Normally we don't do the same company's or chocolatier's products two reviews in a row because we want you all to have variety, Sisters and Brothers, and we want to spread out the exposure for those who send us samples. This is our second Lindt Chocolate R.S.V.P. Consultants feature because Wednesday was Lindt Bear Day but today is a look at two products that could help you during the coming month. Again our thanks need to go to Amy Sue for sending us these products and telling us about this program.
Lindt Lindor Peppermint Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles are a seasonal item available for a limited time. This is a huge bag, 19oz, with around 45 balls each wrapped in a dark vibrant green wrapper. As you may know, the color of the wrapper indicates the variety of truffle from Lindt Lindor. In the photo you can see my hands and arms and you can see our sacred dish in the background; our White Chocolate Acolyte helped me take photos. These are made from bittersweet chocolate, vegetable oil, sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk, peppermint oil, soya lecithin, barley malt powder and artificial flavor. Some of these ingredients seem unnecessary to me. Why add vegetable oil if you have cocoa butter in the bittersweet chocolate as well as listed separately? Why the artificial flavors when you have so much chocolate plus the peppermint oil? The barley malt powder just surprised me. There are not artificial preservatives however so perhaps these added ingredient help preserve the balls. Anyone out there know?
Inside the wrapper you find what you expect from Lindor truffle: a perfectly round sphere with a radius of about 1 inch. You can see that the outer shell was put together then sealed by the seam. We had to use a different camera so I apologize that this photo is not as close up as I try to do for your view, Sisters and Brothers. The scent is purely bitter cocoa essence while the shell is very cool and smooth in my fingers. Using my teeth and making a very gentle bite that still produces a snapping sound, I can separate the shell on one half from the truffle. Inside the shell and the truffle itself the scent is strongly peppermint with a dark cocoa undertone. The shell snaps with each bite and initially there is a rush of coolness and a hint of peppermint before it turns to a bitter cocoa taste. The side with the truffle gives us a hint in how these are made. The outer molded shell has a bump on the top and it actually fell out when I separated the two halves. Inside we see that the truffle is not perfectly round and it has a peak where this bump was. I wonder if they pipe in the truffle filling after the mold's main seem is filled? Anyway on to the tasting of this half. The truffle is a milk chocolate and the peppermint is much stronger here, becoming the dominant essence at the end. It provides a cool sensation to my tongue and mouth that I can feel renewed when I take a breath. Eating it with the shell however allows both of the creamy center's coolness and the bitter chocolate shell to balance. Eating it whole not only limits your experience of these layers of flavor but also make you think the peppermint is less strong -- our Milk Chocolate Acolyte just popped one into his mouth and tried it, he said he could barely taste the peppermint. So I say bite in half and enjoy for maximum oral joy.
Three balls are a serving of these Peppermint Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles but to be honest I'm generally satisfied by one ball at a time. I might have another during the day or at a party but these are so nicely chocolatey and have such a good potential cocoa rush that I'm content. Otherwise three of these have 200 calories with 13g saturated fat, less than 5mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 2g fiber, 11g sugars, and 2g protein in them. Portion control is a great way to use our Sacred Substance, Chocolate, moderately. The next item Amy Sue sent us is designed to be used in such a fashion from the very start.
The Lindt Advent Calendar is big measuring 18.75 X 14.25 1.75 inches. It has this Santa leaving the North Pole scene on the front and while you can't see it in our photo, there are the necessary numbered sections to open one day from December 1st to Christmas Eve. The entire thing weighs less than the bag above coming in at 10.9 oz but compared to other Advent Calendars I've had, that's still bigger. Now I'm not going to eat in any way other than the way it was intended so I have a proposal for you all, Sisters and Brothers. Everyone of you get an Advent Calendar. Whenever I post in December I will add a note at the end of the post saying which doors I've opened, what was inside, and if I liked it or not. Then you can leave a comment and share with us how your Advent Calendar is working out. I'm sure Amy Sue would like you all to get your own Advent Calendars from her so do check them out.
But my following tradition and using this calendar in the way it was intended (there's our Purposefulness as well as Moderation we always emphasis here) does not mean we are clueless about what is inside. The back, as you can see above, has the ingredients but also photos of what is inside. The chocolatiers vary but in general they are milk chocolate. Some have hazelnuts as well while wheat and rice is also listed in case you have allergies. Overall one piece has 70 calories containing 2.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 6g sugars, and 1g protein. There are 16 shapes of treats pictured on the back so some will be repeated and I'll find out what as I use it.
Both of these are good additions to your holidays. I think for children the Advent Calendar's milk chocolate focus is a good idea but I have to wonder if most children are going to appreciate the quality I expect to find. I'd be thrilled if there was a dark chocolate version of this calendar for adults. Hey, we can enjoy an entire month of holiday cheer, too. The truffles would be great to put out in bowls for parties and I think this is what we will do at our annual Winter Holiday Party. Amy Sue has sent us good examples of Sacraments you can use to enjoy your holidays. The truffles I think measure up to our Sacramental standards year round but you'd have to store them as directed to make them last.
Three balls are a serving of these Peppermint Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles but to be honest I'm generally satisfied by one ball at a time. I might have another during the day or at a party but these are so nicely chocolatey and have such a good potential cocoa rush that I'm content. Otherwise three of these have 200 calories with 13g saturated fat, less than 5mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 2g fiber, 11g sugars, and 2g protein in them. Portion control is a great way to use our Sacred Substance, Chocolate, moderately. The next item Amy Sue sent us is designed to be used in such a fashion from the very start.
But my following tradition and using this calendar in the way it was intended (there's our Purposefulness as well as Moderation we always emphasis here) does not mean we are clueless about what is inside. The back, as you can see above, has the ingredients but also photos of what is inside. The chocolatiers vary but in general they are milk chocolate. Some have hazelnuts as well while wheat and rice is also listed in case you have allergies. Overall one piece has 70 calories containing 2.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 6g sugars, and 1g protein. There are 16 shapes of treats pictured on the back so some will be repeated and I'll find out what as I use it.
Both of these are good additions to your holidays. I think for children the Advent Calendar's milk chocolate focus is a good idea but I have to wonder if most children are going to appreciate the quality I expect to find. I'd be thrilled if there was a dark chocolate version of this calendar for adults. Hey, we can enjoy an entire month of holiday cheer, too. The truffles would be great to put out in bowls for parties and I think this is what we will do at our annual Winter Holiday Party. Amy Sue has sent us good examples of Sacraments you can use to enjoy your holidays. The truffles I think measure up to our Sacramental standards year round but you'd have to store them as directed to make them last.
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