Step up your home-made Halloween treats next year by making them with Valrhona chocolate couverture

Have you ever wondered where you can buy Valrhona couverture chocolate in Canada for your home baking or small-scale chocolate making?  Well, thanks to a Google advertisement, I discovered that Vanilla Food Company, based in Markham, Ontario, sells perfect sample pack sizes of Valrhona chocolate couverture.  I think this is the greatest idea ever.  It means that the average home baker, or really anyone who wants to dabble in making truffles and filled chocolates, can buy a considerable amount of very high quality white, milk and dark chocolate couverture for a not-so-bad price.  And you do not have to purchase giant 10 kilo packs of each type of chocolate!  So if you want to make a gourmet white or dark chocolate cheesecake or some gourmet Halloween chocolates for the kids, Vanilla Food Company will help you fill your baking pantry with very high quality chocolate.

I placed my first order with the Vanilla Food Company online last week.  I ordered the Chocolate-licious Valrhona Sample Pack, which had 1 lb (453 g) each of four different types of Valrhona chocolate couverture:  bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk and white and each is made from beans of a different origin. The Vanilla Food Company repacks the chocolate "Fèves" (small oval coin shape, as described on Valrhona’s website) into zipper-sealed bags that they have re-labelled. I received three e-mails to confirm that my order was confirmed, payment was received, and the order was shipped. The package arrived within a few days, so overall, I received fast and excellent service.

Although they do not have an extensive range of chocolate, Vanilla Food Company does sell other chocolate couverture, including a Callebaut couverture sample pack. It is certainly less expensive than the Valrhona, and both are high quality. However, the Valrhona Sample Pack is filled with single origin chocolate with a lot of bean flavour. For instance, the Valrhona 55% Semi-Sweet in the sample pack is of Equadorian origin and made in France. The bittersweet 66% is of Caribbean origin ("Caraibe") and is very strong in flavour.  It is bitter and I think ideal for extra dark chocolate truffles. The chocolate is made from Trinitario beans (a step up from the standard Forrastero beans used in most common chocolate) and it leaves a lasting taste in your mouth.

If you are American, you can also buy Valrhona's own baking chocolate-sized packs from the Valrhona USA site directly in 2.2 lb bags for $39.99 per bag (http://www.valrhona-chocolate.com/Grand-Cru-Dark-Baking-Chocolate-Carabe-66-22-lbs_p_177.html). There are also a few types of Baking Chocolate Kits that include an apron, cacao powder and chocolate. This would make a great Christmas gift for a budding chocolate connoisseur or pastry chef.

I will soon write a review of the Valrhona milk and white chocolate that I purchased from Vanilla Food Company, once I get around to tasting it. However, today I have some not-so-home-made Halloween treats to dig into. 

Here are the details from the Vanilla Food Company's label on the re-packaged Valrhona bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate couverture:

Valrhona – Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Disc, Caraibe – 66% Cocoa Solids, 453 g (1 lb)

Product of France

Packaged by: Vanilla Food Company Inc., Markham, Ontario CANADA

www.VanillaFoodCompany.ca

Ingredients: cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural vanilla extract.  This product may contain traces of nuts, milk, egg proteins, gluten and peanut.

Valrhona – Dark Semi Sweet Chocolate Disc, Equatoriale Noire – 55% Cocoa Solids, 453 g (1 lb)

Product of France

Packaged by: Vanilla Food Company Inc., Markham, Ontario CANADA

www.VanillaFoodCompany.ca

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa beans, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural vanilla extract.  This product may contain traces of nuts, milk, egg proteins, gluten and peanut.

Looking for other fine chocolate for home baking?  Check out these product reviews:

-E. Guittard anc Cacao Barry Couverture Chocolate Review http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/e-guittard-and-cacao-barry-couverture.html
-Guittard Chocolate Chips for Home Baking Review
http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/looking-for-fine-chocolate-for-home.html