We featured Bittersweet in our Chocolate Manufacturers – Guide for Chocoholics.

photo courtesy of Roxy Chocsmith

About Roxy Chocsmith

Roxy Chocsmith offers small batch, preservative free, high quality hand-made chocolate truffles to sweet tooths everywhere. 

About the products:

Deriving inspiration from desserts like cheescake, key lime pie, cookies ‘n cream, creme brulee – Roxy Chocsmith is a truly unique multi-layered chocolate experience.  They use fine white, dark, and milk chocolate in creating otheir sweet inspirations- because much like yourself, chocolate is many different things, but fabulous above all!

Their chocolate collection comprises many delicious flavors from salty, creamy to sweet or tangy. Here are some of our favorites:

Cookies’n cream Chocolate: Cookies- good, sweet cream-good.  Chopped bits of oreo cookie fleck the white chocolate center, which is then covered in a mixture of milk and semi-sweet and then rolled in crushed oreo cookies.  Chocolate with crunch.  It’s all good.

Chocolate Cheesecake: The  melding of chocolate with the inimitable zing of cheesecake. A semi sweet, creamy center with the slightest cheesecake tang, covered in graham cracker crumbs. It’s a bite sized dessert. Like eating a whole slice- but less than half the calories!

Orange Ginger Chocolate: Dark chocolate center infused with the perfect amount of orange, drenched in silky-smooth dark chocolate, and topped with a spicy slice of crystallized ginger.

The chocolate from Roxy Chocsmith makes the perfect gift for the chocoholic in your life or would be a perfect choice as a party favor. For more info on how to order, check out their website at RoxyChocsmith.com.

We featured Chocolate.com in our Chocolate Manufacturers – Guide for Chocoholics.  Looking for that unique or hard to find chocolate? Chocolate.com has what you are looking for.  From Sugar-Free, Kosher, Organic, or Fair Trade, to chocolate covered fruit and popcorn, Chocolate.com has it all!

Sweet Deceit Collection Sugar Free

A 15-pc. assortment of our Sugar-Free selections, including solids, truffles and nuts. Sweet Deceit is a blend of fine cacao beans, roasted with the same care and attention as our Choclatique cacao beans. We subtly sweeten Sweet Deceit chocolate with Maltitol. We encourage you to compare these Authentically American flavors with our Choclatique originals. You won’t believe they’re really sugar-free!

Price: $30.00

100 Percent Organic Chocolate Seeds

100% Organic Chocolate Seeds are cocoa beans covered in dark chocolate. Cocoa beans come from the seed pod of the chocolate tree. Yes, its the whole seed, and not a chocolate covered nib! You can really taste the origin of chocolate. 4oz bag by the Nahualli Trading Co.  The company started in Raleigh, NC and celebrated its second year in 2009. Raleigh, NC is located in the triangle a crossroad for fine organic heritage farming; plus, talented chefs who know their craft and can practice it for a knowledgeable community.

Price: $8.00

Truffles To Give 2 Tier Dark Chocolate And Mint

Share the experience of Coco-Zen with a special gift tin. Their large signature truffles are over 1oz each and come uniquely packaged in a 2-tier stainless steel tiffin (a traditional Indian “lunch box”), featuring Dark Chocolate Nirvana and Chocolate Mint Bliss. Give Coco-Zen to anyone, and nurture your chocolate karma. Remember…what goes around, comes around! All Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate.

Price: $35.00

Sea Salt Caramel Collection

Dark chocolate caramels topped with an eclectic selection of sea salts from around the world.

The harmony produced when chocolate, caramel, and salt get together.

9 piece collection by Lula’s Chocolates, the new artisan chocolate company on the Monterey Peninsula in California.

Price: $13.00

Champagne Chocolates

These chocolates, made with an award winning California sparkling wine and fine dark chocolate, are consider by many to be the finest “Champagne Truffles” made. Each chocolate is individually hand-made to order. 12 pieces by Chocolate Visions. Chocolate Visions creates and produces extraordinary fine chocolates that are unique both in flavor and appearance. Each piece is either hand-dipped or hand-molded to order.

Price: $20.00

For more chocolate variety and to find out more information about the above mention chocolates, check out Chocolate.com.

We featured Bittersweet in our Chocolate Manufacturers – Guide for Chocoholics.

About Bittersweet:

The company was founded in 2005 and then in 2007, they started to handcraft their own Bittersweet Origins chocolate bars. The founders were from AskJeeves who decided they wanted to do something completely different.

photo courtesy of Bittersweet Cafe

About the products:

These Bittersweet Origins chocolate bars are created in very small ‘micro-batches’ by the Bittersweet chocolatier, Seneca Klassen.

