Review by Robert Tilendis: For the confirmed chocoholic, Trader Joe’s has come up with a real treat: Pound Plus Chocolates. It really is a pound plus — 17.6 ounces (500 g), to be exact — and it’s quite reasonably priced — one might even say “cheap”, at only $4.99 for a nice hefty bar. It comes in a variety of flavors, from milk chocolate to 72% cacao; I usually pick up the dark chocolate. These chocolates are made for Trader Joe’s in Belgium; the dark chocolate contains chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin.
The bar itself is large and flat, scored into squares that break apart fairly easily. The color is a nice, rich chocolate brown, and the scent is definitely chocolate. But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding — so to speak.
The squares are bite-size, and the texture is quite firm, with some variation depending on ambient temperature. (I did once have a few squares that I was carrying with me melt together, just enough to stick, but the temperature was in the 90s.) Once you’ve started chewing, the texture turns somewhat buttery. The taste is rich, slightly earthy, and also contains hints of butter under a rich chocolate taste.
As I noted above, the bars come in several varieties, including milk chocolate, bittersweet, 72% cacao, dark, and possibly one or two others — Trader Joe’s website is marvelously reticent about this particular line, and most other listings seem to feature the 72% cacao. It’s worth checking out at your local Trader Joe’s, though, to see what else is available.
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I love dark chocolate, but a pound of the stuff should last me a couple of years. I’d be really afraid I’d end up eating it all in a few days.
Joe’s website is basic. They have counted on fan(atic)s to carry their water online. And they do.
Those chocolate bars are super popular, let me tell you. I’ve never had one, thanks for the review.
Their Bittersweet w/Almonds has been a household staple here for many years…remarkably low-priced (for a pound of chocolate), pre-portioned (easy to break off 1 or 2 squares), great taste. And available, give or take the occasional brief waiting for next shipment delay.
These are my go-to bars for baking!!! The dark chocolate works well in any recipes that need chocolate (either chopped or melted), and instead of store-bought chocolate chips, chop up this bar, and the taste will be noticeably better.