Power Rankings #13: Theo Kid's Crunch bars

I follow Theo on social media and get their emails so a few months back I heard about these new Kid's Crunch Bars. 

Well, a few weeks ago, I was chocolate shopping and saw them there on the shelf. I was pretty excited to taste them, and now that I have I'm even more excited to share my thoughts on them. They were FABULOUS. They all say "whole grain" in reference to the quinoa in each bar which gives such an awesome texture. They are super affordable (for good chocolate). And so I'm pretty sure that combination makes them my new FAVORITE everyday/snacking bar. I got them at Central Market for $1.99/bar. They are also available at the Theo Factory Store for $1.89/bar or on Amazon for $13.88/pack of 6 bars. The label says they are for kids...but lets be honest, if I'm giving ANY to my kids, its the smallest portion I can get away with "sharing" while also satisfying their beckoning (my girls take after me when it comes to desire/demand for chocolate). So now that you know how amazing these bars are, here they are ranked: 

 ***1. Banana - 45% Milk Chocolate - Theo makes a fabulous milk chocolate. This banana bar is sweetness to perfection. It was incredibly hard to pick a favorite between these three bars. The sweet milk factor pushed this to the top in the end.

***2. Raspberry - 55% Dark Chocolate - The raspberry pairs fabulously with the quinoa and dark chocolate.

***3. Almond - 55% Dark Chocolate - Great texture is already achieved with the quinoa, but the almonds are a nice addition too. Great bar.

It was incredibly hard to rank these bars. They were SOOOO good. Each of them. So good.

Cheers!

Power Rankings #11: Waialua Estate

A few months ago my parents took an amazing trip to Hawaii...and all I got were some lousy chocolate bars.... 

haha...no, they were actually quite amazing, AWARD-WINNING even. Here's the story (text conversation) of how they got their hands on this delicious and unique chocolate. 

Mom 3:44pm: This is the day we are tracking LOST sights, and getting lost!
Me 4:30pm: Where's the cocoa tree?
Mom 4:34pm: Tell me where to look and what they look like. I may have seen some...
Me 4:35pm: Haha. They are prob at a farm, where exactly are you? what island?
Mom 4:36pm: North shore right now. Oahu.
*I google "cacao farm North Shore Oahu"*
Me 4:42pm: http://www.waialuaestate.com
Mom 5:30pm: We are headed in...

And just like that, I got some amazing single-estate chocolate straight from the source! Well, sort of. The bars are actually MADE in California at Guittard, but the beans are from this estate. Check this out if you are interested in a little more background on the Waialua Estate. Without further adieu....

1. ***Extra Dark Chocolate - 70% cacao - This is by far the best bar of the three. The flavor is quite complex. It's easy to identify the notes of raisin, dark berry and plum. There's an overall milky sweet finish too, which I love.

2. **Hawaiian Milk Chocolate - 38% cacao - This milk is very rich in creamy texture. Not my FAVORITE type of milk chocolate. But for what it is, it is very very well done!

3. **Hawaiian Cocoa Nib Bar Semisweet Chocolate - 55% cacao - This bar is what Two-Face would eat. The nib part of the bar is fabulous. The chocolate it is in, is not my fave. I can't tell if it's trying to be milky or super dark. It's just a confusing flavor. And the nibs add another level of complexity that just doesn't jive in this bar. All the flavors are good standalone. They just don't seem to blend well. 

Thanks Mom and Dad for a delicious treat! The Waialua Estate is definitely on my to do list when I make my way to Hawaii (someday!!!)! You should DEFINITELY check it out if you find yourself there! And then tell me all about it!

 CHEERS!

 

Power Rankings #10: IKEA CHOKLAD

photo credit delish.com

...because we all need another reason to love IKEA...

This post may seem a bit of a tangent on my chocolate journey...really, we are adding chocolate to our IKEA shopping lists now?...I know...but trust me, this detour is good.

A few weeks ago I took a long overdue trip to IKEA with a friend. We shared a DELICIOUS chocolate cake at lunch (of which, the 7 month old shoved a whole fistful in her mouth before I could even react...definitely my kid...look at that determined face...).

