Lindt Excellence Dark - A Touch of Sea Salt

When I started this blog, I liked Lindt the best. Seven months and nearly a 100 posts later, I still like Lindt the best. What I love about Lindt, as a brand, is their inventiveness with flavours and willingness to push the boundaries. Sure, there are other brands out there that experiment with flavours, but few do it as successfully as Lindt. The last brand I was really impressed by was Elizabeth Shaw, which equalled Lindt's standards of excellence. But brands like Elizabeth Shaw are difficult to find in India, and Lindt has to be the go-to brand when one is seeking truly fine chocolates in India.

Because Lindt is so easy to get in local Indian markets, one can get the most recent flavours released in the international market. I spotted a pack of Lindt Dark chocolate - with A Touch of Sea Salt not long ago and was most fascinated. Yes, chocolates with salted caramel have been around for a while, but I've not seen any other brand with this kind of flavour. A pack was duly bought and brought home. Between reviews, I had to keep this pack in the fridge for a little while, which resulted in a fat bloom (the whitish layer you see on the bar in the pictures), much to my disappointment. Even after I left it out for a while, the lovely dark colour did not return.

But given that the chocolate has only 47% cocoa solids, one shouldn't perhaps expect too dark a colour. But because fat or sugar bloom does not affect the taste of the chocolate, I didn't fret too much. The chocolate has a beautiful rich aroma, although the chocolate is not as rich as its higher cocoa ratio cousins. Left on the tongue, the chocolate melts beautifully, releasing its semi-sweetness and eventually a salty flavour from the salt crystals embedded within.

It's hard to explain how salt and sugar complement each other so nicely, and you had best experience it yourself. That said, I wouldn't rate it as highly as a Lindt Dark Chilli Chocolate or a Lindt Dark Wasabi Chocolate bar. Priced at INR 235 for a 100 g bar, it isn't all that expensive and if good quality dark chocolate is what you want, Lindt is your best bet.

RATING: 3.75/5

Win Win Magic Crunch chocolate-filled corn snack

I think I'm convinced that Gujju businessmen are demi gods. Name it and their stores have it. Not necessarily greatthings, but yes, allthings. I chanced upon a product by a Malaysian company called Win Win Food Industries, written like this ---> Win 2. It is a corn snack with a chocolate filling called Magic Crunch. Win Win Foods makes a range of snacks and confectioneries, ranging from bakes potato crisps to biscuits & cookies, to flavoured breads. The company's products have many credentials including being No GMO (genetically-modified organisms), Halal certified, vegetarian and ISO certified. But that's no guarantee for taste, eh?

Yup, in my experience as a chocolate reviewer, all Malaysian chocolate products have been consistently crappy. And Magic Crunch Corn Snack with Chocolate Filling is no exception. Magic Crunch has another better looking variation - a dark snack with vanilla filling, but I'm guessing that's not great either.

The outer 'puff' is crunchy but oddly salty, which does not in any way complement the chocolate filling inside.   Placing salt and sugar in one confection requires the expertise of say, a Lindt chocolatier (Watch out for the review of Lindt Dark with a touch of Sea Salt!). The chocolate too is meagre and of a decidedly under average quality. In short, these chocolate-filled corn snacks suck.

A pack of 75 g costs INR 45 and is definitely not on the Chocosopher's recommended list. If chocolate-filled snacks is what you like, our homegrown Cadbury Bytes are a much better bet, though they might not be as healthy as a corn-based snack.

RATING: 2/5

Nestle Bono Chocolate Biscuit

This one seems to have travelled all the way from Brasil to my local supermarket and to my kitchen and into my mouth. And boy, what a wasted trip! I picked up a pack of Nestle Bono impressed by the fancy packaging, and also because I haven't reviewed imported chocolate biscuits in a while. And what a pity that Nestle, Brasil should dent the brand's image with this sorry product.

So, beneath this pretty pack are some of the lousiest chocolate sandwich biscuits I've reviewed. The cookie is overdone, and that makes it taste slightly burnt. It might be a faulty batch, but that's just too bad. One would expect stringent quality control from a brand this big. 

Coming to the cream, there's very little of it in every sandwich. The layer of dark-ish chocolate is so thin in the sandwich that the taste hardly registers. So I did what all good children should do; licked the cream straight off the cookie and that didn't impress me much either. A complete waste for my INR 50 for a 200 g pack. So, here's rating it poorly for taste, value for money and quality.

RATING: 1.5/5

Choco Swiss Cacao Premium Dark Chocolate

I came across this random chocolate called Cacao by an Indian brand, curiously named Choco Swiss at Landmark (Andheri), Mumbai. It had a curious-er website name that has a missing 'S' - www.chocoswis.com. No matter how dubious it all sounded, it was a new name and it had the impossible-to-resist deal of Buy 1, Get 1 Free. So, the Chocosopher had to give in.

