We’re lucky to have a handful of chocolate makers and chocolatiers in Austin that share their craft. These are great options for picking up a gift or discovering somewhere new in your neighborhood.

Listed in alphabetical order, here are six companies to find chocolate in and around Austin!

Delysia Chocolatier

Specializing in chocolate truffles, Delysia Chocolatier’s elegant boxed sets feature fun flavors and colorful designs. Their seasonal collections help you celebrate the holidays.

Shop: 2000 Windy Terrace #2c, Austin, TX 78726, United States

Website

Edis Chocolate

This chocolate shop and bakery is a sweet treat, and you’ll want to visit in person to see the full selection. Choose from chocolate truffles and chocolate desserts like flourless cake and hazelnut amaretto torte. I had the best chocolate cupcake I’ve ever eaten, and the torte and truffles were delicious.

Shop: 3808 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, TX 78759

Website

Ecuadorian Chocolate Factory

This is a full bean-to-bar production, founded and owned by locals. The beans come from the family farm in Ecuador, and in-store, you’ll be able to see how the cacao nibs transform into chocolate bars, chocolate bark, truffles, and more. I recommend the 85% chocolate bar and the toffee bark.

Shop: 251 N Bell Blvd #110, Cedar Park, TX 78613

Website

Kilwins

Founded in Michigan in 1947, Kilwins focuses on hand-crafted chocolates and sweets. Fudge and caramel are made on-site, and they also sell the brand’s ice cream. This franchise location is the only store in Austin, and one of 11 stores in Texas.

Shop: 3500 E Parmer Ln Ste. 3120, Austin, TX 78754

Website

KESSHŌ Chocolate

For a variety of craft chocolate goodies and to support an Asian-owned business, KESSHŌ is a great option. This Austin-based company makes single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate bars, some with Asian ingredients like hojicha, yuzu, and black sesame. At their trailer, you can also get gelato and baked goods made with their chocolate.

Shop: 603 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX 78704 and 6726 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757

Website

SRSLY chocolate

While the company has changed owners since its founding, this bean-to-bar chocolate company has dazzled the Austin area for years, selling its chocolate bars at farmers markets and pop-up markets.

Shop: Online and in local stores like Central Market

Website

Pick up a sweet treat and enjoy!

Want to learn more about chocolate?

• See this post about bean-to-bar chocolate
• Read this post about my chocolate tour in Belize

Looking for more dessert? Check out these posts:

• 30 Best Cold Treats in Austin – Ice Cream, Soft Serve, and More
• Where to Get Mochi Donuts in Austin
• 11 Best Desserts in The Domain Austin Area
• Best Asian Desserts in Austin

The post Best Chocolate Shops in Austin appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

Last year, I was introduced to the world of craft chocolate through a book called Bean-to-Bar Chocolate. A few months later, it got very real when we ended up touring a cacao farm and making chocolate by hand in Belize. Learning about the chocolate-making process and what’s going on in the craft chocolate industry encouraged me to buy a bunch of chocolate to taste. Of course, I had to try Austin’s local chocolate maker SRSLY chocolate, and I’ve been buying their products ever since!

I was very excited when SRSLY chocolate invited our Austin Food Bloggers Alliance group to tour their factory and store in historic downtown Taylor. We learned so much about the company and chocolate-making. In fact, we even got to customize our own chocolate bars! But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself, so more on that later.

All About SRSLY chocolate

Bob Williamson is a foodie at his core. From working as a cheese maker to baking pastries, he was frequently drawn to combining his love of food with his creative energy as a maker. He decided to make chocolate from scratch for a croissant and that curiosity and dedication began a new journey that has led to SRSLY chocolate.

That might sound like the magic happened overnight, but as with anything that’s worthwhile, it hasn’t been easy or fast. The craft chocolate world is new and small, so it took a lot of researching, testing, creating tools, and building a network of chocolate-making friends to get where they are today.

SRSLY chocolate enjoys bringing other makers into the mix. They’ve collaborated with Third Coast Coffee, HiFi Mycology, Two Hives Honey, Miche Bread, and Barton Springs Mill. They also provide their chocolate as an ingredient for local vendors to use in their products. For example, you can find SRSLY chocolate in a few of Lick Honest Ice Cream’s flavors.

In addition to providing their chocolate as an ingredient and selling their chocolate at Austin farmers markets and local stores, Bob and his artistic wife Robin opened up their beautiful Taylor shop a few months ago. With an educational panel on one wall, the delicious chocolate bar wall, and rope decor in the window, the shop has a beautiful and welcoming aesthetic.

Six years after the first attempt at making chocolate, SRSLY chocolate has come a long way and continues to innovate.