 

 At $0.99 per bar, I didn't really expect much. But, I now have another IKEA must have item to add to my list every time I trek out there. And I think you should too! This chocolate was not the best quality at all, but I was expecting a lot worse for the price. This would be wonderful chocolate to use in baking or truffle making. There was no horrible aftertaste or waxy texture you find in poor quality chocolate. So it was pleasant to eat. Great snacking chocolate. Something you can devour and not think too much about the flavors. I wish HERSHEY'S still tasted like this. Like chocolate. Often with lesser quality chocolate, I like dark better, but surprisingly here I enjoyed the milk better. The addition of texture with the hazelnuts was my favorite of the three. There's not much else to say about these bars though.

 

1. CHOKLAD NÖT - Milk chocolate with hazelnuts - I can usually tell which bar I like best by which one is gone first. As was the case with this power ranking. I tasted each bar, noticed they tasted pretty good, next thing I know, this one was gone!

2. CHOKLAD LJUS - Milk chocolate - Often with lesser quality chocolate, I like dark better, but surprisingly here I enjoyed the milk better and finished it next.

3. CHOKLAD MÖRK - Dark chocolate - I think it came down to this dark chocolate having more of a bitter dark flavor rather than a fruity flavor. It was good, but couldn't beat out the milk. It was the last bar I finished. 

Power Rankings #9: Equal Exchange Chocolates

Since I've started this journey down the chocolate aisles I have noticed several themes among the better quality chocolate makers. One of which is ethically sourced cocoa. It kind of goes hand-in-hand with taste because beans sourced well are better quality. With that in mind, the name "Equal Exchange" bodes well for this set of power rankings.
 
I purchased these bars at Central Market on sale 2 for $5 (down from 3.99).

1.***Milk - milk chocolate with a hint of hazelnut - 38% cacao - there has been no in between when it comes to the milk chocolate power rankings. They have been either FABULOUS or TERRIBLE. This brand has FABULOUS milk chocolate. Which makes me very happy! Smooth meltiness without any chemically aftertaste or off flavor. It was so good I had to postpone the rest of the rankings because I HAD to finish the whole thing at once.

2.***Mint - dark chocolate mint crunch - 67% cacao - I am quite a sucker for both mint and texture in chocolate bars. This had both. The end.

3.***Almond - dark chocolate with toasted [almond] pieces - 55% cacao - My love for chocolate and almonds was born with-dare I say it-HERSHEY'S with Almond (...of course this was back when there was more than 4 almonds per bar and before the chocolate went totaly waxy). This bar has a taste I love and it's executed well.
  
4.**Caramel - dark chocolate caramel crunch with sea salt - 55 % cacao - caramel has it's place in chocolate, just not always, in my opinion. I do like this combo with sea salt, but I probably wouldn't purchase this bar again, because this brand has 3 other SOLID options.

5. **Very Dark - very dark chocolate - 71% cacao - this is a great bar. Dark and fruity. With all the competition thought, I just can't imagine it being one I'd grab for in the chocolate aisle again. 

6. **Panama - extra dark chocolate - 80% cacao -this is such a dark bar it's really more of a tasting bar, not a snacking bar. It is still fabulous and I would definitely eat it again. I just probably wouldn't buy it because I normally buy chocolate for snacking/devouring.

Easter Guide 2015

Seems like I'm not the only one who is sick of mediocre mass-market egg and bunny shaped chocolate. It's everywhere. "Hey look, this solid milk chocolate bunny is only a dollar!" But there's a REASON it's only a dollar...it is gross. I am reminded of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episode in which Monica has to make "Mockolate" products. 

Anyway, in an effort to guide you to accessible delicious Easter chocolate, here are my top picks to fill those Easter baskets:

 

