Lagusta Yearwood, the founder of vegan chocolate shop Lagusta’s Luscious and author of the cookbook “Sweet + Salty,” advises using almond milk. But if you like your hot cocoa thick and rich, use soy or oat milk. If you prefer a thinner hot chocolate, go for almond or coconut milk. With aisles full of dairy-free milk made from everything from almond to macadamia nuts and rice, how do you choose which vegan milk you’re going to use? It comes down to personal preference. The Food Empowerment Project keeps a running list of vegan chocolate brands that use ethically sourced cocoa. Several of the farms supply cocoa to international companies including Hershey’s, Mars, and Nestlé. In recent years, organizations and journalists have exposed the prevalence of child labor and slavery in farms from this region. The Food Empowerment Project, a nonprofit organization that aims to “create a more just and sustainable world by recognizing the power of one’s food choices,” notes that Western African countries supply upwards of 70 percent of the world’s cocoa. The shell of the bean is made into cacao nibs, which are ground into cocoa mass or pure chocolate.Ĭocoa powder on its own is vegan-but it may not be kind to humans. To make chocolate, first, the bitter cacao bean is fermented, dried, cleaned, and roasted. According to the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization) data, some of the top cocoa-producing countries include the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Ivory Coast. Is Chocolate Vegan?Ĭhocolate comes from the cacao tree. Here’s how to find the best vegan hot chocolate brands and make the best dairy-free cocoa at home. Some of us are counting down the days until spring, but hey-it’s vegan hot chocolate season. Visit Lake Champlain Chocolates here: on your favorite sweater, throw a plush blanket over your shoulders, and embrace the chilly weather. You can read more about Lake Champlain Chocolates in Steve Almond’s hilarious book, Candy Freak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America. Nothing to keep us from eating more, either. Our complaint was the flavor, which was good – slightly spicy and a bit fruity – but nothing to write home about. Our rating: 4.25 of 5 bon bons Sao Thome (70%)īeautifully packaged in a thick gold wrapper and recyclable paperboard box, this “select origin” bar has a nice aroma and snap. But one should consider it among the truffles or candy bars rather than a plain chocolate bar. Deliciously hazelnutty, not too sweet, and no unpleasant aftertaste. The inside is soft, with a delicate crunch, and the flavor is excellent. Although this appears to be a dauntingly thick hunk of solid chocolate, in reality it’s more like a giant truffle. “Chocolate bar” is somewhat of a misnomer here. Our rating: 4 of 5 bon bons Hazelnut 5 Star Bar The chocolate alone would be delish the peppermint gives it a satisfyingly minty crunch. Lovers of minty chocolate will not be disappointed. Our rating: 3.75 of 5 bon bons Dark Chocolate with Peppermint Crunch Perhaps almost artificially creamy… too much lecithin? The bar is super thick, which is great because it makes you feel like you’re getting a humongous piece of chocolate, but then again, I am small and it was hard to bite. No fruits or gimmicks needed in this chocolate! No shortage of chocolate flavor, and terrifically creamy. Lake Champlain Chocolates Review Dark Chocolate Our loss! This Vermont chocolate maker produces delicious chocolate gifts and gourmet chocolate. Lake Champlain Chocolates first tempted us from the checkout line at Whole Foods with the “5 Star Bar.” But it’s teeny and pricey, so we kept skipping it.
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