I’m about to reveal a little-known Candy Addict secret about myself, something that only my three non-judgmental roommates have become privy to over the course of our mulit-year cohabitation. Late at night, to quell a raging chocolate craving, I have been known to whip up a little chocolate concoction of equal parts cocoa powder, sweetener, and soy milk or yogurt. The resulting creation falls somewhere between a glob and a paste that is not in any way intended for your casual chocolate fan. I then add things to this chocolate crack and eat it with a spoon. (Yeah, that’s right.) One of my favorite add-ins is frozen raspberries, and it is because of this that I so eagerly dove in to the latest and greatest from Hershey’s Extra Dark Collection, Hershey’s Extra Dark infused with Raspberry Flavor.
The tasting samples deviate from the traditional Hershey’s Miniatures rectangular block, instead mimicking the thinner squares of the gourmet pre-packaged chocolate sect. A good choice, in my opinion, as it presents a more pleasing oral experience. The squares, stamped with the Hershey’s logo, have a pretty strong, natural, raspberry aroma and while the chocolate didn’t boast a great “snap,†nor did it bite as hard as I’d have liked, I am willing to overlook it as that may be attributable to the fact that I enjoyed it on a sunny July afternoon in Southern California.
Despite the very specific “Raspberry Flavor†name and an utter lack of raspberries in the ingredients list (“natural flavor†is the closest we come), I managed to spot a single bright red speck and a few seeds floating around in the chocolate. The raspberry flavor starts out mild but actually finishes quite strong, marking its conclusion with a mouthful (I kid you not) of raspberry seeds. Now, I like textural complexity in my sweets, but not seeds. It made me feel like I was doing all the work (getting those things out of your teeth is no easy feat), but getting none of the sweet, chewy reward.
Seed mouth aside, however, I found the Hershey’s Extra Dark Chocolate with Raspberry to be pretty good, considering its non-gourmet, 60% cacao origins. I wouldn’t reach for it for a pure dark chocolate fix, but I wouldn’t hesitate if I was looking for that special chocolate raspberry combo. The product is so new that Hershey’s hasn’t yet posted it on their website, but I learned from Candy Addict insiders that its expected rollout date is December of 2008 (along with quite a few other candies Hershey’s is introducing in ’08), so scooch up to the edge of your seat and be on the lookout… in 5 months.
Ok- this review had me laughing out loud when you said you had a “mouthful of raspberry seeds”! I love the combination of raspberry with chocolate so I am anxiously awaiting the debut!
July 16th, 2008 at 11:29 amThanks for your review!
Oh. My. God.
I DO THE EXACT SAME THING!!
My recipe is a little different, I use evaporated milk, unsweetened chocolate, and powdered sugar. But yes, you are not alone.
Wow.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:39 pmWhoa! I a sucker for dark chocolates! It is believed that when you eat dark chocolate before an exam it could help in your memory.:) Best of luck!
July 17th, 2008 at 1:45 amI need to find these. Dark chocolate and raspberry? This is a must eat.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pmis it REAL dark chocolate? Hershey’s doesn’t seem to understand that true dark chocolate means there is no milk involved. i find this very frustrating as a vegan. why, oh why, can’t they make a true dark chocolate pb cup?!
by the way, i do a similar chocolate fix. a tofu mousse of sorts (but really good, even if you don’t like the taste of tofu!) it’s fantastic, and lower in fat and sugar than yours: -silken/japanese tofu, pureed, -a lot of cocoa, -sugar/syrup/honey to taste. optional (but way better), melted chocolate. Put it in a blender, add some vanilla extract or alcohol. chill or freeze. …. or spoon straight out of the blender. mmmm.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:23 am