The Best Single-Origin Chocolate Bars
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2024
- We dug into the amazing and complex world of single-origin bars and in the process discovered an astounding variety of flavors and textures.
Click here to read the review: cooks.io/3NZ3zW4
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I really like this double taster format as opposed the prior single taster. Gives a perspective from varying tastes since we all have different preferences. 👍🏻
And we don’t have to watch the chewing. 😂
The SF chocolate scene is amazing and one of the best in the world. Glad to see it finally getting some attention.
That opening zoom out was great, great production as always
I pass 9th and Larkin in San Francisco Ca many times. Will have to check it out. Dandelions is also nearby.
It would be great to hear about Ruby chocolate. It's a new variety of cacao, a new process, etc. If white chocolate is the "vanilla" of chocolate, Ruby is the "strawberry". It's currently my favorite and I'd love to learn more about it and how to work with it.
Where do you get it?
@@ellengrace4609I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and only one shop I know of carries it in a bar. The brand is Chocolove. Other than that you can find it online😉
Despite what Barry Callebaut says in its marketing, Ruby is not a new variety of cacao - there are no Ruby cocoa beans. Ruby is a process that uses already available varieties (e.g., CCN-51 from Ecuador) and keeps them from oxidizing (turning brown) during fermentation, drying, and manufacturing,.
I know this because I was at the global launch event for Ruby in 2017 and got to meet the head of the development team who explained to me the process. You can make a Ruby-like product by flavoring and coloring (using freeze-dried fruit powders) white chocolate.
@@ellengrace4609 I responded to you about a week ago but it looks like the channel owner deleted it, maybe because I specified a brand. I don't know.. I buy bars from Choco-love at my local grocery. You can find it online too. Hopefully this post won't be deleted. I'm sure this channel doesn't sell Ruby chocolate so they should leave it alone!
@@podsavechocolate That is really fascinating. So essentially it is just a flavored white chocolate?! Ahh! I thought it was a new variety of cacao pod. That's really disappointing but I do use freeze dried strawberry powder and have worked with white chocolate so that helps to know
Interesting and informative.
Thank you!
I can't drink alcohol for medical reasons, and one birthday a friend sent a sampler of the Dandelion chocolates and it was fun to get to be like someone who drinks wine really noticing the different notes in each variety. They were from different countries and labeled with year of harvest. I wish I had marked down which one I liked the most because there was one that was head and shoulders above the rest as my favorite. It really was so interesting because each one was just chocolate but tasted so different. For my sister's wedding when they were tasting wines I did actually put it in my mouth and then spit it out to try to help with the tasting, but they all seemed the same to me. Everyone else noticed these huge taste variations I couldn't detect. Maybe because I don't have enough experience with wine. Chocolate I know.
Tasting chocolate is an amazing experience. Most mass market chocolate is mostly not cacao but other ingredients. It is eye opening when you have the opportunity to taste several different origins and harvests!
"That was hilarious, Mr. Goodbar."
I love 9th and Larkin and they have a great subscription.
The 10,000 Villages near us used to carry chocolate bars from various countries. They were good and had distinct flavors depending on origin. I’m using past tense only because I haven’t been there in a few years, so I don’t know whether they still carry the chocolate. I don’t think they were priced as high as $10-12 per bar. Maybe half that.
Oh thank you for this!
there are lots of great craft chocolate makers out there doing amazing things with fine flavour cacao. I wouldn't say these are necessarily the best. But better than mass market
Looks good❤❤❤❤❤❤
For those in the know, and Jack, you should be disturbed they referred to you as Mr. Goodbar! 😅 Speaking of chocolate though Mr. Goodbar is my fav, I have 5 large size bars in my fridge at this moment, and a half bar in my desk drawer! 😁😎✌🗽
I know your focus is not on health as much as flavor but with all the latest news about heavy metals etc in dark chocolate ( re Consumer Reports testing), I'm curious where these rate
That was my thought, too. I read about a class action lawsuit - would be nice if that resulted in more transparency across other chocolate sellers.
Yes, it’s in the October 23, 2023 issue of Consumer Reports. A third of chocolate products are too high in lead and cadmium.
At those prices, you won’t get too much heavy metals for your wallet!
The Consumer Reports articles on this topic are irresponsible fear-mongering. I have covered this topic extensively (on TheChocolateLife) with a colleague who’s a professor emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY.
TL;DR - Chocolate and cocoa are not in the top sources of dietary exposure to cadmium or lead and there is next to no risk unless you have a medical or genetic condition that raises the potential risk, OR you are already exposed to these heavy metals from another source. If you have a good diet, are in good health, and are not anemic there is no reason to worry, even if you’re consuming relatively large amounts daily over a long period. There is more to worry about from the sugar content or the total calorie count from chocolate as a percentage of total calories consumed than there is from any heavy metals in the chocolate/cocoa.
There has not been ONE documented admission to a hospital of anyone who is ill from heavy metals poisoning that can be attributed to the consumption of cocoa/chocolate.
