Review: Guittard Soleil d'Automne Dark Milk Chocolate

[ysabetwordsmith]

Guittard Soleil d'Automne Milk Chocolate is a real favorite. The origin is West Africa and Indian Ocean, the varietals Criollo and Forastero.

This bar is listed at 45% cacao, rich and complex, but pleasantly sweet without any bitter notes. Milk chocolate must contain at least 10% cacao, and often it's around 20-25%. Dark milk chocolate or sweet dark chocolate is sweet and intense, ranging between 38% and 42%. Dark chocolate is legally anything over 15% in America, but Europe requires at least 35% and it typically runs 50-60%, prone to bitter or sour notes. So we may reasonably consider Soleil d'Automne to be a clinical-grade milk chocolate, because it is both high in cacao and sweet without bitterness.

The label also cites notes of caramel apple and crème fraîche. I think I catch more of the caramel than the apple, but it is very creamy. If you like a milk chocolate that is sophisticated in its own right without a lot of other stuff added to it, this is an excellent choice. It's a good choice for connoisseurs, or people consuming chocolate for medicinal purposes who dislike the bitter notes of dark chocolate.  My partner Doug and I split this for dessert a couple of nights, and would happily eat it again.

I have consumed the last of it (and licked the foil) and am now a little sad, despite having a box still mostly full of chocolate bars and another 45% one on my desk.

Comments

[technoshaman]

So noted. When the purry-wolf is *licking the foil* you know it's good stuff.

Speaking of which, I had some NibMor 85% with cacao nibs last night... and while it's dark dark darkity dark, it was still reasonably smooth, without a lot of that chalky bitterness that bars north of 70% often have... sort of the "full city roast" of chocolate, that delicate balance between getting extra body out of the bean but not drying it out... I'm not actually sure the Duchess would like it, being as she's all about the Dark Dark Darkity Dark Did I Mention DARK... but this? No, my limit's *usually* 70 but this was still good.

I wish NibMor made milk. I 'spect if it were as good as the dark I'd have both of you eating out of my hand... ;)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> So noted. When the purry-wolf is *licking the foil* you know it's good stuff. <<

LOL yes. It's not actually rare for me to lick things, but if the chocolate is merely adequate I don't always bother.

>> Speaking of which, I had some NibMor 85% with cacao nibs last night... <<

I keep wanting to try NibMor. Some dark is okay, it's just hard to find any that's smooth enough for me. I don't like the harsh bitter or sour notes. Or the ones with no flavor, like the 98% we tried once that tasted like black wax. :/

>>I wish NibMor made milk. I 'spect if it were as good as the dark I'd have both of you eating out of my hand... ;) <<

I wish that too. When I first discovered them, I remember seeing that, but apparently I have drifted out of that universe and here they do not. :(

[mdlbear]

Trader Joe's has dark chocolate at very reasonable prices. I like the 72% "pound plus" (500g) bars; they also have them in milk, milk with almonds, and a lower-percentage dark.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I'm not really a fan of dark chocolate, although my partner Doug is. But I am now intrigued by this "dark milk chocolate" or "sweet dark chocolate." There's at least one more in the box to explore.

[(Anonymous)]

Guittard makes some of the best chocolate, I swear. They're the company that makes the best hot chocolate I have ever had, and I also love using their baking products - especially for Christmas treats!

Hmm ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Those sound like interesting things to try, if I ever see them.

[callibr8]

Duly noted, for the next care package... :-)

Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith]

:D