Sometimes Foodie: Seattle Chocolates Dark Salt Caramels

Seattle Chocolates Dark Salt Caramels - Target: Marlton, NJ

It's not Valentine's Day until I review something that comes in a heart shaped box. Actually, Valentine's Day isn't until Saturday, but I have something special planned for that day's post, and this week is pretty much Valentine's themed on Sometimes Foodie, so let's just go with it.

I finally have something new to review! Well, not really "new", but new to me. I've never had this brand before, and out of all the heart shaped boxes in the aisle, this is the one that appealed to me the most. (And yes, I am going to add that link everytime I type "heart shaped box.")

Okay, on to the review!

Based on it's form and function, this heart shaped box is far from unique. The holiday aisles are filled with similar products from every chocolate and candy company in the area, so it's safe to say the shape isn't why I made this purchase. It was the paisley pattern that caught my eye. In a sea of red, pink, and white, something like this really stands out. To be honest, there was another flavor from Seattle Chocolates that used the same design, but with a different color scheme, which I liked (visually) more than this one, but this flavor appealed to me more. The pattern on this box is fun, playful, and best of all, it's different. The swirling shapes and patterns give this a fun retro feel, while the color combination and layout keep it looking modern. It's a fun anachronism, and unlike the products at Trader Joe's, I think this pulls off the clashing time period aesthetics really well.

Inside, there are several individually wrapped chocolates. I mentioned this in our last Candyology101 podcast, but I love that the candies are wrapped. Usually, I dislike extra packaging, because most of the time it isn't recyclable, but with something like this, it makes it a lot easier, and sanitary, to share. No one has reach their fingers into a plastic vacuum forms tray and possibly touch other nearby candies. Plus, the bright spring-green color of the foiled wrapping is really eye-catching. I love how they look against the pattern of the box, and it's such an unusual color for a Valentine's Day candy. I love it!

The chocolates inside are a decent size, about 2 bites, and they're slightly rectangular. Without the packaging, they look a bit plain, but they smell delicious. This flavor has a nice chocolatey aroma mixed with a hint of saltiness. The aroma isn't all that strong, but it's noticeable and pleasant.

I bit one in half to look inside, and the chocolate was smooth and extremely creamy. It began melting on my tongue right away, and there were quite a few granules of sea salt adding their flavor and a crunchy texture to this candy, but where was the caramel? It appears that the caramel isn't liquid-y, like I had hoped, or even chewy. It's more like a caramel flavored confection or chocolate. You can see in in the upper center area of the bite photo. I prefer my caramel soft and runny, so I was a bit bummed, but there is caramel flavoring present. The caramel mixture is sweet and there are a few burnt sugar notes, which mix nicely with the granules of salt and the silky smooth dark chocolate, but I do miss the texture of caramel.

I'm very happy with the quality of this chocolate, it's smooth, creamy, slightly bitter in typical dark-chocolate kind of way, and the saltiness is well balanced. The sea salt aspect isn't a gimmick, it actually enhances the caramel flavoring and the overall candy eating experience, and it's easily to share. I just wish it had a chewy or runny caramel center instead of this semi-solid form, but these are still a really delicious, and I would easily buy them again. If you're looking for something a bit different this Valentine's Day, without being TOO risky, this is a great gift.