Dairy-Free Bubble Chocolate Now in America

Bubbles. Chocolate.

Better than chocolate and peanut butter? It melts in your mouth and is lower in calories. (I Can't Believe It's Not Chocolate?) So you tell me.

Whatever it is, it goes by the easy-to-ask-for name of Bubble Chocolate.

First the press release.

While the sensation will be new to most Americans, it will be a taste of home to the millions of international citizens living in the States. With an estimated one billion dollars in annual international aerated chocolate sales (Mintel, 2009), Bubble Chocolate® introduces chocolate lovers to the light, airy, and unique melt-in-your-mouth experience.

"This is a new Bubble Chocolate® that’s all natural and reformulated to introduce Americans to the aerated chocolate craze that has dominated international markets for decades," says Frank Drab, president Bubble Chocolate®. "The timing is right to bring something new and exciting to the U.S. market. Americans will love it, the international community will be happy to have it and it will be a favorite among dieters who are looking for a satisfying, yet lower calorie chocolate fix."

People on restricted calorie diets, tend to prefer this type of chocolate. The nature of the aerated process makes the bars lower in calories than a regular chocolate bar, and despite the lower calories, it does not compromise the overall taste experience. In fact, since Bubble Chocolate® literally melts in-your-mouth, the taste is more immediate and the burst of flavor tends to satisfy chocolate cravings sooner. As the company slogan states, it’s "Just the Right Amount of Chocolate®." ...

"Creating Bubble Chocolate® is both an art and a science," says Drab. "Our proprietary procedure infuses bubbles throughout the chocolate at just the right temperature. Then it's molded and cooled so the bubbly structure remains inside while a smooth outer shell is formed."

Bubble Chocolate® looks like a regular chocolate bar, but the inside has tiny bubbles. The best way to enjoy Bubble Chocolate® is to start by breaking off a small piece and chewing it gently until it begins to melt. Your mouth will change from slightly dry to moist and creamy. This delightful transition occurs when your taste-bud receptors are drawn to the chocolate bubbles as it starts to melt.

Is it cruel to say that you can tell this product is from a European company because the press release seems to have been written by somebody for whom English is not a first language? Of course, I tend to think that of most press releases.

Only the dark chocolate version of Bubble Chocolate is dairy free, of course.

I found one review of it, by Lorraine Eaton of the Virginian-Pilot. Apparently having to let chocolate melt in your mouth is something instant-gratification-raised Americans will need a while to adapt to.

I broke off a square of the dark, which delivered a nice, dark hit of flavor. The texture takes a bit of getting used to. You definitely have to let it melt in your mouth; chewing results in a grainy texture. It wasn't a winner in my book, but maybe the calorie savings would make it more enticing.

When I compared the back of my Bubble Chocolate bar and my Trader Joe’s bar I was surprised to find similar values: Trader Joe’s has 200 calories and 15 grams of fat in a 33 gram serving (about four solid squares) and Bubble has the same counts in a 40 gram serving. The kicker for me was price. TJ's is $1.99 for a 3.5-ounce bar; Bubble Chocolate is $2.50 for a 2.82-ounce bar.

No love at first nibble for me. Sigh.

Well, 40 grams is almost 20% more than 33 grams, so having the same total fat and calories is a 20% savings per unit volume. That might make a difference to some.

Or letting it melt won't be a problem. Try it for yourself. The company will ship to "virtually any address in the US. Note that there are restrictions and/or challenges with some destinations due to the perishable nature of all natural premium chocolate. "