A Terrific Dark Chocolate Cacao 70

Today I am going to review a chocolate that I was very surprised to see in an international grocery store here in Thailand. I must say that I am also very thankful for finding it, for it is one of the best chocolates I’ve ever tasted. It is Cacao 70 by Morinaga. Morinaga has a big presence in Thailand.

The packaging for this chocolate is very posh and the 24 square individually wrapped pieces are the perfect size. The chocolate is 70% cocoa mass, so the chocolate flavor is very strong. The packaging available here is all Japanese, so I can’t be more clear on the chocolate content. Sorry.

I have been enjoying Morinaga’s Cacao 70 for a few days now and I must say: it’s incredible! I love it! Where has true dark chocolate been all my life? This makes milk chocolate taste horribly sweet and bland.

I have even done a taste tests between Cacao 70 and some other well known and loved dark chocolates and none could stand up to this one. They all taste too sweet after eating cacao 70. The chocolate has the perfect balance of bitter and sweet and the texture is perfectly creamy. The aftertaste is also very pleasant. The chocolate flavor stays with you for a while, which helps me not to over indulge. I find it to be the perfect chocolate fix.

I’m not sure where you can get this, but if you see it, I encourage you to buy it! You’ll be glad you did.

Choco Flake Bitter

Choco Flake Bitter is a recent find for me in Thailand. It is another chocolate product made by the Japanese chocolate company Morinaga. They are essentially corn flakes covered with dark chocolate. I bought the package on a whim just to see if they would be any good. They are actually quite excellent! I was pleasantly surprised especially since the label says it only has 8% cocoa powder and 3% cocoa mass. It also has sugar and palm oil and another powder.

After doing the math and looking at the Thai translation more closely, I see that the chocolate coating is actually 42% cocoa powder and about 2% cocoa mass. If you can get your hands on this, I recommend it! If you can't, I bet that you could come up with you own version of chocolate covered corn flakes.

I also have to show you back of the package. I like the illustrations used to help the consumer understand how to open, pour, store and eat Choco Flake Bitter. At least that is what I think that is what they instruct.

Velvet Bitter

Today I am going to review a Japanese chocolate that I have greatly enjoyed here in Thailand. It is somewhat difficult to find high quality Dark chocolate in Thailand and when I came upon Bitter Velvet I was delighted.

Due to the decline of the population of children, confectioners in Japan have been forced to change their marketing of chocolates by stressing quality and by drawing consumer’s attention to the richness of the ingredients. And Velvet Bitter is certainly a rich chocolate. It is part of Japanese candy maker Morinaga’s chocolate product line. According to a manager of Morinaga’s the bitter chocolate covered by a harder layer of dark chocolate is made for chocolate lovers who like to indulge themselves while relaxing at home. And I must agree.

I have taken great delight in relaxing on the couch with one of these small bits of dark chocolate. It lives up to its name. It has a very velvety texture that feels wonderful to on the tongue. The bitter sweet flavor of the chocolate is intense and has a very small hint of fruitiness.

Needless to say I am a fan! The only problem is that I have only been able to find the one package I bought at the store. I went back a week later and they had no more. I’m keeping my eyes open for more Velvet Bitter and I suggest you do so as well.

How to Temper Chocolate

Here is a post for those of you who want to use your premium chocolate for coating or dipping. Before you can mold your chocolate or use it to coat or dip candies or fruit you need to temper it first. Tempering is a method of heating and cooling chocolate and gives it that smooth glossy finish. Properly tempered chocolate should have crisp snap and won’t melt on your fingers. The wonderful chocolate makers Ghirardelli have produced a very useful video on tempering chocolate that clearly demonstrate the process of tempering. They also have written instructions that you may find helpful.

There are also some nice chocolate tempering machines that will temper the chocolate for you that you may be interested in.
Photo by Maxrai.com

verē Good Dark Chocolate

I love good 'real' chocolate and I hate chocolate that is so refined and processed that all you can taste is sugar and chemicals. I am proud to be able to point you to a company that is making huge contributions to the chocolate world.

verē (pronounced 'very') is redefining chocolate by making confections that not only taste delicious, but are good for you (and the planet) too. verē has crafted an extraordinarily delicious chocolate that is rich with cocoa, low in sugar, totally natural and can stand up to the world’s best chocolates.

verē hand makes chocolate with 75% cocoa content that is rich in flavor and low in sugar (less than an apple). verē means real in Latin. They stand up to their name by providing real chocolate that is all natual with no additives and artificial sweeteners.

verē chocolate is acutally good for you! One 30g bar has more antioxidants than 2 lbs of brocoli and more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread. Even diabetics can enjoy verē chocolate as it is low glycemic and will not spike blood sugar.

verē chocolate is crafted from sustainably grown and harvested beans found only in the Ecuadorian Rainforest.

Studies show that chocolate can promote lower blood pressure, a healthy heart, improved blood flow, reduced cholesterol levels, better skin, and enhanced mood / well being, among other things.

So go ahead and indulge yourself. Buy some verē good chocolate today!

Great Gift Idea!

I just found this online printing service called The Creative Chocolate Printing Company that provides personalized chocolate gifts and chocolate party favors for any event, occasion and budget.

Chocolography™ is a newly patented technology that makes it possible to reproduce any picture, image, or message right on the surface of delicious chocolate. We will help you create unique and highly personalized products, which will astound even the most sophisticated chocolate lover.

Personalized chocolates, created using Chocolography, can be used for wedding gifts or wedding favors, Bar Mitzvah favors, baby shower gifts, birthday party favors or unusual birthday gifts, bridal shower gifts or business promotions.

Getting started is simple - just find the chocolate that is right for you, upload a photo or image and text - and create a memorable personalized gift.

This could be the perfect Mother's Day gift! Click this hyperlink Your Photo On Chocolate to go to the Creative Chocolate Printing Company website.

Timely Treat

With Strawberry season upon us I thought you would like to hear about this tasty (and healthy!) snack.

Dip strawberries into melted chocolate for a high-antioxidant snack that can easily satisfy one or two fruit servings. An easy way to get melted chocolate is to simply microwave dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips on medium for about 30 seconds. Be sure the strawberries are completely dry before you dip.

Enjoy!

I am writing this post from Thailand, and am sad to report that strawberries are not in season here. I would love to be able to enjoy some chocolate covered strawberries. So please eat some for me!