Sjaak's Vegan, Organic Valentines Part 2

Sjaak's Limited Edition Birdie Gift Box of truffles

Sjaak's sent us so much Valentine's Day chocolates to test and reveal to you all that this is Part 2 of that feature. The next box of Valentine's Day Chocolate from Sjaak's frankly could be a spring box in light green with a tree branch and two birds; only the hearts on the birds' tummies are Valentine-like. This is called the Limited Edition Birdie Gift Box. The box lid comes off easily to 11 several truffles inside. Some of them appear to be the same given the decoration of them so I think there are 9 flavors here for us to look at. Each one is big, about 1.25 inches tall and about that diameter on the bottom. This is going to be a bit of a guessing game for me, Sisters and Brothers in Chocolate, so please keep reading. I promise, it will be worth the time to keep reading about these vegan and organic truffles. Sjaak's sent us this box of chocolates in exchange for a fair and honest review here on The Chocolate Cult; no other form of compensation was received.

The first upper left piece looks very similar to the right second tier piece so I think they are the same flavor. This has a strong almond scent to it so I'm betting it will have a almond center of some type. I bite off the top and the shells makes a soft sound. Inside is a semi-solid light brown center that tastes like almond cream. Not like the individual hearts from yesterday, that was almond butter. This has a more roasted flavor not as sweet and that allows more chocolate to come out if you chew it or let it melt on your tongue.

The third truffle is dusted with cocoa across the top. From the top the truffle has a strong cocoa scent but from the bottom it smells basically like their melk chocolate. When I bite off the top the shell makes soft snap. The cocoa flavor floods my mouth first then the melk chocolate inside is a creamy semi-solid that tastes like a creamier melk chocolate.

The second truffle looks the same as the first truffle on the third row, each have a dollop of dark chocolate with a sort of heart shape but also a long tail. This smells similar to the previous but it has a roasted edge to it. The shell is thicker, it takes more effort to bite off the top half. Inside is a firmer light brown cream with tiny black flakes. I try to lick at the center to determine the flavor and I think I get a coffee flavor... if I'd know, I'd saved this for one of our coffee experts to test. All I can say is that the coffee isn't strong which is a good thing for me!

The next truffle starts the second row in the box. It has three lines of darker chocolate over the entire top. From the bottom this has a strong nutty scent to it that reminds me of walnuts; from the dome top it has less of that fragrance. I try to take a bite and find the shell is very thick which with my orthodontic work is challenging to my teeth. I peel off the shell and discover a semi-solid light brown center that I take of bite from and work on my tongue. I still can't place the flavor which subtle compared to the scent I got. It isn't hazelnut, but it blends so well with the melk chocolate that I can't decipher it.

The next truffle has off white drizzles over the top dome section. I pick up the truffle and bring it close to my nose. I think this has a strong vanilla scent mixed with the melk chocolate. Again the shell is thick and it makes a pop sound when I bite off a section. Inside is another semi-solid creamy melk chocolate. It has a very light vanilla flavor but it is primarily the melk chocolate that I taste. That's isn't good or bad but it is rather boring because it doesn't differ much from the previous truffle except that the blended flavor lingers longer on my tongue this time.

The pink flakes on the next truffle are not salt, I peeled one off and it seems to be pinked white chocolate or pink candy coating. The truffle itself has a berry fragrance though I can't decide if it is strawberry, raspberry, or cherry though between those three it smells more cherry to me. Only one way to find out, I guess. The shell is thinner and it breaks off in a big section when I try and take a bite. The shell has a bit of the berry flavor but is primarily the melk chocolate with a hint of vanilla. The semi-solid creamy center has a unmistakable cherry scent to it. The center is softer than the previous two truffles and I bite off just part of it and let it melt on my mouth. The cherry favor is there but it blends into the chocolate. Just chewing a bite with the shell actually intensifies the cherry flavor to the point of a slightly sour aftertaste. I recommend letting this one melt in your mouth for maximum melk chocolate and light cherry.

There are bright yellow drizzles over the top of the next truffle. From the bottom, this truffle has a lemon scent so I expect lemon flavor inside, wouldn't you? I bite into it and discover the same semi-solid melk chocolate center. Immediately I taste a citrus flavor but it isn't lemon, it tastes more like orange to me. Is that a function of the melk chocolate's rice milk perhaps or is it orange not lemon? I'm a bit confused so I take some more of the truffle and let it melt on my tongue; that lets more of the flavor out but I still think it has a more orange than lemon flavor. Of course, organic orange probably has a different flavor that the mainstream orange I'm used to has, too. Regardless if you want more citrus chew this truffle, if you want more melk chocolate, let it melt.I like how the citrus blends with the melk chocolate either way you consume it.

Melk chocolate truffle drizzled with more melk chocolate might be difficult to make out but check out our photo. I think it turned out great. This has a strong fragrance that reminds me of either almond or vanilla... I know they smell different so I'm curious about what is inside this truffle. Once I've bitten into it and peeled off some of the shell, I work a bit of the inside semi-solid cream center on my tongue. My nose was wrong, I think this is hazelnut based on the flavor my tongue is revealing to me. The center and the shell blend seamlessly into a wonderful chocolate experience.

The final truffle in this limited edition birdie box has white flakes over the top. These are white chocolate or candy coating not salt. This one has a strawberry, perhaps even a champagne, fragrance from the bottom of the truffle. When I try to take a bite there is a loud popping sound and a chunk of melk chocolate shell comes off the top so I eat it. Inside is the creamy semi-solid melk chocolate center that I bring to my nose again to try and smell it. What? Now I'm getting a coffee scent nothing like what I got from the truffle before I opened it up. I take a bit of the center and work it on my tongue. Yeah, this is a coffee center for certain. If I had known, I could have had one of our specialists test this out but for me, this is a "no" flavor.

Inside Sjaak's Truffles

All of these truffles are easily 2-3 bites; they are big. You can cut them with a sharp knife in case biting into something this large might be a problem for your beloved on Valentine's Day.  Sjaak's Limited Edition Birdie Box has a lot of variety in it. Without information on or in the box or on their website you can't know what flavor you might be biting into so be careful if you or your loved ones have food allergies. I hope if vegan and/or organic chocolates are what you or your loved want that you will check them out not just for holidays but any time of the year. I'll be publishing an email interview I did with a representative from Sjaak's later on so I hope you come back and learn more about this company because it deserves your attention.

Now you tell me. Would these treats be a good idea for your beloved Valentine's Day 2018?