I was so sad when Dear Coco shuttered there doors. They were truly one of the best! But there are many other dairy-free chocolatiers to praise. See our Dairy-Free Chocolate Reviews for numerous options. If your looking for gift-worthy chocolate specifically, see our Dairy-Free Chocolate Holiday Gift Guide and our Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate Guide.
You may recall my prior review on the decadent truffles from Dear Coco. I couldn’t get enough of the beautiful, hand-crafted presentation and unique flavors. But pastry chef and founder of Dear Coco, Rachelle Dalva Ferneau, was not content with just one amazing line of non-dairy chocolate bliss. Enter her newest creation: Toffee Chocolate Bars.
Available in eight internationally-inspired varieties, each is a hand-poured Belgian dark chocolate bar, dotted with a range of vegan toffees, nuts and seeds, for a rather upscale take on chocolate bark.
Tasting Notes for Dear Coco Toffee Chocolate Bars
These bars are smooth and scored on one side, but all crunchy bark on the other. So far I’ve sampled the following flavors.
Shanghai Toffee Chocolate Bars
The flavor sophistication of the Shangai Bar was surprising and so intriguing. The chocolate is a mellow dark (perhaps 60%), but the toffee was rich with deep Chinese 5 spice. The spice complimented the roasted sesame seeds nicely. It was a bit too intense and “grown-up” for Tony. At first bite I agreed, but as the flavors unfolded, my taste buds were intrigued. The unique flavor kept me coming back for “just one more taste”.
Savannah Toffee Chocolate Bars
This was second in line, and perhaps my favorite. The sea salt came through in this bar, adding a delightful balance to the sweet. The pie spiced toffee was still quite deep in flavor, but it was a touch lighter than the spice in the Shanghai bar. It married delightfully with the sweet and salty combination of dark chocolate, pecans and sea salt.
Barcelona Toffee Chocolate Bars
This Barcelona bar is the most simple of the bars. It’s simply loaded with crunchy additions. It is full of roasted almonds, toffee, chocolate and a whisper of sea salt. This was the most “everyone-friendly,” with a lighter, sweeter overall taste. It’s still what I would call an “adult” treat, but most good artisan chocolate lean toward mature palates.
The Facts on Dear Coco Toffee Chocolate Bars
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Dear Coco toffee chocolate bars are Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, and Gluten-Free. However, always read the label and check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Also, processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Dear Coco website at www.dearcoco.com.
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