Let's Talk Pro-Chocolate: Real Kinds We Like, How We Eat/Use Them
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Most of the brands mentioned here are unknown to me. Even the 'Belgian chocolate' brands mentioned
Funny how Belgian chocolate brands abroad aren't the same as in Belgium.
My latest experience with chocolate: my BF went to the Neuhaus factory in Belgium, where they have an outlet store. Aside from the classic boxes with assortments, they also sell bulk boxes: large, brown cardboard boxes with 1kg of one type of chocolates, or sometimes 2 or 3 types combined. And if you buy 2kgs, you get 1kg free.
So right before Christmas, he bought 3 kilograms (that's 6.5lbs for not metric people) which we -fortunately - shared with his parents. Luckily I'm more into savory snacks than sweet ones, because that's a mountain of chocolates!
Neuhaus claims they invented Belgian chocolates, and they have a very good reputation here, and they're on the pricey end of the spectrum (88 euros per kg for a mixed 'ballotin') but a way better deal when buying in bulk.
I'm a bit picky where chocolates are concerned, some fillings I like and others I don't like as much. But my BF tried a new type that I looooove: called Bourbon, it's filled with bourbon vanilla cream. I tasted like a boozy chocolat, but as far as I can tell from the ingredients, it isn't actually alcoholic.
It's a very close second to my very favorite Neuhaus chocolates, a range called 'Irrésistibles' (because they are irresistible): large triangles with nougatine, twice as large as a normal chocolate, but twice as good too
We still have some chocolates left from that bulk buy - if I exercise, I might just earn myself enough calories to indulge
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Right so I have come to enjoy about 30 gram, or 1oz of chocolate every day for some time now. Although I have been thinking of maybe cutting it back something like 15 gram instated and reserve something like 50 grams for Sundays. Dspite everything its kind to nice to being able enjoy a few pieces of chocolate ëvery day (dont feel like I need more). That said I also enjoy about a one cup of hot no suger chocolate a day.0
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I have fairly basic taste in chocolate. My favorites are milk chocolate M&Ms and plain Hershey bars/kisses. Once in awhile I mix it up with Dove promises or a seasonal flavor of something (really enjoyed the Caramel Apple Ghirardelli squares this year).1
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I’m much more of a salty treat person but do occasionally fancy some chocolate. Always dark 70% and upwards, generally.
But since this thread was posted all I’ve been able to think of is a bar of chocolate that was not available for very long a few years ago that I absolutely loved. Pretty sure it was a Lindt bar, in their ‘Excellence’ range, flavoured with Lavender.
It was darker and smoother than an average UK milk chocolate but not as dark and bitter as I usually prefer. Slightly medicinal from the lavender which counteracted the sweetness of a lighter chocolate. Everybody else who tried it didn’t care for it, but I loved it, just a square at a time allowed to melt on my tongue…I can still taste it now and just wish it was still being produced!
I’ve just looked on Amazon and there are Lavender chocolate bars available but I’m not going to order one (probably…) for fear of being disappointed! 😂1 -
BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »I’m much more of a salty treat person but do occasionally fancy some chocolate. Always dark 70% and upwards, generally.
I feel mostly the same way. Unfortunately, there's now a fairly tasty salted caramel in dark chocolate bar made by Chocolove. It's only 55% cocoa. They do have a salted almond bar with 70%. And for a spicy kick, they have a 70% bar with hot chiles.
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Most of the brands mentioned here are unknown to me. Even the 'Belgian chocolate' brands mentioned Funny how Belgian chocolate brands abroad aren't the same as in Belgium.
lol True! I mention the Belgian ones because they at least reliably meet the minimum standards for chocolate. The US distributed version is indeed a pale ghost of the real deal - but at least it isn't brown wax and sugar. Don't get me wrong, I love all sorts of ersatz chocky treats - but nothing beats true chocolate.
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i can't have sugar, but luckily there are many chocolate options!
russell stover sugar free peanut butter cups and chocolate mints are a staple snack
quest frosted cookies in chocolate are divine
quest protein cookies in double chocolate chunk, best with milk imo
lily's sugar free chocolate bars and chocolate chips use erythritol and they're awesome
and there's always sugar free fudgcicles...
