For some time I’ve wanted to introduce my readers to the growing number of remarkable women with much to tell us about about food, fitness, and beyond. Today it’s my pleasure to welcome my first guest Food Writer-Feminist-Chocolate Eater Megan Giller, whose blog ChocolateNoise.com is on my short list of must reads. Today, Megan writes about the bean to bar process and the best coconut milk chocolates. After you read (and drool), don’t forget to enter the contest. You could win a very special box of vegan Chocolate Truffles from our friends at the award winning French Broad Chocolates in Asheville, NC.
I love milk chocolate. There, I said it. As a chocolate expert, sometimes I want to savor a piece of the darkest chocolate, and sometimes I want to relax into the luscious creaminess of milk chocolate. Why am I waxing chocorific about milk on a vegan blog? Well, because some of the best milk chocolates I’ve tasted are actually vegan: They’re made with coconut milk!
Now, this isn’t any old chocolate with coconut milk added. The small companies releasing these kinds of bars and bonbons make their chocolate from scratch: They buy whole beans and roast, grind, and refine them into chocolate themselves. It’s called “bean-to-bar chocolate,” and the movement is exploding the way craft beer and specialty coffee did a few decades ago. There’s so many great makers these days that I’m writing an entire book about American bean-to-bar chocolate, with profiles of makers, background on bean to bar, and recipes from pastry chefs and chocolatiers like Alice Medrich and Michael Recchiuti (it’s coming out from Storey Publishing in 2017!).
Here are 5 of my favorite coconut milk chocolates from some of the best makers around!
Coconut Milk From Charm School Chocolate
This vegan maker has created a truly scrumptious bar with single-origin cocoa beans from Belize, coconut milk, whole vanilla beans, and sea salt. No wonder it won awards at both the 2016 International Chocolate Awards and the 2015 Good Food Awards!
Coconut Milk From Raaka Chocolate
Dark chocolate meets coconut in this 60 percent bar from the hip Brooklyn company for a bar that tastes as good as it looks. Find notes of caramel and strawberry in this melt-in-your-mouth goodie.
Coconut and Caramelized Ginger From Madre Chocolate
Caramelized ginger ups the ante in this coconut milk bar from Hawaii. There’s a reason it won a gold medal at the 2014 Northwest Chocolate Festival and is the company’s most popular seller.
Buddha Collection Truffles From French Broad Chocolates
French Broad Chocolates makes much more than bars with their bean-to-bar chocolate: At their café in Asheville, North Carolina, you’ll find cakes, cookies, drinking chocolate, and bonbons. Of course, you can also order some of those sweets online, including this coconut cream collection of vegan truffles: Think classics like chocolate caramel as well as unusual flavors like olive oil, orange, and fennel.
Coconut Couverture from Zotter Chocolate
White chocolate meets its vegan maker in this rich couverture chocolate perfect for baking or making bonbons. Zotter adds a chaser of bourbon vanilla to the mix for an added bonus.
Food writer, feminist, and chocolate eater Megan Giller explores the world of American craft chocolate on her site Chocolate Noise. Read about the best bean-to-bar makers in America, with mouthwatering photos and videos to match. She’s also working on a book about the American craft chocolate movement, to be published by Storey Publishing in 2017. Join the journey at chocolatenoise.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter to get mouthwatering stories delivered to your inbox!
We have a 12-piece box of Buddha Collection Truffles from French Broad Chocolates for one lucky winner! The Buddha Collection truffle box contains:
Buddha – our original vegan truffle made with bittersweet chocolate & coconut cream.
Lemongrass Ginger – lemongrass, ginger, and lime in dark chocolate coconut cream ganache. topped with a slice of toasted coconut.
Strawberry Balsamic – purée of local strawberries and organic balsamic vinegar in a dark chocolate + coconut cream ganache. sprinkled with cacao nibs.
Chocolate Caramel – a rich, creamy chocolate caramel made with coconut milk, in a dark chocolate shell.
Bananas Foster Caramel – organic bananas and rum in a creamy coconut caramel, with cacao nibs for crunch. In a dark chocolate shell.
Orange & Olive Oil – locally-bottled olive oil & essential oil of orange in dark chocolate, topped with candied fennel.
To enter for a chance to win, follow the instructions below. U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends at midnight on July 19th. Good luck!
Sarah says
I just discovered Magic chocolate from Belgium, made of just cocao, coconut milk and coconut sugar – SOOO yummy!!
Shira says
My favorite type of vegan chocolate is dark, but I’ll always remember the “milk” chocolate I had at Millennium in SF about 10 years ago. It was delicious!
Ashley K says
My mom makes the best chocolate bark every year for Christmas- that’s easily my favorite vegan chocolate & I look forward to it all year long!!
Kathleen says
My current favorite is a dark chocolate a dear friend brought me back from France by Bonnat! Unfortunately, I just finished my last piece.
angie w says
I like Green & Black’s dark chocolate 🙂
Susan says
I love dark chocolate! It’s a special treat for me.
Leslie says
We found Missionary Chocolates when we were in Portland! Melissa makes great coconut milk chocolate truffles.
Jacqueline says
My friend brought me French Broad vegan chocolates from NC — love love love them!
Jacqueline says
a delicious blog! so excited to try all these amazing vegan chocolates!
Jacky says
My classic favorite is dark chocolate with roasted almonds, but right now I’m really liking Aloha’s superfood chocolate!
Val says
I enjoyed the above post and I’m looking forward to Megan Giller’s book on American craft chocolate. I happen to love vegan chocolate, especially if it’s coconut milk!
Beth says
My favorite vegan chocolate is Endangered Species Dark Chocolate! It tastes like milk chocolate to my vegan palate and is my go-to when a chocolate craving strikes. Thanks for hosting this giveaway! 😀
Jessica Moore says
My favorite vegan chocolate is anything dark, really. I love dark chocolate and ginger. I would be stoked to try vegan milk chocolate. I miss truffles. That banana foster has my mouth watering!
Tanya says
I will be looking for these, I have never tried any of them but they look delicious!
Michelle Micci says
Alto eco dark chocolate
Nicole says
Hninna; the best raw!!
Lisa says
I would love to enter to win those fabulous truffles but the entry form isn’t counting any of my entries
Fran says
We’ll check but I think you are fine
Karen D says
I usually eat dark chocolate, and I like Salazon
Terri says
I have a soft spot for Justin’s Dark Chocolate peanut butter cups.
Mike says
The Buddha from French Broad is amazing
Sheri says
I love Amano, Solstice and Ritual chocolate!
Natalie says
I would love to win these yummy chocolates! I’ve never tried them before.
Michele Grubbs says
Santosha chocolate is great, and a local Asheville company. Can’t wait to try these fabulous truffles as we love all FBC truffles!
Jillian Too says
I love endangered species dark chocolate.
charj says
My favorite is dark chocolate with whole roasted almonds.
Jen T. says
I love Theo dark chocolate bars, especially the raspberry. And homemade truffles – nuts, dates, raw cacao, rolled in crushed dried raspberries – so good! But not as good as the Buddha collection looks.
Karin D. says
I have mostly eaten Divine Treasures (Manchester, CT) chocolate, but I am very excited to try some on this list I’ve never heard of before. 🙂