4 Innovative Artisan Chocolate Companies
What is artisan chocolate?
Artisan chocolate is that style of making chocolate that often considered an art form. Chocolatiers who specialize in artisan chocolate making pride themselves on using only the best ingredients, taking their time making small batches, and choosing flavors and presentations that are unique, interesting, and innovative. Time and care are the two most important aspects of making artisan chocolate.
Artisan chocolate vs industrial chocolate
But how does artisan chocolate compare to industrially-made chocolate? Generally speaking, the time taken to prepare commercial chocolates and the tools and ingredients used to make these chocolates are vastly different.
In commercial chocolate preparation, huge machines are used to produce enormous batches of chocolates in a very short period of time. The name of the game is to produce the most chocolate possible to an exacting recipe. And the finished product must appeal to the masses, so it is often overly sweet and lacking the interesting flavors that are inherent in true artisan chocolates.
Artisan chocolates, on the other hand, are usually hand-made or with very small machines in relatively tiny batches over longer periods of time. Flavor and presentation are of the utmost importance, and these chocolatiers do their upmost to bring out the best of each region’s beans in each of their creations.
4 Innovative artisan chocolate companies
Making the jump from commercially-prepared chocolates to something a little more refined and interesting will mean a bit of a higher price tag, but if you take your time to truly enjoy each morsel in all its complexity, you’ll get your money’s worth, without a doubt. Here are a few interesting artisan chocolate makers you’ll definitely want to try:
Rechiutti
Working to painstakingly select each ingredient and combine them in unique ways, Rechiutti prides itself on sourcing their chocolate building blocks in the local San Francisco farmer’s market. Flavors include lavender, tarragon, lemon vergena, and more.
Tcho
The story behind this company: hunting down flavor itself. Sourcing beans for around the world, these chocolatiers worked to test their product for the perfect flavor before releasing the final result. They use the purest expression of flavors inherent in cacao, including chocolatey, fruity, nutty, and citrus.
Vosges Haut Chocolate
If you want a truly unique chocolate experience, try out Vosges’ Bacon + Chocolate Bar. This chocolate will engage your five senses, so close your eyes and inhale the applewood bacon scents and the milk chocolate tastes. Also comes in dark chocolate varieties.
Chocolate Gecko
This artisan chocolate company creates chocolate with integrity, creativity, quality, and fun. Making artisan chocolates is a family affair for this company. They blend together distinctive flavors, using ethically-traded ingredients and organic chocolate that’s at least 78 percent cocoa solids. Try the Komodo Crunch, the Helderbergs, chocolate dipped fruit, and hand rolled truffles like their Poodles and French Kisses.
What is artisan chocolate?
Artisan chocolate is that style of making chocolate that often considered an art form. Chocolatiers who specialize in artisan chocolate making pride themselves on using only the best ingredients, taking their time making small batches, and choosing flavors and presentations that are unique, interesting, and innovative. Time and care are the two most important aspects of making artisan chocolate.
Artisan chocolate vs industrial chocolate
But how does artisan chocolate compare to industrially-made chocolate? Generally speaking, the time taken to prepare commercial chocolates and the tools and ingredients used to make these chocolates are vastly different.
In commercial chocolate preparation, huge machines are used to produce enormous batches of chocolates in a very short period of time. The name of the game is to produce the most chocolate possible to an exacting recipe. And the finished product must appeal to the masses, so it is often overly sweet and lacking the interesting flavors that are inherent in true artisan chocolates.
Artisan chocolates, on the other hand, are usually hand-made or with very small machines in relatively tiny batches over longer periods of time. Flavor and presentation are of the utmost importance, and these chocolatiers do their upmost to bring out the best of each region’s beans in each of their creations.
4 Innovative artisan chocolate companies
Making the jump from commercially-prepared chocolates to something a little more refined and interesting will mean a bit of a higher price tag, but if you take your time to truly enjoy each morsel in all its complexity, you’ll get your money’s worth, without a doubt. Here are a few interesting artisan chocolate makers you’ll definitely want to try:
Rechiutti
Working to painstakingly select each ingredient and combine them in unique ways, Rechiutti prides itself on sourcing their chocolate building blocks in the local San Francisco farmer’s market. Flavors include lavender, tarragon, lemon vergena, and more.
Tcho
The story behind this company: hunting down flavor itself. Sourcing beans for around the world, these chocolatiers worked to test their product for the perfect flavor before releasing the final result. They use the purest expression of flavors inherent in cacao, including chocolatey, fruity, nutty, and citrus.
Vosges Haut Chocolate
If you want a truly unique chocolate experience, try out Vosges’ Bacon + Chocolate Bar. This chocolate will engage your five senses, so close your eyes and inhale the applewood bacon scents and the milk chocolate tastes. Also comes in dark chocolate varieties.
Chocolate Gecko
This artisan chocolate company creates chocolate with integrity, creativity, quality, and fun. Making artisan chocolates is a family affair for this company. They blend together distinctive flavors, using ethically-traded ingredients and organic chocolate that’s at least 78 percent cocoa solids. Try the Komodo Crunch, the Helderbergs, chocolate dipped fruit, and hand rolled truffles like their Poodles and French Kisses.