1. chuao hopping popping bunny bars - $7.95 - To replace the overpriced, low quality chocolate bunny. I know I picked some popping hearts for the Valentine's Day Guide, but I really don't think Chuao can over do it with the popping candy. 
2. lindt chocolate carrots - $8.00/4pc  (also at many grocery and drug stores, including Central Market) - To replace the carrots you may leave out for the Easter Bunny. Nuff said.
3. godiva beaded egg with wrapped chocolates - $30.00 (online only and unfortunately out of stock) - To replace plastic eggs or glam up an Easter Basket. I love this egg for the same reason I loved the godiva bling box for Valentine's Day. Also, like the bling box, it is unfortunately out of stock. So I guess you can tuck this idea away for next year!
4. lindt gold bunny and friends - up to $20.49 (this assortment available at amazon.com, but 5 packs are at many grocery/drug stores including Central Market for around $4/pack)  - To replace filled mini bunnies. 
5. see's candies peanut butter egg - $6.20/4oz egg (online or in stores)  - To replace the beloved Reese's Peanut Butter Egg. I know, I know...I may get egged for merely suggesting the Reese's PB egg be replaced...but trust me...it's not the Reese's that makes you love the candy...it's the combo of pb and chocolate. Just try a higher quality pb and chocolate combo like this, and you will see what I mean...or rather TASTE what I mean. 
6. seattle chocolates spring bars - $3.50 (online, $2.99 at Central Market) - To replace everything OR to use in addition to everything else. Check out my power rankings of these bars. They are a welcome addition to any basket.
7. see's candies milk chocolate or dark chocolate eggs- $7.00/8oz bag (online or in stores) - To replace various other low quality mini eggs. The Easter Bunny is bringing us Lindt mini eggs. Godiva has some also. Any of these options are solid. Pun intended.
8. cadbury creme eggs from the UK- $8.50/6pack (Amazon) - To replace the horrible knock off version Hershey's produces here in the US. I have beef with Hershey's about their beef with Cadbury among other reasons which merit an entirely different post. In any case, I have eaten both British Cadbury and American Cadbury (Hershey's has the license to manufacture under the same name with a different recipe). It's different. British Cadbury is milkier, smoother, less chemically. Do yourself a favor, and try the original stuff. Eggs from the UK are wrapped in purple and red only, there is no blue on the wrapper. Also, the nutrition facts are listed per 100g rather than per serving. ENJOY! 

So there you have it. A guide to help you overhaul your Easter baskets this year. HAPPY EASTER!!!

Cheers!

Power Rankings #8: Seattle Chocolates BONUS

Spring has sprung and so have a few new bars from Seattle Chocolates. They were on sale, like the others, for 2 for $4 (through the end of March). I just noticed them in the Easter section of Central Market the other day when I was out chocolate shopping and decided I had to try them and rank them. Ok...that's not really true...what really happened is that I bought them with the intention of surrendering them to the Easter Bunny to add to our Easter baskets. But when I got home...I wanted to eat them. So I asked the hubby if he thought I should just eat them or save them for Easter. He didn't really care either way...so I ripped right into them! This is not the first time my seasonal chocolate purchases have not made it to the actual holiday they were intended for...but hey, no regrets. I didn't think they really fit in with the regular bars since they are seasonal. So here are some bonus power rankings! 

1.***SPRING SURPRISE - coconut, almonds and sea salt dark chocolate truffle bar - Go figure that my favorite of these bars is the DARK chocolate one...People keep telling me that I should prefer dark...but I just plain don't. This bar however, is perfection. Ate it all in one sitting.

2.***FRESH MINT - milk chocolate truffle bar with mint cookie chunks - Did you not buy enough boxes of Thin Mints this year from the girl scout down the street? Have no fear, FRESH MINT is here! The flavor balance is much like the normal MELTAWAY MINT bar, but the cookie chunks kick it up a notch! I always love some crunchy texture. 

3.*FLUFFY TOFFEE - milk chocolate truffle bar with marshmallows & toffee - Don't read too much into the single star status of this bar. Toffee is just too sweet. Marshmallows and milk chocolate and toffee is just too much sweetness for my mouth. Sugar overload. 

Hopefully my chocolate impatience is your gain and you pick up one of these delicious bars for YOUR Easter baskets. But hey, if they don't make it...no judgement here. :)

CHEERS!

Power Rankings #7: Seattle Chocolates

"what happiness tastes like"

...what a perfect description of chocolate.

I had high hopes of getting this post published earlier in the month (since they are on sale till the end of the month), but obviously...that didn't happen. We did some traveling and have been pretty busy lately. BUT, don't worry...I have a few posts and an Easter Shopping Guide in the works. So get excited!

But, on to the subject of this post...

I purchased these Seattle Chocolates bars at Central Market in Mill Creek. They were on sale for 2/$4 (reg $2.99 each). All are vegan except denoted by "^". 
 

1.***PERFECT PEANUT BUTTER^ - dark chocolate truffle bar with roasted peanuts - Quite a bit of cocoa butter bloom on the back of this bar. Couldn't stop eating it though. Thought it was strange that the first ingredient was white chocolate, maybe it's in the peanut butter filling though... 

2.***MELTAWAY MINT*^ - milk chocolate truffle bar with peppermint infusion - The first thing I noticed was the aroma-almost an after-dinner mint flavor. Sweet mint and definitely melty. This is a fantastic flavor combo. I bet the coconut oil really enhances this bar also.

