Côte d’Or Experiences 70% & Raspberries

I have a feeling that this was primarily called "Noir Framboise" but it appears to have been renamed for those Brits who can't speak a word of French (or be bothered to read the packet to see what it contains).

It's a while since I have had a Côte d’Or bar, and certainly the first one since starting this site. I am also a big fan of raspberries, so snapped this up when I laid my peepers on it - coming to the bar itself described as "Smooth and rich 70% cocoa solid DARK (sic) chocolate with a thin layer of raspberries enveloped in chocolate."

On opening the bar, you are hit with that lovely intense bittersweet dark chocolate smell - always one of my favourites. You also get a hint of the raspberries therein. The dark chocolate is glossy, and emblazoned with the traditional Côte d’Or elephant. Cute.
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I was a little worried about how apparent the raspberries would be, as on the ingredients they are listed as a paltry 1.1% of the ingredients. However, it can be tasted (there are other fruit ingredients in there as well, I suspect to help it along) and it compliments beautifully the chocolate. The dark chocolate is smooth and rich, and is one of those chocolates with that odd ability to stay cool in your mouth, even as it melts. And as it melts, you get the odd little bit of candied raspberry to bite on, for even more a fruity reminder of the contents. If you munch your chocolate, you may not notice these candied pieces, but if you let it melt on your tongue, they become very apparent.

I loved this bar - it tasted smooth, rich and above all, fresh tasting. Côte d’Or never seems very bitter to me anyway (lets see, I have an 86% one in the Cupboard of Love . . . ) but the raspberry flavour certainly counteracts any bitterness there may be. A really lovely combination.

HOW NAUGHTY IS IT?
Calories: 580
Fat: 46.0g
( per 100g)

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