Since the brand is completely home grown, with a Delhi-based company called Buttercup Confectionery making them, this 'misuse' of nomenclature didn't sit well with me. I was prepared to trash it, but I was surprised. The product wasn't half as bad. In fact, I was surprised that it even had a website. And if the website is to be believed, they supply chocolates to multinational corporations such as American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, Jet Airways, Blue Dart, Hutch, Grasim and IBM among others as part of their corporate chocolate gifting solutions.

The box quality was average, but the gold Egyptian design on a brown casing made it look quite lovely. One could easily ignore the juvenile name chosen for the product. Inside, uniquely enough, a plastic wrapper contained a foil-wrapped bar. The dark brown foil printed with the brand name gave way to a lovely bar of plain dark chocolate. Although the cocoa percent is not mentioned in the pack, I'd peg it at around 60%, going by its semi sweet taste. The texture was smooth, thanks to the cocoa butter it contains.

The quality is a notch higher than most Indian dark chocolates; although it might compare well with say, a Bournville. Given that plain semi sweet dark chocolates that are affordable are very difficult to get among Indian brands, Choco Swiss is a great find. Although this was a promo pack priced at INR 100 for two packs of 60 g, I daresay single packs will be priced around INR 50. I'd say they are worth it.


RATING: 3.5/5

Gold Standard Extreme Milk Chocolate Whey Protein

Page after web page has been written about the quality and performance of Gold Standard Whey Proteins, and I am a noob as far as fitness nutrition goes. But I feel compelled to write this review simply because of the chocolate angle.

I've been working out religiously for over a year now and I much prefer weight training to cardio (actually, I hate cardio). And since my trainer could not get me to do cardio or diet with any seriousness, he gently pushed me towards the path of protein supplements. I was very skeptical like all beginners, wondering if the supplements would bulk me up. But my trainer assured me that all it would do is build muscle quickly, thus helping me raise my metabolism and burn fat. There was also the question of price; I didn't feel very comfortable investing 6K on something I wasn't very sure about. 

Gold Standard is a product of American company, Optimum Nutrition Inc. (better known as ON), which, in turn, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Glanbia - a leading international cheese and nutritional ingredients group. After reading up a little about it online, I bought a 5 kg jar of Gold Standard Extreme Milk Chocolate Whey Protein, wanting to see what the fuss was all about. The world's best-selling whey couldn't be bad, eh?

I picked the Extreme Milk Chocolate flavour as the safest bet, not knowing what to expect of a protein supplement. But Gold Standard has more than 24 flavours, including unconventional ones like rocky road, root beer float, vanilla chai, and eggnog, besides many fruity flavours. There are variations in chocolate, like chocolate creme, chocolate malt, chocolate mint, double rich chocolate, and mocha cappuccino.

The powder is of a fine flour-like consistency, and the jar has a measuring scoop to help you define portions. A heaped scoop is about 30 g and considered the ideal portion size, especially after a heavy workout. One can have it either with water or milk (preferably low-fat); I've been told to have with with water to minimise fat intake. The powder mixes easily with both water or milk, provided you use a shaker. The label on the jar says it can be mixed well with a spoon too, but I've found it rather difficult.

When mixed only with water, the concoction looks dark brown and is thick, chocolaty, and rather sweet. It definitely tastes better with milk, like a chocolate milk shake would. It is a little creamy and is much more palatable than the water solution. However, one gets used to the water mix as well, due to the overall good taste of the product. From what I read on the Internet, I should find it difficult to appreciate other cheaper brands because I've started with what most call the best in the market. I reckon it is.


RATING 4/5

Elizabeth Shaw Blackberry & Ginger Dark Chocolate

Trust me, even chocolate tasting and reviewing can seem tiresome sometimes, especially if bad chocolates keep coming your way. I've had quite a bad run in the last few weeks and I needed something of Elizabeth Shaw's level to restore my faith in the greatness of chocolate.

The brand has a (slightly convoluted) legacy of nearly 100 years, started by one Elizabeth around the 1930s. The chocolate lover and maker christened her brand Elizabeth Shaw combining her name and her husband's old employer (a chocolate manufacturer). In 1968, her company was sold to a famous Bristol factory that had opened in 1881. The company has changed many hands over the last century, and its 105-year old factory was shut and the facility moved to mainland Europe in 2006. It is currently owned by a Nowegian company called Imagine Capital.

I saw these beauties (this, and an Almond & Pear dark chocolate bar by the same brand) at Food Fantasy, a specialty foods store in Chembur, Mumbai and HAD to pick them up.The sophisticated card paper-like packaging material and classy design were unmissable. I especially like the satin ribbon embossing on the upper left of the pack. Pretty, no? And who could say nay to the very unusual flavour combination of blackberry and ginger?