Touring SRSLY chocolate and Making Chocolate

The first thing you’ll notice when you step inside the SRSLY chocolate factory and shop is the sweet smell of chocolate. It automatically puts a smile on your face.

We headed behind the shop wall to see where all the magic happens. SRSLY chocolate bars are wrapped in a printed cardstock like a puzzle or origami. These sheets are die-cut by hand and individually wrapped around the foil-wrapped chocolate.

Bob shared all about the bean-to-bar process. We got to see the huge bags of beans and the difference between beans of two countries. (As I mention in the bean-to-bar chocolate post, beans have specific tastes that come from the land of the country.) After the beans arrive, Bob takes them to Third Coast Coffee, a local coffee roaster, to roast them. The cacao shells are then removed and the beans go into the stone mill to be ground into liquid. You can imagine this whole process similar to how peanuts become peanut butter.

The chocolate is then moved into another machine to be tempered, which makes it look smoother and the fats even.

After that, the chocolate is poured into molds and inclusions are added. We had a lot of fun customizing our own bars. What do you think?

A quick note about the difference between chocolate makers and chocolatiers. Chocolate makers take cacao beans and turn them into chocolate. Chocolatiers take chocolate and turn them into confections like truffles.

SRSLY chocolate’s New Bon Bon Program

Now, SRSLY chocolate is taking it another step and going from bean to bonbon! Not only are they creating the chocolate that goes into a confection but they are starting to create their own confections.

SRSLY chocolate partners with Texas purveyors to provide ingredients for their bonbons. For example, the pear bonbon features Confituras jam and the dewberry bonbon features berries from a farm in Cameron, TX. I got a taste of these two flavors and they are so delicious! They have four additional flavors: peach, coffee ganache, vanilla mesquite, and Texas pecan chocolate praline.

Conclusion

The easiest way to learn about SRSLY chocolate flavors and buy products is on their website. Plus, you can always get a taste at their retail store or at the farmers market. I love the Sea Salt & Almond, 84% Oko Caribe, Peppermint, and Dirty White. Texas Mesquite is a new flavor to showcase the local mesquite tree pods. They’re always working on new flavors so follow them on Instagram for updates.

I’m a craft chocolate fanatic and as you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about! Supporting craft chocolate makers like SRSLY chocolate means you’re enjoying a high-quality product and providing for cacao farmers and their families instead of supporting slave labor and unfair wages. SRSLY chocolate is seriously good (you’ve been waiting for that this whole post, right? ), so give it a taste!

SRSLY chocolate
Factory and shop located at 117 E. 3rd Street, Taylor, TX
Website – shop online

Have you ever tasted craft chocolate? What’s your favorite company?

P.S. For more chocolate options in Austin, see this post.

P.P.S. Check out our visit to a cacao farm and factory in Belize here!

You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Why I Love SRSLY chocolate’s Bean-to-Bar Chocolate appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

A few months before we traveled to Belize, I read Bean-to-Bar Chocolate and was immersed in the craft chocolate world. It was fun to learn about how quality beans become quality chocolate, how chocolate makers are changing the world, and how the chocolate industry is evolving. I’ve become a big advocate for supporting cacao farmers and enjoying the high-quality product that comes from their work. Cacao farmers and chocolate makers have been doing this for a long time but the growing interest in craft chocolate is showing the value of their products. All of this background made the chocolate tour in Belize a must-do for me.

History

The first thing I want to clear up is the difference in the terms Maya and Mayans. Mayan is used as an adjective for the language, while Maya is a noun and descriptor for everything else, including the people. If you’re like me, you’ve been saying it wrong your whole life, and everything you’ve learned has re-iterated that mistake. Many times, “Mayan” is used because it sounds better or we think it’s the plural version of Maya. Search “Mayan” on the internet and your search results will direct you back to “Maya” because the internet knows what’s up. Every mention of “Mayan ruins” should be Maya ruins. Now you know!

Before I tell you about our tour, let me share some history. Mayas used cacao beans, the “food of the gods” to make drinking chocolate, which was thought to help you get closer to the gods. It was also a part of special occasions like weddings. Eventually, cacao beans were so valuable, they were used as currency. It’s safe to say, chocolate has been a tradition in the Maya culture for a long, long time. We were honored to be shown around by Mayas who have had the traditions of farming and chocolate making passed down through generations.

In the Cacao Bean Farm

We started our tour where the magic starts – at a cacao farm. We saw the pods on the trees and how the pods also interestingly grew from the strong trunks of the tree. See the small pods in the photo below? We learned about how another type of tree with tall trunks and leafy branches were grown alongside the cacao trees for shade.

