Milk Chocolate Mini Bars Box Toffee & Almonds - 12 Mini Bar(s) Chocolove

Chocolove - Milk Chocolate Mini Bars Box Toffee & Almonds - 12 Bars (1.3 oz. / 37g each)

Chocolove Milk Chocolate Mini Bar Toffee & Almonds is the perfect blend of chunks of almond toffee in smooth milk chocolate. Creamy milk chocolate releases chunks of buttery sweet toffee and dry roasted almonds. The buttery flavor of the toffee swirls in your mouth as your tongue chases every last bit. For crunchier toffee, store in refrigerator. Contains 33% cocoa.Discover Chocolove premium Belgian chocolate bars. Chocolove bars range from a sweet, creamy Milk Chocolate with a 33% cocoa content up to Extra Strong Dark with an impressively strong yet smooth 77% cocoa content. The cocoa content is boldy indicated on each bar for easy identification. 

What does the cocoa percentage on their wrapper mean?
The percentage is the amount by weight of the ingredients derived directly from the cocoa bean. Cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa liquor are all derived directly from the bean. The higher the cocoa content in a bar, the less sugar the chocolate contains. Since 1995 Chocolove has clearly printed the cocoa content of each bar on its wrappers. They were the first to do so in the United States.

Is Chocolove vegan?
They do not claim that Chocolove bars are vegan. Most of their dark chocolate arrives at their facility as kosher parve which means it is completely free of milk products, according to Jewish dietary law. The remainder arrives kosher dairy, which means the dark chocolate was made on equipment that also makes milk chocolate. Chocolove has separate equipment for melting and molding milk chocolate and dark chocolate. They take measures to assure that milk chocolate is kept away from dark chocolate. You can expect their organic dark chocolate to be the least likely to contain any traces of milk chocolate.

Is Chocolove Dutch processed?
No. Dutch processing is sometimes used to make cocoa powder more soluble in drink mixes. It has very little application in chocolate and has no use in making premium chocolate.

Can I cook with Chocolove?
Yes. Chocolove is excellent for coatings and recipes that don’t require baking such as puddings, mousses, etc. For baking, you may have to adjust sugar and possibly the butters and oils in the recipe depending on what type of chocolate the recipe calls for and what flavor of Chocolove you use. Typically, Their chocolates contain more cocoa butter than other brands and you may need to adjust the recipe for that.

Are Chocolove bars made with sustainable practices?
Yes. You can read more about their sustainability and social responsibility practices here.

Are Chocolove bars Fair Trade?
They produce three bars that are both Fair Trade certified and organic. They also support the World Cocoa Foundation, which in turn supports all cocoa farmers and endeavors to bring a better quality of life to all cocoa farmers worldwide.

Is Chocolove organic?
Chocolove makes organic bars with 73% cocoa content. Their organic chocolate bars are 100% organic and contain no soy products or vanilla. They are certified by Colorado State Department of Agriculture and they can be contacted at (303) 230-4149.

Is Organic chocolate better?
The fields and facilities that produce their organic chocolate are inspected and certified at every step of the process and detailed records are kept. A higher standard of record keeping and quality control is applied. Because the organic chocolate is a single origin and high cocoa content you can expect more flavor character and variation in the flavor profile from batch to batch.

Why is there a strong association between chocolate and love?
Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a naturally occurring compound in chocolate. When consumed, it releases endorphins in the brain and produces a mild feeling of euphoria, similar to the sensation of being in love. Other compounds that naturally occur in chocolate include serotonin, theobromine and anandamine which are all naturally occurring compounds that elevate mood, increase circulation and enhance sensory perception.

What is the difference between semisweet and bittersweet chocolate?
The difference between semisweet and bittersweet chocolate is the amount of sugar and the amount of chocolate "liquor" found in each. As you might expect, bittersweet chocolate is less sweet than semisweet chocolate.

The US FDA has written regulations regarding the use of the terms Milk Chocolate, Semisweet Chocolate, and Bittersweet Chocolate. Technically all of their dark chocolate is bittersweet. Because Chocolove bars are not bitter, or sweet, per se, they do not label them as bittersweet or semisweet.

How do I store chocolate?
Chocolate must be kept cool, out of sunlight and in a moisture-proof container to preserve freshness and develop flavor. Chocolate keeps best at a temperature of 60°F. A range of 55°F to 70°F is recommended. However, whatever storage temperature you use, it is best if the temperature doesn’t vary more than 5° on a daily basis. You can store chocolate in the refrigerator; however it should be stored in an air-tight, moisture-tight container. A zip lock bag may not be enough to keep out moisture and other aromas in the refrigerator for longer term storage.

Why do some chocolate bars have a lightly colored, powdery film on the surface?
This light, powder is called bloom. When chocolate is exposed to temperatures above 75°F, the cocoa butter can change from solid to liquid and move toward the surface of the bar. Subsequent cooling will result in cocoa butter crystals forming a thin, lightly colored powder on the surface of the bar. It also leaves some cocoa particles uncoated inside the bar, causing the chocolate to taste dry, chalky, or grainy. Obviously, higher temperatures can cause a bar to melt and deform, but even at temperatures around 80°F a bar may not deform, but may develop bloom. Chocolove should be kept out of direct sunlight and stored between 50°F and 70°F.

