You would think that the creation of chocolate covered espresso beans would be easy. The market is right there, and making them should e as easy as making any candy. Only not. Chocolate melts. Coffee beans grow stale. And how many do you put in 0ne package without overdoing the caffeine content per bag?
While chocolate covered espresso beans are a staple in many smaller coffee shops, this has not been something which has really caught on. I found one company, however, that are doing it right – coming out with an M&M-like candy, sweet and delicious, full of the good stuff and in one of the best packages I have seen in a long long time.
For two bucks a battery, you get more than enough buzz from the beans inside, it tastes freakin’ good in the process, and you get a cool place to keep your change when you are done!
It looks like they are mostly selling online. While you can buy them at their site, I got mine from the nice folks at Buzzbasket.com, totally worth the 2 bucks or so a tin. If you are looking for a great gift for your caffeinated friend, this would make a great little present.
Buzz/Nutrition:9
Seeing as these are espresso beans, there is not real way to judge an accurate caffeine count. However, they mention on their website that they don’t add more caffeine to either the candy or chocolate – so it is just pure coffee based caffeine. It does have enough to give you a very nice buzz after downing the 5 or 6, which you will do in a disappointingly fast amount of time. These taste so good it is very hard to not gobble them up. Word of warning here – it is way too easy to eat them all up, which is going to get you pretty flying. If you can start off with 5 or 6 and judge after 15 minutes, you are doing good. then you can eat a couple more as you feel the urge. Just keep in mind that ingested caffeine can take up to 20 minutes to work its way into your body.
Ingredients wise, they keep it pretty simple. There is dark chocolate ( made with a touch a vanilla and chocolate liquor) , whole bean coffee, sugar, corn syrup, tapioca and confectioner’s glaze. There are 60 calories in here, well well worth it for what you are eating.
Taste:9
Now I have been to at least half a dozen chocolate festivals, tasting everything from homemade chocolate worms to the finest chocolate dishes available from high end eateries. I don’t like dark chocolate in anything. I know that takes away any Chocolate Gourmand status from me, but I just don’t get into the chalky sourness of them. I don’t even care for dark chocolate M&Ms, dark chocolate kisses, or those very expensive looking bars of them you find in specialty grocery shops with animals on them. In some souffles or in a food which is very creamy, I can handle it, but for the most part the chocolate turns out to be too bitter for me. So, when I found out this was dark chocolate, I was a little anxious.
My nervousness was for no reason, as these were amazingly good candies! They must have done something to increase the milky flavor to accent the sourness because these were nothing short of delicious. The bright red candy coating crunched tastily under my teeth, and the coffee bean was tasty and crunchy too.
One big caveat though. I am a coffee bean muncher. I can go into a store and grab a handful, eating them like peanuts. You just have to know how to do it – meaning don’t suck on them or leave them hanging around like grounds in your mouth. Just pop one in, chew it up, enjoy the flavor and swallow. Same with these treats – no sucking allowed. Just eat them like they were peanut coated M&Ms and you will do just fine.
Packaging:10
How Cool is This. Really. This is really the reason for buying this thing in the first place. You just can not beat this awesome tin shaped like a D cell battery. You can’t throw them away either, as they are too cute and collectible. These are in every way great replicas of D Cell batteries with a pop-off lid. On the outside you get their name, a small and when you do get inside, there are a dozen little bright red slightly powdered energy beans just daring you to eat. The beans are kept fresh by the little baggie it comes in inside the battery – not a bad one in the bunch.