Seneca takes the 50-pound bags of cacao beans which come from Dominican Republic, Bali or Venezuela and takes the chocolate through the whole process from the bean to the bar – and there are a number of steps. It takes four days to create the chocolate bars. And because Seneca works in such small batches, every bar made at a different time – even from the same plantation, will taste different. Like fine wine. Each is a unique vintage. And the flavor is really amazing – a whole range of tastes from fruity to nutty to spicy to earthy.

Chocolate tasting is a lot of fun and a unique experience. The Bittersweet people are putting together Chocolate Clubs with regular tasting events so folks can develop their palates.

In my tasting experience – you snap the chocolate (the noise tells you how well the crystals lined up), you melt it slightly in your hand and smell it, you take a bite and chew it and then you take another taste and suck it. Quite a process – just like wine-tasting.

Bittersweet has focused on handcrafting their chocolate (both their bars and their wonderful chocolate drinks), and chocolate pastries and that same attention to detail is reflected in the look and ‘vibe’ at the actual stores. The furnishings at each of the three stores are different. In Danville the tables are old farm furniture from Hungary, the paintings on the walls were created by the artist-daughter of one of the founders, the benches are of wood from old barns – you get the idea. And all created by craftspeople, not a factory.

The cafes are comfortable hangouts. You can sample any of the chocolates you want. You can buy a cup of hot chocolate and read all afternoon.

photo courtesy of Bittersweet Cafe

And now, this month, Bittersweet is adding its own roasted coffee to its product line. The company will be roasting beans (again in small batches), and then serving that very fresh coffee in their stores the next day. Yet another micro-batched, bean-oriented product that comes from farms around the world.

Bittersweet likes to suggest that even in tough economic times you can have a ‘whole worldwide adventure in your mouth’ with their chocolates. It’s a whole panoply of different nuanced tastes that originate in Africa and South America.

It is fun that every batch is a little different. The beans all comes from sustainable and organic, pesticide-free farms where the company has a direct relationship with every grower.

And, right now, Seneca is in Hawaii planting thousands of cacao trees for his own plantation.

Location:

Bittersweet has three locations – Danville, Rockridge and Fillmore in San Francisco. For more info, please visit Bittersweetcafe.com or their blog. You can also find them on Twitter: @bittersweetcafe.

We featured Cafe Britt in our Chocolate Manufacturers – Guide for Chocoholics.

White Chocolate Covered Lime Jelly

Inspired by Florida’s favorite Key Lime Pie and world-famous citrus groves, these small, white orbs are big on refreshing, tropical flavor.

We’ve covered tangy lime-jelly chews in creamy white chocolate for a sweet treat that refreshes like a cool, ocean breeze. Packed in a colorful Miami-inspired bag, they’re as great for giving as they are for snacking.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Passion Fruit

Double passion for chocolate!

The rich-flavors and pleasant tropical aroma of Passion Fruit are contained within every bite of our smooth gourmet dark chocolate. An exotic delicatessen directly from Costa Rica’s unique rainforests, created by Cafe Britt, just for you the passionate chocolate lover.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Pineapple

Indulge with this tropical temptation!

The golden sun and wild scenery of Costa Rica has inspired Cafe Britt to create this exquisite combination of fresh golden pineapple jelly and smooth dark gourmet chocolate. The result is an exuberant flavor that celebrates nature’s best!

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Guava

Experience an exotic treat that celebrates local tradition!

Sweet guava jelly, from fragrant guava fruits grown in the warmth climate and rich soils of nurturing Costa Rica are bathed in rich dark gourmet chocolate. Cafe Britt ‘Guayabitas’ rekindle an age-old traditional flavor in Costa Rican sweets to share with friends and family at home.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Orange Jelly

We couldn’t resist creating a delicious confection inspired by Florida’s most famous fruit.

This luxurious medley of dark chocolate and chewy orange jelly is pure poetry. Sweet and tangy, surprising and subtle, this is sure to be a fruit-and-chocolate-lover’s favorite. Packed in a colorful Miami-inspired bag, they’re as great for giving as they are for snacking.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Gourmet Macadamia Nuts

Enjoy this explosive flavor combination!

Cafe Britt’s premier macadamias, grown amid the tropical mists in Costa Rica’s volcanic soil, are delicately covered with the purest gourmet dark chocolate in small batches to attain perfection. Delight your guest with this unique sweet or indulge yourself, either way, you’ll assure contented smiles.

Price $8.95 5oz bag

Dark Chocolate covered Gourmet Cashew Nuts
Nuts & Chocolate, Oh my!

Nurtured in the warmth of Costa Rica’s tropical climate, our prime whole cashews are delicately bathed in creamy gourmet dark chocolate to attain perfection. These festive crescents will add a warm touch to your party and be perennial favorite with friends & family.

