Friday, June 7, 2013

Eclat Chocolate Caramelized Hazelnuts 65%

Eclat Chocolate Caramelized Hazelnuts 65%I’ve visited the Eclat Chocolate shop in West Chester, PA a couple of times when I’ve been in the area. I’ve tried a wide variety of their truffles and a few of their hot chocolate sticks and other items. However, I’d never picked up their chocolate bars before.

When I placed an order with the PA Country Store back before Easter, I decided to rectify that omission by selecting the Eclat Chocolate Caramelized Hazelnuts 65% bar. The packaging is simple, a slim black paperboard box holding a mylar wrapped bar. Sadly it didn’t protect the bar from getting broken (but I was going to break it anyway).

Eclat Chocolate may be best known as the creator of one of the most expensive bars on the market filled with celebrity names, the Good & Evil Bar made from Peruvian Pure Nacional cocoa beans and retails for about $18 for 2.8 ounces. I’m not terribly interested in things that are notable for being expensive though I enjoy a good origin story. So I’ll stick with the Caramelized Hazelnuts for now. Here’s what the online description said:

Although most hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are harvested out of Turkey, the Spanish hazelnut out of Tarragona has an extremely unique and rare flavor. By caramelizing the hazelnuts and blending them with a 65% dark chocolate, the flavor profile of this Obsession Bar is boldly nutty and deliciously sweet.

DSC_2479rb

The bar is attractive, a nice mold with well portioned segments. I prefer a thicker bar, especially when there are inclusions, but there’s something particularly stunning about such a large field of molded dark chocolate.

The scent is sweet, woodsy and a little buttery. The chocolate has a smooth and rather quick melt and an immediate sweetness. I don’t eat a lot of 65% chocolate, so I forgot how sweet it is. The inclusions are crispy and have a great deep toasted toffee and hazelnut flavor. I don’t know if I got the subtle difference of the Spanish hazelnut, but I liked what I was tasting.

I would have preferred slightly larger pieces, I found the ratios a little off, but then again, I think I would have preferred a bit darker chocolate, too. However, if you’re a milk person, this is a great munchable dark bar that doesn’t feel too dense or difficult. I had no trouble at all eating my way through it, especially because of the excellent melt of the chocolate and lack of overall bitterness.

Eclat Bonbons

I mentioned I’d been to the shop before. I’ve picked up bonbons there on two occasions, though they weren’t for review, just for eating. They’re well priced for an artisan confection. The boxes are well put together to highlight the chocolates and it traveled very well (first by car around Central Pennsylvania for several days and then flying back to Los Angeles).

Eclat BonbonsThe tempering was excellent, all of the shells were thin but never cracked. The ganaches were smooth and never grainy.

I picked out varieties such as Beer, Star Anise and Single Malt as well as the classic 73% Dark Ganache and Dark Caramel. The flavor infusions were not overwhelming to the chocolate and the piece size, though on the small size, meant that I could eat quite a few pieces for maximum variety.

I believe my box was $25.00 in the store. I’ve also bought their hot chocolate sticks, which I find exceptional though expensive. I like making my own hot chocolate, because then I get to control the milk (lactose free, please) and these sorts of “melt it at home” products make for a far richer experience than the powders. At $4.50 each, it’s more than you’d spend at a Starbucks. But sometimes it’s nice for a splurge.

If I’m in the area, it’s a stop I’ll continue to make. It’s a great little pick me up before I get on the Turnpike and is a great place to pick up a few hostess gifts. I posted a few photos of the shop as well.

Related Candies

  1. Poco Dolce Hazelnut Bar
  2. Recchiuti Asphalt Jungle Mix
  3. Kohler Chocolates Garden Ganache & Toffee Mountains
  4. Valerie Confections: Pour Homme and Pour Elle
  5. Short & Sweet: Hazelnut Bites
  6. 3400 Phinney: Fig, Fennel & Almond and Hazelnut Crunch


Name: Chocolate Caramelized Hazelnuts 65%
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Eclat Chocolate
Place Purchased: PA General Store (Online)
Price: $8.50
Size: 3 ounces
Calories per ounce: 167
Categories: All Natural, Candy, Chocolate, Nuts, 8-Tasty, United States

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:21 pm Tracker Pixel for Entry     All NaturalCandyChocolatierReviewChocolateNutsToffee8-TastyUnited States

Comments
  1. i love their beer truffles. did you manage to get your hands on one of their elusive good and evil bars?

    Comment by diane on 6/08/13 at 8:16 pm #
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.

Next entry: KitKat Minis

Previous entry: Bubble Gum Flavored Peeps




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT

FEEDS

CONTACT

  • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Here are some frequently asked questions emailed to me you might want to read first.

EMAIL DIGEST

    For a daily update of Candy Blog reviews, enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

CANDY RATINGS

TYPE

BRAND

COUNTRY

ARCHIVES

Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.

 

 

 

 

Facebook IconTwitter IconTumblr IconRSS Feed IconEmail Icon

COUNTDOWN.

Candy Season Ends

-2538 days

Read previous coverage

 

 

Which seasonal candy selection do you prefer?

Choose one or more:

  •   Halloween
  •   Christmas
  •   Valentine's Day
  •   Easter

 

image

ON DECK

These candies will be reviewed shortly:

 

 

image