Why chocolate? The same reason they report about baby food. People have emotional attachments to babies and chocolate they don’t have with spinach.
craft chocolate makers are a whole different world than mass market makers. Most of them have been testing and mitigating for Cd and Pb for years. They could probably give you their sourcing report if you asked. Industrial chocolate just doesn't care and counts on you not caring too. Craft chocolate makers taste better and have better ethics. You probably have some near you. Happy to make a recommendation.
What’s the best chocolate bar best for flourless cake?
I really like HU bars, made with coconut sugar 😋👍
Also I excellent! Check out Fruition Chocolate-delish!
Mondelez purchased Hu so it is pretty much the same as all mass market chocolate. If you want to have a great chocolate tasting experience look for craft chocolate makers in your area.
I live 45 mins away from SF and only knew of Ghirardelli. Now I have two chocolate shops to visit, next time I'm in SF lol. Although I'm not a fan of dark chocolate, I'll still visit
2 many homeless n dirt n alot of ......on floor ..is this choc frm san fran ok?
@@RC-gf8csTime to turn off Fox News.
9th and Larkin is an awful name for a chocolate company.
Just be careful not to step in any of the um, "outdoor chocolate."
@@ZanHecht _Time to turn off Fox News._
Exactly. Why would anyone want to be aware of what great "successes" the D people have had in our cities.
I don’t eat candy bars any more but me good bar was a delicious candy bar lol.
I love chocolate bars.
Single origin chocolate tasting. Looking for the flavor notes like a fine wine.
Chocolate with over 300 potential flavour compounds has the capacity to bee even more complex in the hands of a great craft chocolate makers. But you are right it takes some appreciation.
I have put my money where my mouth would like to be and tasted many of these chocolates. One must make a distinction between them and what I would call my everyday chocolates, which are deep flavored AND easy to enjoy, usually in the 60% cacao ballpark. These are often wonderful, but are for savoring--and thinking about. Which is to say that, like a good wine, they must be tasted with curiosity and examination.
Once you know there is a world of difference between craft chocolate and mass market chocolate its an amazing taste journey!
What I want is a video of the chocolate drink made for and drunk by Montezuma if it is possible to recreate.
you would probably actually find that pretty gross. It was not sweetened and very bitter. Also not smooth or emulsified.
@@openingchocolate: I'm sure but I'd still like to sample the original.
3:26 9th & Larkin is actually located on 3rd & 20th.
I like 72% to 80% cacoa chocolate. They are so good.
this video worked... I ordered 2 bars from Francois Pralus today :D
Nice. So many great craft chocolate makers out there to choose from these days. I hope you keep exploring as it is both better tasting and better ethically.
This was very interesting…I wonder if I can call my homemade apple butter “single origin” since no 2 batches taste the same even though I use the same recipe, apple variety and weight…anyway, this video was very interesting…
I compare chocolate more to coffee than wine, but all are fantastic 😋👍🍫☕️🍷
I'd also like to know the lead & cadmium levels of these chocolates.
A great bar is the 72% dark by Brooklyn Born Chocolate
Are these for cooking, for baking, or just for eating?
These are for upping your pretentious snob game.
You really should have those tested for heavy metals. Loaded with Cadmium and Lead, no doubt. CR had some surprising results.
The CR report was poorly structured and do not present actual health risks. CA Prop65 limits for cadmium and lead in chocolate are based on the NOE (no observable effect) level, divided by 1000. AND, they are based on inhalation risks, not oral consumption risks.
There are also issues with how the data are presented. Is something at 101% of what the CA MADL really that much more of a risk than a chocolate that is at 99%?
@@podsavechocolate I'm not relying on CR's results. Every dark chocolate I put through my ICP-OES at work returns high levels of Cd and Pb. To me, ANY level of either metal, whether eaten or inhaled is not safe. I choose not to eat any. YMMV
@@cbluebeard - Do you eat green leafy vegetables? Grains? Legumes? Drink water? Do you live near an airport or near a road that cars drive on? Then you are consuming and/or inhaling heavy metals. Do you drink alcohol? It is an acutely toxic substance.
But, it’s not just what’s in what you consume, it’s what is retained in the body. Have you done specific panels for cadmium and lead?
There is a difference between hazard and risk. What one does knowing the difference is up to each individual.
❤ adoro il cioccolato complimenti 😋 ❤❤️🇮🇹😋👍💖
Zotter Labooko bars are missing!😮
How could you leave Fruition Chocolate in Shokan, NY out of this line up? National and international awards… you missed out on divine chocolates!
agreed they are an amazing craft chocolate maker!!
How can I trust anyone who doesn’t include Askinosie chocolate among the best single origin chocolates
RIGHT?!?!? One of the best makers out there. Not only doing great things with great cacao beans but making strides ethically as well with their direct trade.
This is such a small collection of single origin bars and lacking in where the bean varietals come from. It is a start.
Yes. It is a start. So much better chocolate out there in the craft chocolate world! He also kinds of sets it up for "its so expensive" like it is a luxury not many can afford. Which is not great to say.
I don't have a major sweet tooth, a single of chocolate can last me sever months. With that in mind, I have no problem spending a high dollar amount for a bar if it legitimately makes the entire process more ethical.