Chocolove is in excellent condition when it is shipped from their warehouses. They go to great lengths to ensure that their storage conditions are ideal and that the transportation used to carry their chocolate is appropriate and refrigerated. Once it leaves their facility they endeavor to educate and monitor their distributors to assure there is no damage to the chocolate. They cannot control distributors and store owners and therefore cannot be responsible for bloomed chocolate. However let them know if you have purchased a bloomed bar of chocolate and they will follow up with stores and distributors to take measures for preventing such problems in the future. If you purchase a bar that has bloomed, the best way to remedy the situation is to return the bar to the store with your receipt. Most stores will replace the bar free of charge to you.

Do Chocolove bars contain gluten?
Most bars have no gluten, but they do not guarantee Chocolove to be gluten free. They make some bars that have grain as an ingredient, such as their Pretzel in Milk chocolate bar. Some bars contain vanilla. The 100% natural vanilla flavor is dried in a powder believed to be derived from corn.

What kind of sweeteners or sugars does Chocolove use?
Their organic bars are made with cane sugar. All other Chocolove bars are made with beet sugar. The beet sugar is grown in Europe and they have strict laws against GMOs there.

Does Chocolove make sugar free or sugar alternative chocolates?
No. They do make 77% Extra Strong Dark and other dark chocolates that are significantly lower in sugar than typical chocolate.

Are there GMOs in their ingredients?
No. Some of their bars contain soy lecithin made from soy beans that are guaranteed GMO-free. The beet sugar used in Chocolove bars is grown in Europe and they have strict laws against GMOs there.

Chocolove Sustainability & Social Responsibility

Social and Ehtical Commitment

• They accept responsibility to assure that all ingredients in their products have been sourced through ethical and socially responsible means
• They work to uphold International Labor Organization (ILO) standards with respect to child labor in cocoa bean harvesting
• They will actively communicate their social resposibility philosophy
• They are committed to a social solution that works for the farmer, the interim handlers, their chocolate supplier, and their customers and consumers
• They will actively strive to get 3rd party certification for all Chocolove products
• They will retain the same great flavor adn trust of their customers
• They will continue to offer the best value
• They recognize that they must deliver the best flavor and value as well as the most transparent social position and sustainabilty practices as part of their overall commitment to customer satisfaction

They Will Continue

• To offer and promote their three delicious organic Fair Trade bars
• To participate in the Barry Callebaut quality partner program and to source their chocolate from their Growing Great Chocolate cocoa beans for the remainder of their chocolate bars
• To contribute more than their share to World Cocoa Foundation
• To support the USDA cocoa reserve and research project

The Way Forward

• In 2013 Chocolove will seek For Life certification of the Growing Great Chocolate program in West Africa. This si a priority with regard to child labor.
• When they obtain For Life certification, they will start the process of certifying at the next level above the For Life standards which will likely be Fair for Life

About Chocolove

Chocolove started as the classic entrepreneur story – a dream, a garage, extended credit card debt and loans from friends and family. With its visionary chocolatier, and a solid concept, Chocolove became, and continues to be, a pioneer in the chocolate industry. Timothy Moley is the founder, owner and chocolatier at Chocolove. A tall and slightly eccentric man, he reminds you a little of Willy Wonka. His laid-back attitude, wry grin, and lanky physique would never lead you to believe he is a man who lives and breathes chocolate, and has been consuming two chocolate bars, every day, for the past 18 years.

It all began in a cocoa field in Indonesia… Timothy was chewing on some cocoa beans doing volunteer work for USAID, a government program that promotes agricultural and technical education in developing countries. He had been living abroad on and off for two years, visiting over 28 countries, developing his palate with spices, teas and wines. And, like most of us, he had always dreamed of being his own boss, dedicated to something he loved. The idea of a career in chocolate inspired him and an idea began to form - to create a premium chocolate bar, paired with the romance of love. When he returned to the States, he began his chocolate education and quickly discovered a few key facts about the U.S. chocolate market: the average consumer could tell the difference between cheap chocolate and premium chocolate and they preferred premium chocolate; the available premium chocolate bar choices were limited, expensive and intimidating; no U.S. company was indicating the cocoa content on their wrappers; and flavors were boring.

Therefore Chocolove was born. The idea was simple - a selection of distinctly flavored chocolate bars made with all-natural ingredients and the classic techniques of Europe's finest chocolatiers. The package design would resemble a love letter sent from a distant land, and inside each wrapper - a classic romantic poem. The cocoa content would be clearly indicated on the front of each wrapper, the tasting notes would be simple and approachable, and the price, affordable. Today, Chocolove bars are made in small batches and shipped around the country, delivering a little bit of “chocolate–love” to discerning chocolate lovers everywhere.