How long do bonbons last?
Bonbons will last a minimum of two weeks from your selected pickup date. Ganache & caramel-filled bonbons should be consumed within 3 weeks for best the tasting experience. Bonbons containing dried fruit, nut, and candied inclusions tend to last up to 8 weeks if properly stored. We suggest that you place your bonbon order as close as possible to the date they will be gifted or consumed.
How long do chocolate bars last?
You can expect our inclusion bars (bars that have nuts, fruit, and herbs) to last three to six months. An "enjoy by" date is marked on the packaging. Solid bars and novelty chocolates with no inclusions or just salt will last a full year from their date of production.
How do I store my chocolate?
Chocolate should be stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. 68 degrees is the optimal temperature for keeping chocolate, but anywhere between 65-70 degrees is good. No refrigeration is necessary, if you must refrigerate it is best to store in the low humidity drawer. If chocolate gets too hot the cocoa butter will rise to the surface causing fat-bloom leaving white dots or cloudiness on the surface, if it gets too cold it will sweat as it reaches room temperature causing a sticky residue on the surface. Chocolate is temperamental!
What is ganache?
Ganache is an emulsion of chocolate & cream. Our vegan ganaches are produced with dark chocolate and we use tahini as the substitute for cream.
What chocolate is vegan?
Cacao is naturally vegan and gluten-free! Our chocolate bars 62% and above are free of dairy & animal products. Vegan bonbons are available as an option in our bonbon boxes as well, these are limited options. All of our products are currently gluten-free. Chocolatá's Hot Cocoa & Sipping Chocolate mixes are vegan & gluten-free, and are easily prepared with alternative dairy-free milk & creams if preferred. Our favorite ways to enjoy the mixes are; the sipping chocolate made with spring water and the hot cocoa mix made with creamy oatmilk. Both of these make a delicious dairy-free hot drink.
What is the difference between fine chocolate & commercial chocolate?
The short answer is that everything is different!
In the industry, fine chocolate is referred to as couverture, it has a much higher cocoa content and lower sugar content. It must contain 33% or more cocoa butter to be considered couverture and is produced using better quality ingredients like single origin beans, pure cane sugar, good quality milk in white and milk chocolates. There are no fillers or artificial ingredients in couverture unlike mass-produced commercial chocolate.
Where does Chocolatá source chocolate from?
South America's unique climate produces the majority of the world's finest cacao, which is why it's our number one choice for sourcing our products. We use South American couverture from several companies that work with sustainable farms, Conexion and Republica Del Cacao, one of our larger suppliers is a B-Corp company with a wonderful team dedicated to providing positive relationships with farmers, providing education on sustainability practices and professional support.
Do you have gluten-free chocolate?
All of our chocolate is gluten-free! Even our chocolate granola is made with gluten-free oats. Chocolatá's Hot Cocoa & Sipping Chocolate mixes are vegan & gluten-free, and are easily prepared with alternative dairy-free milk & creams if preferred.
What is the difference between Sipping Chocolate & Hot Cocoa?
The main difference is that hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder and sipping chocolate is made with solid chocolate. Our hot cocoa mix also contains some solid chocolate to make it a richer drink and it has cinnamon for spice. Our sipping chocolate contains cayenne pepper for spice.
It's important to note that both Chocolatá's Hot Cocoa & Sipping Chocolate mixes are vegan & gluten-free, and are easily prepared with alternative dairy-free milk & creams if preferred.