Unique Flavors in Exotic Chocolate Bars
Chocolatiers are Adding Unusual Combinations to Specialty Candy
Sep 27, 2009
According to the World Atlas of Chocolate, people worldwide love their chocolate. Approximately 11.6 pounds of chocolate are consumed annually by each American, while the Swiss take the chocolate cake with 22.4 pounds per person each year. Old school milk chocolate bars and dark chocolate bars are still popular, but chocolate consumers are developing more sophisticated palates, leading to an explosion of new flavor temptations.
Spicy Chocolate Bars
Some like it hot, even with chocolate. Chocolatiers are adding red pepper and chilies for a hot, spicy sensation in some candy bars. Dagoba Organic Chocolate offers the Xocolatl bar, a 74% dark chocolate bar with chilies that combines flavors similar to the ancient chocolate drink once enjoyed by the Aztecs. Chocolove melds dried cherries with ancho and chipotle chilies in a 55% dark chocolate bar. Chocophiles may also enjoy Vosges Haut Chocolate's two varieties of spicy chocolate bars. The Red Fire Bar contains ancho and chipotle chilies with Ceylon cinnamon in a 55% dark chocolate bar. For deep, dark chocolate lovers, there is the Oaxaca Bar with guajillo and pasilla chilies in 75% Tanzanian dark chocolate.
Spices and Seasonings in Gourmet Chocolate Bars
All kinds of spice and seasoning blends are turning up in chocolate form. Ginger is becoming a popular addition with several companies such as Chocolove including a bar with crystallized ginger in 65% dark chocolate. Vosges takes it one step further in the Black Pearl Bar which combines ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds in a 55% dark chocolate bar. Dagoba has a tasty 37% milk chocolate bar with ginger and chai spice essence.
Mint is becoming a standard flavor associated with chocolate. Lindt offers an Intense Mint Bar with mint infused in dark chocolate. Endangered Species Chocolate has a 70% Dark Chocolate with Mint bar that is made from ethically traded chocolate.
Salt also is an interesting flavor combination in chocolate, known by those who love chocolate-covered potato chips and pretzels. Vosges takes this concept into the Barcelona Bar which is a milk chocolate bar containing sea salt and roasted almonds.
Chocolate Bars with Fruit
Fruit in chocolate has moved beyond the old standards of raisins and cherries. Berries are a popular chocolate ingredient, partly to capitalize on chocolate's inherent antioxidant properties. Adding the antioxidants from various berries makes chocolate-lovers feel even better about their favorite treat. Dagoba has developed a Superfruit Bar which combines acai, goji berries and currants in a 74% dark chocolate bar. Blueberries, cranberries and raspberries are also becoming frequent additions to chocolate bars. Chocolatiers ranging from Dove to Endangered Species have versions of both milk and dark chocolate bars that contain various types of berries.
Chocolate bars infused with orange flavor are also more common on grocer's shelves. Green and Black's Organic Maya Gold bar is a 55% dark chocolate bar that contains orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla flavors. Chocolove has a version which includes orange peel in 55% dark chocolate, while Lindt's Creation bar blends chocolate mousse with orange filling in a 70% dark chocolate.
Lindt has taken it up a notch with fruit flavor combinations in some unusual varieties. The Hot Mango bar has chocolate mousse with a mango-cayenne filling in a 70% chocolate bar. Other interesting tastes include pomegranate-chili and cherry and chili fillings.
Coffee with Fine Chocolate
A new way to get that mocha fix, gourmet chocolate bars may contain various forms of coffee as well. Endangered Species Chocolate makes a 70% chocolate bar with espresso beans. Scharffen Berger offers a 62% dark chocolate bar containing freshly roasted coffee. Venchi, an Italian chocolatier, even has a sugar-free dark chocolate bar that is infused with coffee for those looking for a lower-calorie chocolate.
Chocolate Bars with Bacon
Yes, really. For those very adventurous chocophiles, there's a chocolate bar that contains bacon. Actually, Vosges Haut Chocolate offers two versions of this meaty treat. Mo's Bacon Bar is a 41% milk chocolate bar with applewood smoked bacon and Alder wood smoked salt. Dark chocolate lovers can try Mo's Dark Bacon Bar which uses 62% dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
Chocolate Gifts
Chocolate lovers have a range of options from which to choose with so many new flavor varieties available. From sweet to hot, these bars make great chocolate gifts for any chocophile. They're perfect when tucked into a chocolate gift basket. Expect to pay anywhere from $2 to $8 per exotic chocolate bar, depending on the chocolatier. Chocolate bars are available at local grocery stores, specialty shops and online retailers like Chocosphere. There are even products made of organic and fair trade chocolates for those socially conscious friends and family members.
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