Celebrate the Holidays with Firecrackers!

What's popping in the chocolate industry these days? Chocolate makers are combining traditionally popular candies with fine chocolate. And the currently popular - and totally fun - combination is chocolate and popping candy!  I have written about my love for Toronto's fine chocolate maker, Soma, and their delectably exciting chocolate truffle with popping candy. But since then, I have come across a few more chocolates that 'pop'.

The latest is Chuao Chocolatier's 'firecracker' chocolate bar.  It has sea salt, smoky chipotle spice and popping candy in a 60% dark chocolate.  The heat of the spice, combined with the popping candy (which continues to pop in your mouth long after the chocolate has been melted away), gives the effect of firecrackers, and so the name is certainly fitting.  It is bitter and spicy, which places this chocolate bar in the middle of the spectrum between sweet and savoury. And what's more, it is all natural, which is certainly different than the average 'candy' bar and makes us feel better about indulging in this chocolaty treat.

It would certainly spice up any chocolate lovers' stocking for Christmas. I know I love it!

I bought this chocolate bar for $6.46 Canadian (on special from $6.75) at Chapters-Indigo in Sudbury, Ontario.

Here are the package details:

'firecracker' by Chuao Chocolatier, 80 g (2.8 oz)
chef: Michael Antonorbi
Chuao Chocolatier (San Diego, CA)
www.ChuaoChocolatier.com
Ingredients: Premium dark chocolate (60% cacao, sugar, cacao butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla), popping candy (sugar, corn glucose, lactose, carbon dioxide), chipotle chili, pasilla chile, sea salt. Contains: Milk lactose, soy. Manufactured in a facility that uses tree nuts, milk and wheat in other products. No Gluten.

Looking for other chocolate with popping candy? Check out this article on Hammond's: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.ca/2012/09/a-week-of-weird-flavours-chocolate.html and this one on Soma's Poprocks truffle: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.ca/2012/07/fine-chocolate-in-toronto-shop-for.html.