Price $8.95 5oz bag

White Chocolate Covered Gourmet Coffee Beans

Latte Coffee with a twist!

Cafe Britt 100 gourmet Costa Rican espresso coffee beans are carefully roasted and delicately dipped in cocoa butter white chocolate. Our coffee’s enticing aroma and the crunchy texture of our coffee beans complement the soft white-chocolate flavor for a soothing sensation that lingers in your palate.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Dark Chocolate Covered Gourmet Coffee Beans

Share our passion for coffee!

Cafe Britt 100 gourmet Costa Rican espresso coffee beans are carefully roasted and delicately dipped in creamy dark chocolate. Our coffee’s enticing aroma and the crunchy texture of our coffee beans complement the velvety chocolate flavor for a cheering sensation that lights up your palate.

Price $8.95 6oz bag

Gourmet Gift Box Sampler

Enjoy 8 of Cafe Britt’s very best candy creations, all packed in this beautiful gift box. It includes an assorted combination of Cafe Britt’s most popular flavors. You can find chocolate-covered pineapple, guava or passion fruit; chocolate-covered macadamia or cashews, as well as crunchy whole gourmet nuts. Of course, you can’t miss our famous fresh roasted coffee beans, all covered in creamy white or dark gourmet chocolate. Simply irresistible!

Price $8.95, 7.6oz, approx. 1 oz. per pack

For more information about these gourmet chocolates, check out Cafe Britt.

Maple Bacon Doughnut Courtesy of Voodoo Doughnut

To many Americans, the idea of mixing dinner with breakfast, or mixing dessert with lunch, is stomach churning. America has traditional breakfast foods, such as, eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Lunch is generally served cold and comprised of sandwiches or other light fare. Dinner is meant to be heavy, satisfying, and hot. So, what happens when people rebel against our societal gastronomic norms? All kinds of yummy goodness.

Who can imagine mixing dessert with breakfast or dinner? Ever tried cheesecake eggs? Neither have I. How about spaghetti pancakes? Again, that’s a negative for me. Okay, so maybe not all rebellions are successful, wise, or… tasty. Some, however, certainly merit at least a sampling.

I shared dinner with a good friend recently, and as the meal drew to a close, she began scouring my kitchen in search of chocolate… delicious, creamy, irreplaceable chocolate. Unfortunately for her, all of the chocolate in my house is perfunctorily devoured upon discovery, and my unfortunate friend was left dreaming. She wasn’t dreaming about just any chocolate though. She is picky picky. She specifically craved… drum roll please… a bacon covered chocolate glazed doughnut. Bacon… covered… chocolate glazed …doughnut. Apparently, it’s what all the cool kids are eating these days. I looked at her aghast, still feeling bad that I had no plain milk chocolate morsels to offer, when she began sharing her recently acquired knowledge and taste for the slightly bizarre.

Apparently, most of us close-minded Americans have been stuck in a rut, eating our customary breakfast foods at breakfast, and dessert foods at dessert. Other, perhaps more enlightened individuals, however, have been embarking on culinary adventures in realms far away from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I was offering to drive her to Krispy Kreme doughnuts, while she was dreaming of bacon covered doughnuts. Perhaps, she may have discovered relatively uncharted territory that deserves further exploration.

While my friend was kindly educating me on various potential exquisite flavor combinations, the TV was busy slamming it in my face. Bizarre foods with Andrew Zimmern was highlighting a doughnut joint named, “Voodoo Dougnut” in Portland, Oregon. This bakery explores many flavor combinations, including one they have named the “Arnold Palmer”, a cake doughnut covered with lemon and tea powder. They also offer bacon topped, maple glaze covered doughnuts. Another website my friend showed me offers chocolate covered bacon in both milk and dark chocolate, as well as other flavorful extraordinary possibilities.

So, for all you adventurous types looking to embark on an exploratory voyage in desserts, think about it, look at the pictures, read the reviews, and perhaps… take a leap off that cliff… and just… taste it. Then, come back and let us know what you think! Enjoy your adventure…

It’s easy and very quick to put together and I make them with raw honey and not sugar.

Ingredients

500g butter
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6X250ml cake flour
1/4 cup baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar(i use raw honey)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted almonds
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon pd.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180c.
Melt butter and allow to cool for 10 mins.
Add buttermilk and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients.
Add dates and almonds.
Mix thoroughly.

I’m too lazy to roll into balls or bake it in a loaf pan and then slice it and dry it. I found an easier way… I drop spoonfuls into mini cupcake tins and they look so much cuter.

Bake for 20-30 mins.

Dry out in oven at 70 c for about 3-5 hrs keeping the oven door slightly ajar.

Enjoy!