Exactly!! Becuase it doesn't fire that craving for sugar and has better flavour our need to gobble it down is lesser. Craft chocolate is amazing.
Will these really make that much of a difference in baking recipe`s? Or are they just for eating out of hand?Hard to beat Ghiradelli.
no it really isn't hard to beat Ghiradelli. So many better options for baking, snaking and tasting
@@openingchocolateI guess youre a conny sewer
Pity you didn't discuss the varieties of chocolate and focus on producing countries' brands. I don't recall seeing plantations in San Francisco, but I actually visited several producers elsewhere. Criollo is the best variety, there's a "Porcelana" from Italy shown in the bars that is a real favorite
so you wanted a totally different video…
While I agree that this video was just fine, one like she described would be interesting. @@stocktonnash
I wish they tried the Amadei Porcelana in the back! Talk about high quality!
There are several makers using Porcelana cacao that are making great bars. But there are also amazing tasting bars out there using other beans. A fantastic craft chocolate maker can work magic with any fine flavour cacao.
Really? Zero word on how/where the cacao came from, sustainability, labor protections, etc?
How could you make such a video without mentioning heavy metals like lead? Are any of these safe to eat or do they have high unsafe levels of heavy metals like most chocolate?
It was recorded in 2022 - several months before the reports concerning heavy metals were published.
@@sandrah7512Oh, thank you. Now it all makes sense.
So the makers they feature are craft chocolate makers who are entirely different from mass market. They are buying different beans, fine flavour cacao, that are more often than not tested for both Cd and Pb before they even get to the chocolate makers. Farmers are paid fair wages so they can mitigate these heavy metals. Mass market chocolate doesn't care about the farmers or the end product much. Craft chocolate is literally a whole different world.
Th chocolate market has exploded with single origin bars... 20 years ago
The first single-origin chocolate bars - in modern times - seven of them, were introduced in 1984 for the 100th anniversary of the French chocolate maker Bonnat. Pralus is in Roanne, Bonnat is in Voiron. I have visited both factories.
💪💪💪💪🏡💪💪💪
We have a great chocolatier here in Fort Wayne. I am old enough to say I like my chocolate to taste like just chocolate. I am picky enough that if I want "fruity" chocolate, I will get fruit filling or natural fruit flavoring in my chocolate. The older I get, the more I find myself enjoying the flavor of what the food is. Chocolate should taste like chocolate, within the norms of %s of cacao (I like bittersweet) and should have a good, smooth mouth feel. TLDR version: I'd be happier with a Lindt's Lindor Ball than a "fancy" chocolate with "hints of" or "nuances" of anything.
lindt is mostly not chocolate. You like the taste of sugar, vanilla and the mouth feel of vegetable fats. That's okay, just know it isn't chocolate.
Americans learning about regular chocolate after being subjected to years of hershey vomit. lol. I can buy 85% cocoa chocolate for 2€ at the local discount store.
I grew up near Hershey and honestly was never a big fan. The when I tried the Swiss Lindt Hazlenut I was ruined forever! 😂
@@ellengrace4609 I'm surprised you got your hands on some. I've read that hershey put a great deal of effort to shut down any small makers or import.
I guess every country has its own modern day “perks” from years of colonialism or other various forms of exploitation and subjugation.
How ignorant of you.
@@emkn1479 i'm from balkan, the top colonoalists and subjugators of all times...
The best chocolate bar is the one YOU like the best, not a bunch of strangers in a studio.
Agreed. Part of the great fun of specialty chocolate is exploring the makers and the origins to determine what you like best.
The editor was a little out of control on this video. I thought I was watching a Jason Bourne movie
Just another example of how you all are out of touch with how America’s test kitchen got started. Low cost ingredients with good solid recipes that work.
No Hershey's? Wahhhhh!
Haha!
People laugh about Hersheyxs chocolate, but their Unsweetened Baking Chocolate was my favorite. My brownies will never be as good.
@@stars15k But...why would we care about your brownies?
@@houchi69 Because my brownies are that good. Really.
But 65 to 77% is a lot of sugar and not a lot of cacao...
A 3oz bar of 77% dark chocolate has less sugar than an apple.
I'd give a thumbs up except for the ads you seem to need to insert. I'm paying for ad free you tube. I dislike this immensely.
Strange that they didn't bring up the heavy metals that is in most (all?) dark chocolates.
😂😂😂😂
and everyone wearing masks in the background.. rules for thee, not for me.. lots of virtue signaling
It's food service.
The people on camera can't wear masks because they need to be able to speak clearly for the audience to understand. They most likely have to undergo additional testing to ensure they're not spreading anything to their coworkers. 🙄🤡
That's funny. Your comment is a perfect example of virtue signaling.
you're the only one here virtue signaling that youre above it all. Presenters will typically undergo a lot of testing before hand to be sure theyre safe. Perhaps you'd be better off looking for horse dewormer paste recipes
It's kinda hard to wear a mask AND eat at the same time. It's also hard to wear a mask AND make a high quality clear recording of your voice at the same time. I agree we should wear masks often, but sometimes it's just not possible. For example, I had to take off my mask today to have a photo taken of my face for my ID.