Monthly Archives: October 2010

I get a lot of chocolate to sample, so it is rare that I finish a bar myself.  So the fact that I ate the entire Michel Cluizel Eclats Caramel Beurre Sale myself means that it is darn good.

This bar is a salted milk chocolate with crunchy bits of butter caramel — more commonly called toffee in the US.  The milk chocolate is creamy and contrasts well with the wonderful crunch of the caramel bits.  The salt is light-handed, brightening the flavor without making it taste salty.

While the bar I was sent by Michel Cluizel arrived a bit broken up, the chocolate was beautifully tempered.

This is a delicious bar which I could not resist — sneaking a square here and there over the past few days until it was gone.  Find out more at the Michel Cluizel website.

Lake Champlain Chocolates recently sent me one of their Grace Under Fire bars to try, and while I was a bit hesitant at first — not liking a bar that is too hot and spicy — I'm glad I tried it. The rich, sweet chocolate is well balanced with the red pepper, making it a subtle and enjoyable heat that makes you want to take another bite.

This bar is dark chocolate with pistachio and red pepper according to the front of the box, but looking at the ingredient list, you see there is also cinnamon in there. I think this sweet, but warm, spice bridges the gap and gives a nice added dimension to the overall taste profile.

If, like me, you like your spicy chocolate restrained but flavorful, this bar is for you.  And as is always the case with Lake Champlain, the bar is simply beautiful, glossy, well tempered and in great condition upon opening the package.

Find out more at Lake Champlain Chocolate's website.