Wrapped in silver foil, these aromatic dark chocolate (57% min.) bars are rich all the way. See their lovely, glossy finish? That's one way to determine the smoothness of a chocolate bar even without tasting it. They also smell absolutely gorgeous, and you can tell what will go into your mouth next will be of superior quality.

The chocolate itself is one of the richest I've tasted in a while. It is intense and so flavourful that even one square satisfies your taste buds. There are very tiny candied bits of blackberry almost indiscernible ginger granules that come together in a harmonious flavour. The melt-in-you-mouth chocolate derives sweetness from the blackberry and there is a warm aftertaste from the ginger. The taste lingers in your mouth long after you've eaten the chocolate. It is smooth as smooth can be, given ingredients like cocoa butter and butter fat. In short, it's BLOODY LOVELY, and worth the INR 300 you pay for a 100 g pack! Chocosophy highly recommends it not only for its quality but also for its support of responsible cocoa farming. Elizabeth Shaw sources its cocoa from the Quality Cocoa for a Better Life program.


RATING 5/5

Spraymintt chocolate-flavoured mouth freshener

When a friend saw that link about the Edible Anus on Chocosophy's Facebook page, he jokingly said I ought to take it easy. I don't think he was joking, though. I'm definitely going chocolate mad, keeping my eyes peeled for anything that tastes, looks, sounds or smells like chocolate. So much so, that when I went to the chemist's a few days ago to buy medicines for my unwell son, I found my eyes settling on this random product hung on the far end of the shop.

A chocolate-flavoured mouth freshener!!! I immediately thought of an article I once read about Heidi Klum. The supermodel had said while she loves chocolate, she cannot eat it, so she 'satisfies' her craving with a lip balm that tastes like chocolate. I thought I had found such a calorie-free solution to my chocolate addiction in this chocolate-flavoured Spraymintt Instant Mouth Freshener, a Lovincare Cosmetics product, marketed by MidasCare Pharmaceuticals.

But I couldn't be more wrong. I excitedly opened the pack for my first chocolate spray experience and what I got instead was this weird synthetic taste that is more peppermint than anything else. Even a little clove, maybe. But whatever else it is, it is NOT CHOCOLATE! And when the only ingredients are Pudina ka phool (mint flower), Peppermint oil, Dalchini ka tel (Cinnamon Oil), Lavang tel (Clove oil), Elaichi tel (Cardamom oil), HOW THE FUCK IS THERE GOING TO BE A CHOCOLATY TASTE?

The verdict is easily reached. Do not, I repeat DO NOT buy this product for the 'chocolate'. That said, it serves its purpose quite well as a mouth freshener and a 15 g bottle costs INR 60. What else can I say? All that is brown is not chocolate.


RATING 1.5/5

Sapphire assorted milk chocolates

My chocolate stars don't seem to be shining very bright as I run from one average chocolate into another. And now it seems to have gone from bad to worse. I don't remember the last time I crossed the 3.5/5 rating and knowing that this box of assorted chocolates from Sapphire is a Malaysian product, I didn't hope for too much. Although Sapphire's boxed chocolates seem to be present in all online stores, there is almost no information about the brand itself - no website, no Wiki... you get the picture. All I understood from the box was that Sapphire chocolates are made by Network Foods International and imported and distributed by Dugar Overseas Pvt Ltd. Curiously enough, Sapphire is not listed among the brands owned by Network Foods.

Anyhow, I opened the beautiful tin half expecting to see shiny chocolate balls rolling around, like chocolates in tins used to be back in time. But I found a brown bubble-wrap sheet on what I like to call level one. Upon removing those, level two had two foil packs sitting atop level three - a stiff plastic mould. Although it seems wasteful, extra packaging care is required for gifting products since they are subject to a lot of transport. 

I opened one of the 100 g packs and out came this assortment of milk chocolate-coated raisins, hazelnuts and almonds. No, the chocolates don't look this ugly at room temperature; the fat bloom on the chocolates are because I had just taken them out of the refrigerator when I took these pictures. But while the chocolates look quite okay at room temperature, they're terrible to taste. 

First things first, these things don't even qualify to be called chocolates because they have NO cocoa solids or even cocoa butter in them! Made from sugar, refined palm kernel fat, milk solids, cocoa powder, emulsifiers and artificial flavours + dry fruits and nuts, these 'chocolates' feel no better than flour in the mouth. They are weird and chewy and won't melt in your mouth. Their saving grace are the raisins and nuts, without which the chocolates would be rather unpalatable.

No wonder a 200 g box of 'imported' chocolates costs only INR 300. Yes, the packaging is good and yes, it will make for a gift because 'khali haath nahi jaa sakte' (cannot be visiting someone empty handed). But if you are a chocolate lover or know that the gift-ee is one, don't make the mistake of giving them one of Sapphire's box of chocolates.

