. Now, I was still thinking that this was a less than average idea, but then I tasted one of them. My reaction this time: Wow, what do they put in here? The dark milk chocolate creates an effect of vanilla cream in its symbiosis with the honey graham cracker, as that’s a very pronounced honey taste. Its crunch in between sweet chocolate quickly appealed to my Kit Kat weakness, though being much heartier than a scantily-covered wafer.
I’m impressed. Especially considering that I had a little bit of bias towards pecans and graham crackers and wasn’t in the mood when I first tried them. Right from the plain yet vogue boxes to the last bite, these have a life and expression all their own, yet accessible to all. (I just love it when chocolate gets me all philosophical…)
