Hellooooooooo, chocolate! Today's review is of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar. This is an 85-percent bar, meaning 85% of the ingredients come straight from the cocoa bean. Chowhound has a detailed explanation of cocoa percentages if you're interested.
Dark chocolate is widely considered to start at 55%, so this Trader Joe's bar coming in at 85% is DARK. For comparison, the straight-up, pure baking chocolate that we all probably bit into while our moms were baking (and got a mouth full of disappointment) is 100% cocoa.
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar weighs in at 3.5 ounces and costs $1.79. Inside the box, you'll find the chocolate actually divided into two thin bars. The bars are individually packaged and scored into small rectangle pieces.
The chocolate is described as "smooth and fruity" on the packaging. It comes from the Tumaco region of Colombia. In our store, these bars are with the other chocolate, above the ice cream section.
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar Review
She said (Bridget): This is my absolute FAVORITE dark chocolate of all time! Yes, it's dark, but unlike a lot of other dark chocolate, it's not bitter. As the package states, it's smooooooth, but I don't get "fruity." What it tastes like to me...is a brownie. A rich, luscious brownie. I read a book recently all about the health benefits of dark chocolate, and after trying many, this is my dark chocolate of choice. Typically, I have a few pieces of this bar EVERY DAY! Break off a piece, place it on your tongue, and let it melt. It's heaven. While I usuallyeat this straight up, I did use it to make this ice cream recently, and oh baby...that was a smart move!
Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars
He said (Mark): Before the review, I'll confess...I was consuming chocolate wrong. I wasn't letting it "melt in my mouth" for the full experience. If I hadn't learned that, I'd be giving this a lower rating. This 85% cacao dark chocolate bar from TJ's starts off slow and then ramps up in flavor. It's smooth. Not as smooth as milk chocolate, but still excellent. I didn't pick up on the fruity so much. I do like coffee from Colombia, so why not chocolate from there as well?
Overall rating: 4 of 5 stars
Would I buy this again? Yes! I buy a few bars on every Trader Joe's outing!
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar: Honestly I'm a little heartbroken not to give this chocolate a unanimous 5-star review (because I think it deserves it!), but still high marks from both of us!
While I eat this straight-up 99% of the time, here are some recipes you might want to try it in:
- banana muffins with olive oil and dark chocolate (How Sweet Eats)
- dark chocolate peanut butter ice cream (Bake at 350)
- chocolate pie (The Pioneer Woman)
2 comments
This is an awesome chocolate bar. It’s decadent and bold with a sweet finish. It’s like a shot of hazelnut espresso that melts slowly in the palate that awakens your aura like a night of passion.
I agree, awesome bar! BUT, for months trader Joe's has failed to address the report in Consumer Reports on heavy metal content aove California limits. On Dec 15, 2022, Consumer Reports found dangerous heavy metals in chocolate from Hershey's, Theo, Trader Joe's, and other popular brands.
TJ has been silent on Endangered Species Bold + Silky Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa containing LEAD at 181% of the recommended limit and CADMIUM at 31% of the recommended limit. Similarly affected is TJ's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao
with LEAD at 192% and CADMIUM at 36%, (https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/).
I've consumed these products for years. Most dark chocolate products have similar content. Some are better. I/we need TJ to take such reports seriously and to begin limiting heavy metal content in dark chocolates AND to begin reporting on the issue and progress toward resolution rather than ignoring the issue. Any comment or assistance here?
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