Sugar Savvy

Two varieties from the line of Endangered Species Chocolate were recently sent to review:

1. Dark Chocolate with Cranberries and Almonds
2. Extreme Dark (88%) and Supreme Dark (72%) Chocolate Bag of individually wrapped squares.

As I mention from time to time, I am quite fond of the Endangered Species Black Rhino bar, as well as the tangerine-infused Zebra bar. This, however, was an opportunity for me to stray from my favorites and focus on a couple of the company’s other offerings.

The Grey Wolf Dark Chocolate with Cranberries and Almonds, like the Black Rhino, has a cocoa content of 70%. I enjoyed it, but for some reason, the chocolate seemed less smooth than the Rhino. Additionally, the bar is much chunkier with the nut and cranberry additions, as opposed to the fine shards of hazelnut toffee found in the Rhino. This is either good or bad, depending on your preference. The almonds in this one are nicely roasted and the cranberries are well distributed and portioned, so as not to overwhelm the chocolate. This is one that you need to hold in the warmth of your mouth for several seconds before you can really begin to taste it. And once you do, the flavor is rich and sharp (in a good way). I only wish it were a bit less firm and meltier.

The Extreme and Supreme Dark Chocolate Bag contains approximately fifteen 10-gram squares, facilitating “rational” portion control. The packaging generously lists one serving as being 40 grams, which is a serving suggestion that I can actually live with. Thanks, Endangered Species, I feel your love. I don’t have too much to say about these squares, other than this: If you like dark chocolate, you will enjoy these. If you do not like dark chocolate, you will not. They could be a little bit smoother, but I have a feeling the ones I sampled had been exposed to extreme heat and were not as fresh as what you will find at the supermarket.

On the whole, I’ve had a very positive experience with this line of chocolate, which includes several varieties of darks, milks and whites. You can find Endangered Species in most gourmet grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc. They are also available at Target stores. See website for availability and their extensive line of bars and other products.

If you need one more reason to put sweet delicious chocolate in your grocery cart (i.e.; MOUTH), here it is: Endangered Species donates 10% of net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity.

Photos courtesy of Endangered Species Chocolate’s website.