Saturday, March 21, 2009

Heaven in a Chocolate Bar: Chocopologie

As I am sure is apparent, I am crazy for good chocolate. Add some sea salt to it and it's even better. Put in some burnt caramel and I am in heaven. So I had to try this Chocopologie Burnt Caramel and Sea Salt Bar, I found at R. Fields Wine Co., a gourmet store tucked into the corner of a couple of branches of a local grocery store chain here. My best source for the more exotic ingredients I sometimes shop for, they carry unique products including specialty chocolates. 


Chocopologie Bars, are made by Knipschildt Chocolatier, located in Fairfield County, CT. The bars are named after Cafe Chocopologie, the cafe/retail store started by founder and maître chocolatier, Fritz Knipschildt. (Who was once on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay). Designed to capture the "essence" of the cafe, there are three other bars; Mocha Coffee, Fresh Mint and Rosewater. They all looked and sounded good, but I had to buy this one because it features "Rich 71% Ecuadorian Single Bean Dark Chocolate filled with Burnt Caramel and Hawaiian Sea Salt.


How was it? This is a delicious and high quality chocolate bar. It is beautifully made with the 12 individual squares of dark chocolate, and a burnt orange color towards the center. The chocolate is dark and smooth and has that pleasing snap to it that good chocolate has. There was a very thin layer of soft caramel, and the salt was sprinkled throughout. There was a bit less caramel and a bit more salt than I expected but the flavors came together well. It is definitely a bar for the salt/sweet lovers. The bars sell for about $10.00, ($9.00 on their website). It is pricey, but a "splurge-worthy" buy. With the quality of the chocolate and the rich combination of flavors, it is a bar to be savored and a little bit at a time will satisfy. 

Incidentally, Knipschildt Chocolatier makes what has to be one of the most indulgent and expensive truffles in the world, La Madeline au Truffe, where a rare French Perigord truffle is in the center of Valrhona chocolate and creamy ganache and each one is nestled on a bed of sugar pearls in a silver box tied with a ribbon. It will set you back $250.00 for ONE! Even being a chocolate lover, I find that one hard to justify.


Max, lurking on top of the pillows on the back of the couch, picks tuna rather than chocolate as his snack of choice.

Happy Weekend!

14 comments:

  1. Burnt caramel and Hawaiian sea salt sounds like the perfect chocolate to me. I love the Rorshach test of colour in the middle.
    No $250 truffle chocolates for you? Maybe next year.
    By the way - who won the throwdown?

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  2. that bar sounds delicious, I also like to look at what R.Fields has whenever I'm home. You should also go to the Honolulu Chocolate Company in the Ward Centre (I hope they are still there!), it is where I find a lot of good chocolates too :)

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  3. $250.00!!!! That better be an amazing truffle. This chocopologie sounds worth it, though...mmmmmm.

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  4. This looks so pretty, and I'm sure it tastes great too. Although I can never turn down chocolate :)

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  5. I think I'm in heaven just reading about this chocolate bar. Holy cow it sound good! Like you, I'm a huge fan of a salted chocolate ... but with the addition of the burnt caramel? Stunning! I'm going to have to google and see if I can find this anywhere near me.

    Also, I've left a little something for you on my blog today. :)

    Have a delicious weekend!

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  6. Ooh Deb, I want one of those. Gonna look it up online and order! Thanks sweetie.

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  7. Your kitty is adorable! The chocolate looks so good, I'm off to check out the website!! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  8. I love the sweet salty mix. That chocolate looks amazing. I'm back in your kitchen with a soup this week too.

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  9. That chocolate bar sounds (and looks) amazing, thanks for sharing! I would love to just buy a few jars of Hawaiian sea salt, I'm going to have to see where I can find that online. And that $250 truffle, wow, I can just imagine my husband rolling his eyes and saying, "you want what, a $250 mushroom dipped in chocolate?" Ha!

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  10. I want some of that. And Max, too, I want him.

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  11. Natashya--I wasn't sure, I just read that he was on Throwndown! and had to look it up--but it appears that Fritz won! (According to Wikipedia anyway)

    Kat--they are still there. I used to go there a lot when I worked near there. They carry Vosges--one of my favorites too.

    girlichef--I know! I would be afraid to eat itI think!

    Sara--chocolate is (obviously) a weakness of mine too!

    Diva--thanks! I'll check out your site.

    Teresa--I hope you like it. I woud buy it again.

    Reeni--thanks! Max says thanks too! ;-)

    Suzie--yea! See you at the SS round-up!

    Andrea--It is a great finishing salt. if you can't get it online easily, let me know and I can send you some.

    Pam--thanks! Some days you can have him! (Just kidding--he's my baby!)

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  12. That is one strange looking chocolate bar, but I bet it tastes amazing.

    And yeah, I'd have to pass on that truffle too... think of all the months' worth of Lindt chocolate you could buy with that $250.

    Dan
    Casual Kitchen

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  13. A $250 truffle!It had better weigh a few pounds for that price. I adore dark chocolate; caramel, not so much. Haven't tried chocolate with salt yet.

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  14. Ooh . . . salty chocolate and burnt caramel. I'd eat that.

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