Wednesday, June 26, 2013

John Kelly Chocolates: Truffle Fudge Bar

Chocolate two of three of my gifts from Santa Fe is not, in fact, from Santa Fe. I suspected as much, but did not expect John Kelly Chocolates to originate in Hollywood. It's tempting now to turn picky and say that for Hollywood, this chocolate should be better. Instead, however, let's leave company origin aside for the moment. 

Like a bar of gold, this Truffle Fudge Bar comes wrapped in gold. It's a yellow gold that gives it a more casual gold look. The simple sticker implies handmade, small scale. My fudge is the Dark Chocolate without Nuts. Is it posh or homespun? More like a truffle or more like fudge ? Truffles and fudge are both delightful, it's true. 


The 57 gram bar is like a thick slab of fudge coated in a reasonable layer of chocolate. It looks small, but bite into it and you'll find enough richness to last a while. The texture is somewhere between coarseness and smoothness, like homemade fudge. Yet the flavors are bolder. Red cocoa notes melt out like a flash flood in the dessert. Embracing, consuming like a truffle, but familiar and approachable like fudge. 


If you're a steadfast milk chocolate person, maybe you will feel differently. I, however, did not find this truffle fudge very dark; it was at a comfortable in-between level. Very pleasant would be an accurate description. Why, then, my comments about pickiness? For fudge, it's heavenly. But for a high end product, it passes. The packaging is fine, but not couture. And the taste is rich, but not snobbily luxurious. I detect palm kernel oil and corn syrup hiding within the ingredients list. For something with a $3.95 price tag, the details matter. Nibbling away at this rectangle of truffle fudge is proving to be my latest hobby, but I'll still turn elsewhere when seeking, foremost, a chocolate experience.

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