Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Lindt chocolate discoveries and musings

Thank you to everyone who provided thoughts and advice on pear-related baking. It sounds like pears are a surprisingly challenging fruit! Layering them on top of baked goods, rather than mixing them throughout, definitely seems to be the way to go. I guess you live and learn.

Today, I am moving from fruit and baking to chocolate and purchasing. It's an easy step to make. There are four reasons why I feel compelled to make that step today.

1. This week, Coles and Woolworths both have Lindt Excellence chocolate blocks on sale. Woolworths has them for $1.99 and Coles has them at 2 for $5.

I think we've established that I am vulnerable to buying products on special, even when I don't much like the product in question. Given that I do like Lindt, and these are the chocolate blocks I buy and eat most often, we now have a lot of Lindt Excellence in the pantry.


All of it mine.

2. Not only are the blocks on special this week, but Coles provided two new flavours (Woolworths is lagging behind).

Not one, but two.

And two good flavours.


I tell you, I nearly stopped breathing. I may have hugged the blocks. Mr Bite does not understand me at these times.

3. Not only were these flavours new, and appealing, and on special - but they actually delivered in taste too.

(I had a sad experience with the new Lindt Passionfruit flavour last year. That didn't deliver at all.)

Both had Lindt's standard 47% cocoa content, and both managed to deliver as dark chocolate with a twist.

The strawberry ended up being my favourite. I may have made delighted exclamations on discovering that there were actual, freeze dried strawberry bits throughout the strawberry block. I like bits in my chocolate, so this was a very good start.



These strawberry pieces were sweet, but not excessively so, and they worked as a contrast to the deeper flavours of the chocolate. The chocolate itself was what I've come to expect from this mid-range cocoa selection: smooth, slightly sweet in its own right, but strong enough to cope with the introduction of strawberry.


The coconut version was perhaps a little too coconuty for me. I have only recently discovered I like coconut at all, and prefer it in small rather than large amounts. I still greatly enjoyed this though, and again was pleased at having actual coconut pieces throughout the chocolate.


Kind of like a Golden Rough for adults.


There is, though, one sad and disappointing thing about these blocks. They do both contain dairy (butter fat), something that now characterises all of the flavoured Lindt Excellence blocks. I don't know why, as it isn't necessary with 47% cocoa - and what is more, it didn't use to characterise the chilli flavour in the range. It was a very sad day when I noted the ingredient list had changed for that.

4. All of the above culminated in me creating a Lindt Excellence flavour hierarchy in my mind. And then on the computer.

It is likely to change by next week, especially given the novelty advantage currently given to strawberry and coconut, but for now - here it is:


Lindt Excellence Blocks


I think it would be nice if Lindt acknowledged this by sending me some free selections from the top tier. Or new samples to try. Or just removed the dairy from all of the 47-49% cocoa blocks.

Are these two Lindt flavours new to anyone else?
And how would your chocolate hierarchy differ?!

28 comments:

  1. Here here to dairy-free-ifying the flavoured chocolates! I've never been able to try them, because as long as I've known about them they have had butter fat. I would love to try salted chocolate, chilli chocolate, and many others!

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    1. Oh :( I do find it increasingly hard to source affordable but exciting vegan chocolates. I like the 70% and 85% Lindt, but they can only take me so far! Was it easier in the US?

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  2. Oh wow. I just bought the Strawberry Intense yesterday, ate it today, and my review is going to be the polar opposite of yours. I also think the 70% is sour and horrible and love the 85%. But hey, at least we finally disagree on something ;)

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    1. Bahaha...I guess it had to come eventually :) That is very funny. I'll look forward to your review!

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  3. Glad to hear that I am not the only one who gets sucked in by supermarket specials - particularly when chocolate is involved :)

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  4. I actually got sucked in exactly the same way and was excited by the strawberry chocolate but I used it to bake my chocolate polenta cake because i decided to make the cake on the spur of the moment and so used what I had on hand. I loved the coconut chocolate - give me coconut in anything and I love it!!! But I had to argue with sylvia in the supermarket who tried to convince me to buy the spicy chocolate that you love) for her dad (he got a toffee chocolate instead).

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    1. I was wondering if your reference to Lindt strawberry was for this one (they also have that block with strawberry filling, which I've never tried) - very good indeed :) I'm glad you liked the coconut too. I'm also glad that you were able to win the tussle with Sylvia over which chocolate E would like - people who don't want spicy chocolate are generally not pleased to receive it, I have found!

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  5. Ahhh that strawberry chocolate looks and sound awesome!

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  6. I love Lindt chocolate bars too but I didn't know about the coconut and strawberry flavours. I usually buy the bitter orange. I will scout around and see if I can find the coconut because coconut and chocolate are a wonderful pairing. xx

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    1. I think that pairing is a large part of what has converted me to coconut actually. It generally does get eaten in conjunction with some chocolate ingredients! I think these must be quite new so hopefully they'll turn up near you soon.

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  7. great reviews on the chocolate! I see the type a lot but am not sure if I've tried it yet!

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    1. Now that would never happen for me - I would definitely know if I'd tried it ;) I guess chocolate takes up more of my thoughts than yours (which probably says good things about you!).

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  8. I love freeze dried berries in chocolate, so I will have to go searching for the strawberry. I lean towards the mint has being in my top tier however in reality it totally depends on my mood on any given day!

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    1. Me too, if I'm honest :) Mint used to be one of my favourites but somehow it has slipped of late. I'm sure it's day will come again though.

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  9. i think i love all chocolate, well, unless it's the unsweetened baker's version, made that mistake! mint ranks pretty high up there for me. i have to just close with this: u are cruel to show so much chocolate in this post and me, without a bar to nosh on. ;)

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    1. Ah, it's a pity we're not up to sharing food via computer screens just yet! Very cruel of me indeed.

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  10. Tried the Pear Intense - it's pretty darn good too :)

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    1. Ooh, I haven't tried that one!! I'll have to look out for it :)

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  11. I love this! I normally just stick to the 72 or 85% Lindt bars, but holy cow the strawberry and coconut bars look amazing. I did branch out and purchased a Sea Salt flavor the other day and it was divine. I LOVE that you broke this down! Have a great day Kari!

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    1. Thanks Brandi :) I hope you enjoy these flavours if you find them.

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  12. I love Lindt!!
    I will have to try out some of the flavors you mentioned. I have never thought to try the chili one!
    Now, I am craving chocolate! :)

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    1. Oops, sorry about that! :P The chilli one is amazing, I definitely recommend it!

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  13. I WAANT COCONUT!!
    yum!!
    sea salt is my fave in this range.

    just fuond your blog!!! following now! xx

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    1. Thanks Onika - I'm glad you stopped by! I do also love the sea salt, it has been in the top tier at times~

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  14. Ooh, I like the look of the strawberry Lindt - yum!

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