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I love to add chocolate chips into my pancakes to get the sweet/cake fix. I like the Reese's pb chips and then mix them with a dark chocolate chip. I just tried those bite sized baking truffles and they are very rich and sweet. Will be used more sparingly0
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I used to add cacao nibs to my morning yogurt. Not really chocolate per se, but it was really tasty and have antioxidants and other alkaloids & polyphenols that make chocolate good for you.2
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I used to add cacao nibs to my morning yogurt. Not really chocolate per se, but it was really tasty and have antioxidants and other alkaloids & polyphenols that make chocolate good for you.
I've found different brands/sources of nibs to be quite variable in flavor. In the ones I liked best, there was a sort of dark chocolate undertone, but also some sort of wine-y flavors, among other enjoyable je ne sais quoi.
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Idontcareyoupick wrote: »I love to add chocolate chips into my pancakes to get the sweet/cake fix. I like the Reese's pb chips and then mix them with a dark chocolate chip. I just tried those bite sized baking truffles and they are very rich and sweet. Will be used more sparingly
Bite sized baking truffles? This is new thing to me, must research!2 -
arieswrite1 wrote: »I have fairly basic taste in chocolate. My favorites are milk chocolate M&Ms and plain Hershey bars/kisses. Once in awhile I mix it up with Dove promises or a seasonal flavor of something (really enjoyed the Caramel Apple Ghirardelli squares this year).
That reminds me, I should get some Dove Promises again. For some reason I always forget they exist despite the fact that I used to have them either after school or for dessert almost every day when I was in middle school. Only the plain dark chocolate flavor though. Even just thinking about them makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside lol. Ultimate comfort snack.2 -
Quick update on my truffle making experiment: they tasted fab, but I struggled to get them round or looking that good (hence no photo). My hands are too warm to roll them neatly (I have the same issue if I try to make pastry by hand) so I've ordered some moulds and I’m going to try them this weekend. I made dark choc truffles which were lovely but incredibly rich. Going to try milk choc and white choc varieties this weekend. Wish me luck!1
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Speaking of truffle making...every holiday season I make these for the family (they 'expect' them every year lol!). I find it's important to make them fairly small, as they are
incredibly rich.6 -
claireychn074 wrote: »Quick update on my truffle making experiment: they tasted fab, but I struggled to get them round or looking that good (hence no photo). My hands are too warm to roll them neatly (I have the same issue if I try to make pastry by hand) so I've ordered some moulds and I’m going to try them this weekend. I made dark choc truffles which were lovely but incredibly rich. Going to try milk choc and white choc varieties this weekend. Wish me luck!
I have a similar problem: Very warm hands. It's been OK (even with the more-fragile whipped ones) to work very, very fast over a pie plate (or whatever) containing some of the coating (cocoa, finely-chopped nuts, coconut, whatever).
I scoop out a spoon of the cold mixture going for a roughly round scoop-out, then kind of roll-toss the truffles, letting each drop into the coating after a quick rolling-stroke to round it, repeating if necessary until round enough. Somewhat bumpy truffles taste just as good as perfectly round ones, and most of the coatings add bumpiness anyway.
It's a shame if I have to stop, lick my fingers, wash my hands, rinse for a bit in very cold water (even ice water), dry, and resume . . . a dirty rotten shame. 😋
YMMV on acceptable roundness and hand warmth, of course.1 -
I got this as part of a Christmas gift from friends. It's very dark (almost austerely so), very good. I think it's maybe local to the Traverse City, MI area (where they live).
I also got an amazing, warm, cozy knitted-by-friend merino wool hat, with an all-over pattern of multicolored knitted-in Japanese silk yarn beetle-esque bugs. I adore it, but it's off topic to this thread, eh? 😉
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I was debating a melon scoop as I thought that might be a good solution, I tried a teaspoon but it just didn’t work. So I figured I would try the moulds. Now, if they look dreadful I will just have to eat the evidence, buy a melon scoop and try again 😀claireychn074 wrote: »Quick update on my truffle making experiment: they tasted fab, but I struggled to get them round or looking that good (hence no photo). My hands are too warm to roll them neatly (I have the same issue if I try to make pastry by hand) so I've ordered some moulds and I’m going to try them this weekend. I made dark choc truffles which were lovely but incredibly rich. Going to try milk choc and white choc varieties this weekend. Wish me luck!
