Kshocolât
Impact
An assortment of mainstream chocolate-covered nuts with a li’l New School topspin: these nuts have balls.
Presentation 4.6 / 5
warm tawny browns, clean (even mechanical) temper / high gloss, w/ some surface pitting & nice tumbler finish for a hand-made look
Aromas 4.7 / 5
toasted nuts, light chili, dusty cherry, carnauba, soft sugar, & righteous chocolate
Textures/Melt 8.2 / 10
| Shells: | crisp, crunchy, & sensuous |
| Centers: |
Flavor 39.1 / 50
borders overly sweet but w/ a strong roast on the nuts for cutting thru
Quality 25.3 / 30
Clean craft well worth the calories with structural proof that Kshocolât can build them... they really get it.
Selections
| Couverture: | Callebaut |
Chilli Pecans Milk Chocolate - 30% Milk Choc w/ New Mexico red chili & pecan; soft, yielding chocolate / light praline pecan on the edge of overly processed; pecans can be one of the hardest nuts to marry w/ chocolate; sweetness & cream of this well-balanced milk cut the inherent bitterness in pecans; quality cream/milk solids yet good CQ for 30% (no hi or low notes - just clean old school robustness which just might make you rethink milks w/ nuts); final parting gift... nice, lingering chili burn w/o the bitter chemical heat of subprime peppers & enough choc to keep going w/ it; excellent
Crunchy Hazelnuts Milk Choc - cocoa butter glaze & thick milk shell explode into classic satin, melting fast & sensuous; but just too much sugar (ouch, teeth hurt) unbalances this fragile “Barbie Doll”, overpowering those poor - bordering on soft - hazelnuts… overly simplified equation / no pizzazz
Chilli Almonds Milk Choc - sugared sweet meets spices & herbs; well preserved crisp almond center, slightly slippery, but again overly sweet Milk Choc verging on candy; on the plus side: good roast shines thru the sugar / milk solids, & chilli is clean, not bitter & has legs
Succulent Almonds & Dark Choc - heavily processed, velvet texture to the point of no butter interaction w/ the tongue; strong balance of roast, sweetness, & finish
Crunchy Hazelnuts Milk Choc - cocoa butter glaze & thick milk shell explode into classic satin, melting fast & sensuous; but just too much sugar (ouch, teeth hurt) unbalances this fragile “Barbie Doll”, overpowering those poor - bordering on soft - hazelnuts… overly simplified equation / no pizzazz
Chilli Almonds Milk Choc - sugared sweet meets spices & herbs; well preserved crisp almond center, slightly slippery, but again overly sweet Milk Choc verging on candy; on the plus side: good roast shines thru the sugar / milk solids, & chilli is clean, not bitter & has legs
Succulent Almonds & Dark Choc - heavily processed, velvet texture to the point of no butter interaction w/ the tongue; strong balance of roast, sweetness, & finish