RATING: 2/5

Melted Delights - Chocolate dipping session at The Nature's Basket

When I heard (via social media, of course!) that a chocolate dipping session was going to be held at The Nature's Basket, Bandra, Mumbai, I was more than happy to register myself. I still have fond memories of my review trip of The Cocoa Trees at the store and I was excited about going back there. This time, though, chocolate promised to 'come alive' at the hands of chef Kevin Zhang and what more could a chocolate lover ask for!?

I arrived just in time with friend/ baker/ foodblogger, Reema (http://www.bakeyou.com/) to a full house and we just about got space to stand and watch the session. In his soft-spoken manner, Chef Zhang explained to the guests the types of chocolate, its history, the different manufacturing processes, etc.

Much to the audience's delight, Chef Zhang had samples passed around for pretty much everything he spoke of. Starting with very dark chocolate, he moved to regular milk chocolate, milk chocolate with no added sugar, white chocolate truffles and the pralines. He passed around samples from brands like Belgian, Frey, Geisha, Duc d'O, and Goldkenn among others - all of which are available at The Cocoa Tree outlet at The Nature's Basket.

As the participants tasted the different varieties of chocolate, Chef Zhang explained their characteristics and what the respective brands were famous for. As the session progressed, both he and the audience loosened up, and the place livened up with good cheer. Questions were asked, and with his boyish charm, the seasoned chef shed more light on the techniques of chocolate-making, storing and yes, eating! Some chocolate bars were also given away to some lucky participants, based on random numbers, which added to the excitement.

In the last part of the session, the technique of melting chocolates for the purpose of fondues, dipping or coating was explained by Chef Zhang. He also invited three volunteers to come up and try their hand at making chocolate. Cookies, marshmallows, candy and fruit were some of the things made available to the volunteers to dip in chocolate, garnish them and finally take them home.

The session ended with all participants being given some discount vouchers that could be availed at The Cocoa Trees. I don't know how many shopped for chocolates thereafter, but we left a palate-happy, chocolate-enlightened lot.

The Chocolate Room - truffles, pralines and dark chocolate

I went to The Chocolate Room, Ghatkopar the week before last, and I'm pretty sure I haven't yet burned off the calories I ingested there. At that mad excessive chocolaty session, I had had so many chocolate things that I had no space for these boxed lovelies. I needed a little break to come back to another The Chocolate Room experience, albeit at home this time. Franchise owner, Kapil Agarwal, had insisted that I try their truffles & pralines and plain dark chocolate and I finally got around to having them over the last couple of days.

I absolutely fell in love with the design of the box of the truffles & pralines. With its delightful colours, it would make for such a mood-lifting gift. A box contains nine pieces of assorted truffles and pralines with a variety of ingredients like hazelnut paste, orange powder, strawberry powder, orange oil, roasted coffee powder and lemon powder apart from the usual components.   

I was impressed by what I read on the box, but not so much by what was inside it. Firstly, all nine chocolates tasted the same to me. Yes, I eventually tasted all of them to see if any one was different from the other, but they all seemed to have a mixed kind of flavour in dark chocolate - most acutely coffee and orange. Either these were not assorted, or I had lost all sense of gustatory distinction. Then, the filling part of these so-called pralines and truffles was indiscernible from the body of the chocolate. I tried them straight out of the fridge and then at room temperature, but it all seemed like a mass all the same. 

All the pralines/truffles had some almonds in it, but that made little difference to the overall quality of the chocolate. Moreover, these have no cocoa butter in them, but vegetable fat. This not only renders the chocolate not-so-smooth but also leaves a weird aftertaste and coating on the roof of one's mouth. All in all, a rather disappointing experience for a box of chocolates that represents an international brand and costs INR 224. The Chocosopher does not recommend these.

RATING: 2/5

This plain dark chocolate bar, however, was the winner. Unpretentious in its name and packaging, it offered me a smooth taste experience - courtesy the cocoa butter in it, unlike the truffles and pralines. I was also enamoured enough by the unusual blue foil inside to take a picture of it and put it here. :)

The chocolate bar itself is plain-looking with no branding or etching on it. With 56% cocoa mass, it just makes the dark chocolate cut, is smooth and very pleasing to taste with vanilla undertones. While it tastes great, it is not exceptional and forking out INR 55 may feel like a little too much for people who can get pretty much the same quality from dark chocolates from home-grown brands at lower prices. Oddly enough, both chocolate boxes have no net weight information and The Chocolate Room India might want to consider doing something about it. 

RATING: 3.5/5

All said and done, The Chocolate Room, Ghatkopar is not somewhere you go to buy chocolates, but  to enjoy their vast and wonderful range of desserts, shakes, coffees and beverages.

You can check out their Facebook page for more information or follow them on Twitter.