3.***SALTED ALMOND* - dark chocolate truffle bar with almonds and sea salt - This bar is perfection. One of these days I will have to power rank the salted almond bars. Great balance of salt and almond. Wouldn't mind a little more chunky, but great flavor all around. 

4.***COCONUT MACAROON* - dark chocolate truffle bar with coconut and sea salt - Love the sea salt in this coconut bar. Also a great flavor combo. 

5.**/***SAN JUAN SEA SALT*^ - milk chocolate truffle bar with sea salt and toffee - The flavor masks the not up to par quality of the milk chocolate. There is a nice amount of salt which balances out the extra sweet of the toffee.

6.**EXTREME DARK* - dark chocolate truffle bar with roasted cocoa nibs - I like the nuttiness that the nibs bring into this bar.

7.**WHIDBEY WILDBERRY - dark chocolate truffle bar with cherries and strawberries - the fruity berries work well with the dark chocolate in this bar. I like that it's not just cherries, because I'm not a huge cherry fan. The mix is brilliant. 

8.*RAINIER CHERRY* - dark chocolate truffle bar with praline pecans and cherries - I noticed the "truffle bar" ness on this bar especially, the bottom of the outer shell kept sliding around and breaking off. The nuts didn't taste great. Not the best bar, in my opinion. 

9.*MILK CHOCOLATE*^ - milk chocolate truffle bar - definitely beats a Hershey milk "chocolate" bar. I know that the flavor and quality is not sufficient when I don't devour the whole milk bar in one sitting. Still decent.

10.*DARK CHOCOLATE* - dark chocolate truffle bar - the flavor really reminds me of mass market dark chocolate. It's not BAD. But it's not GREAT. At least not as a standalone bar. Obviously, with other flavors to mask the lower quality it's quite delicious. And as I said before, much better than Hershey's.

Overall this was a delicious chocolate tasting experience. The bars were lovely. Very rich. The perceived size is deceiving. The bars are THICK. There are 4 sections in each bar, a serving is only two sections...which kinda makes you laugh at first...but then after the second one...it kinda makes sense. 

Looking beyond flavor and taste...a few thoughts on quality. I think these bars are priced well for their quality. They are good quality. Just not GREAT quality. The ingredients list is evidence of this. There's "non-hydrogenated coconut oil" in most of these bars (deonted by "*"). That could be a contribution to the characteristic silky texture and smooth finish of this brand. Another evidence of the mid grade quality is that that straight chocolate bars are significantly not as good as the inclusion bars. You can taste the difference. 

These may become a "go-to" brand for me considering their affordability and overall taste. So go check out "what happiness tastes like."

Cheers!

Power Rankings #5: Divine

I purchased 5 of these bars at Whole Foods in Lynnwood ($3 down from $3.99/bar). One of them (70% Dark Chocolate with Mint) I got from Santa in my stocking for Christmas.

This was an interesting brand to rate because the Dark Chocolate bars were SIGNIFICANTLY higher quality than the Milk Chocolate. Strange. And annoying because I really love milk chocolate!!!

 

1.***70% DARK CHOCOLATE with MINT - I got this bar for Christmas and it was a great bar. It was good balance of mint and chocolate. I am a little picky about that. This was refreshing but not overpowering. Great snap, also. Quality chocolate.

2.***DARK CHOCOLATE with RASPBERRIES - It’s really hard to go wrong with chocolate and raspberry in my book. This bar went beyond just raspberry flavor and had chunks of actual raspberry in it. YUM YUM!

3.**70% DARK CHOCOLATE intensely rich - This bar was a tough one to rate because it tasted great and the quality was there, but it was just not a bar that I couldn’t put down. Enjoyable enough though, just comes down to personal preferance.

4.**MILK CHOCOLATE with TOFFEE & SEA SALT - Well, the brand was going good until I got to the milk...the toffee masked some of the off taste of the poorer quality milk chocolate. Why is it so hard to make good milk chocolate?

5.*MILK CHOCOLATE seriously smooth - This was such a disappointing milk chocolate. There was such an aftertaste with this bar. So sad.

6.*DARK CHOCOLATE with GINGER & ORANGE - I couldn’t get past the ginger in this bar. It was surprisingly not actually a bad flavor combo but I could hardly taste anything else. Also, the orange bits were chunky and got stuck in my teeth. Not a fan.

So, this wasn't the best brand I've tasted thus far, but not the worst either. I'd buy a few of the bars again and stay away from the others.

CHEERS!