I have a similar problem: Very warm hands. It's been OK (even with the more-fragile whipped ones) to work very, very fast over a pie plate (or whatever) containing some of the coating (cocoa, finely-chopped nuts, coconut, whatever).
I scoop out a spoon of the cold mixture going for a roughly round scoop-out, then kind of roll-toss the truffles, letting each drop into the coating after a quick rolling-stroke to round it, repeating if necessary until round enough. Somewhat bumpy truffles taste just as good as perfectly round ones, and most of the coatings add bumpiness anyway.
It's a shame if I have to stop, lick my fingers, wash my hands, rinse for a bit in very cold water (even ice water), dry, and resume . . . a dirty rotten shame. 😋
YMMV on acceptable roundness and hand warmth, of course.
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claireychn074 wrote: »
I was debating a melon scoop as I thought that might be a good solution, I tried a teaspoon but it just didn’t work. So I figured I would try the moulds. Now, if they look dreadful I will just have to eat the evidence, buy a melon scoop and try again 😀claireychn074 wrote: »Quick update on my truffle making experiment: they tasted fab, but I struggled to get them round or looking that good (hence no photo). My hands are too warm to roll them neatly (I have the same issue if I try to make pastry by hand) so I've ordered some moulds and I’m going to try them this weekend. I made dark choc truffles which were lovely but incredibly rich. Going to try milk choc and white choc varieties this weekend. Wish me luck!
I have a similar problem: Very warm hands. It's been OK (even with the more-fragile whipped ones) to work very, very fast over a pie plate (or whatever) containing some of the coating (cocoa, finely-chopped nuts, coconut, whatever).
I scoop out a spoon of the cold mixture going for a roughly round scoop-out, then kind of roll-toss the truffles, letting each drop into the coating after a quick rolling-stroke to round it, repeating if necessary until round enough. Somewhat bumpy truffles taste just as good as perfectly round ones, and most of the coatings add bumpiness anyway.
It's a shame if I have to stop, lick my fingers, wash my hands, rinse for a bit in very cold water (even ice water), dry, and resume . . . a dirty rotten shame. 😋
YMMV on acceptable roundness and hand warmth, of course.
Two (cold) tableware teaspoons or tablespoons used together, one on each side of the lump, maybe, to get the initial round-y shape? Dunno.1 -
Sooo lately I’ve been eating total garbage milk chocolate Hersey Kisses and loving every single one.
Hard for a former chocolate snob to admit!4 -
claireychn074 wrote: »
I was debating a melon scoop as I thought that might be a good solution, I tried a teaspoon but it just didn’t work. So I figured I would try the moulds. Now, if they look dreadful I will just have to eat the evidence, buy a melon scoop and try again 😀claireychn074 wrote: »Quick update on my truffle making experiment: they tasted fab, but I struggled to get them round or looking that good (hence no photo). My hands are too warm to roll them neatly (I have the same issue if I try to make pastry by hand) so I've ordered some moulds and I’m going to try them this weekend. I made dark choc truffles which were lovely but incredibly rich. Going to try milk choc and white choc varieties this weekend. Wish me luck!
I have a similar problem: Very warm hands. It's been OK (even with the more-fragile whipped ones) to work very, very fast over a pie plate (or whatever) containing some of the coating (cocoa, finely-chopped nuts, coconut, whatever).
I scoop out a spoon of the cold mixture going for a roughly round scoop-out, then kind of roll-toss the truffles, letting each drop into the coating after a quick rolling-stroke to round it, repeating if necessary until round enough. Somewhat bumpy truffles taste just as good as perfectly round ones, and most of the coatings add bumpiness anyway.
It's a shame if I have to stop, lick my fingers, wash my hands, rinse for a bit in very cold water (even ice water), dry, and resume . . . a dirty rotten shame. 😋
YMMV on acceptable roundness and hand warmth, of course.
Two (cold) tableware teaspoons or tablespoons used together, one on each side of the lump, maybe, to get the initial round-y shape? Dunno.
Getting there - not quite right yet but the moulds were okay. Need to tweak the recipe a bit 🤔
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