Cacao farming is a fruitful endeavor in Belize, and you can find craft single origin bars by chocolate makers with international reach. Chocolate from Belize is known for its fruity notes. All the chocolate starts from these raw cacao beans, which tasted sour and sweet, a long way from the finished product!

From Bean to Bar

After a walk around the farm, we went back to the Che’il shop for owner Julio Saqui to show us how to make chocolate! Making chocolate takes a lengthy and careful process, and we got to make two small bars. While modern metal machines help with the process these days, the historic stone seems to put more magic into it. Making chocolate gave me a lot of appreciation, as only making by hand can do. We tried our hand at grinding the fermented, dried, and roasted cacao nibs!

After grinding the nibs into liquid, a bit of sugar was added and ground again. The liquid was scooped into molds and put into the freezer. About 10 minutes later, chocolate bars! Since there are no additional hardening ingredients in the chocolate, it melts very fast, but don’t worry, we ate them quickly!

Sadly, if we had bought more chocolate bars, we would have a melted mess by the time we got back home. I opted for cacao powder, and I used some of it to make this Texas Sheet Cake. It was incredibly rich!

Conclusion

Julio is incredibly passionate about chocolate and is a smart business owner. Little by little, he’s earned international recognition for his endeavors, created solutions to help fellow chocolatiers in Belize, and built up his business. But the most important thing is the chocolate. He’s in-tune with quality and knows there’s a better story than solely focusing on quantity. His chocolate-making tactics might be “old school” to some, but when you taste the result, it’s obvious that he knows what he’s doing. You can’t replicate that magic.

It was a special afternoon learning the story about Maya chocolate and getting a peek into the culture and traditions. Taking a chocolate tour can easily be seen as a “touristy” thing to do but it’s more about sharing the Maya history and supporting a local cacao farm and chocolate maker. For me, it also involved bringing my recent book knowledge to life. This adventure is available in several parts of Belize, and I recommend you taking the adventure if you get the chance. If nothing else, be sure to taste the chocolate while you’re there!

To follow Julio and Che’il, give them a like on Facebook!

The fun doesn’t stop. See all my Belize posts here!

P.S. Want to read more about craft chocolate? Check out this post!

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

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The bean-to-bar chocolate movement is booming! We now have over 200 chocolate makers in the U.S. compared to only five companies 15 years ago. Chocolate has a long history in the world (thanks, Mesoamericans, Mayans, and Aztecs) and production was propelled forward when chocolate factories opened in the 1890s. I like to think we are working on going back to the roots, creating unique craft chocolate that honors the land, the farmer, the flavors, and the craft.

I’ve been learning all about craft chocolate – from reading a book and articles, attending a chocolate event, and tasting chocolate – and in true foodie nerd form, I’m fascinated by everything I’ve learned and experienced. There are chocolate makers and chocolate lovers out to change the world through chocolate, and I wanted to share some of my favorite and eye-opening facts and figures. So, are you ready? Let’s talk chocolate! 

What is bean-to-bar chocolate?

Bean-to-bar chocolate is carefully made in from start to finish. A chocolate maker will source, roast, grind, and smoothe the high-quality whole cocoa beans to make a chocolate bar. Chocolate makers are a part of the whole process – from where the beans are grown to what the chocolate wrappers look like. They’ve likely visited the cocoa farms themselves and know the farmers or at least source beans from specific farmers. Quality and flavor of the chocolate, as well as farming ethics, are what make bean-to-bar chocolate different from industrial chocolate.

Cacao Beans

But why craft chocolate?

As with other craft products, the thought is more care and better ingredients go into making a craft product. Beer and coffee are two other industries that come to mind. It’s mass production (industrial) vs. smaller batch production, like Budweiser and Folgers vs. your local craft brewery and coffee roaster. In the chocolate industry, craft companies are competing for consumer loyalties against corporations like Nestle, Mars, and Hershey’s. Craft companies are impacting more than their bottom line from the very beginning of their process. They know who their cocoa farmers are and aim to pay them fairly and a living wage. They don’t exploit farmers and they focus on quality and ethics.

The facts make it undeniable. About 70% of the world’s industrial chocolate comes from Africa, mostly from two countries, Ghana and Ivory Coast. Nestle made $100 billion in sales in 2015 while Ghana and Ivory Coast have a GDP of around $73 billion. Something doesn’t add up here. Adding the knowledge of Africa’s human rights issues and widespread poverty, buying cheap chocolate doesn’t seem worth it.

Enjoying craft chocolate means enjoying some of the best quality chocolate while supporting the hard-working cacao farmers that are providing for their families. You’re also supporting the chocolate maker that believes in the farmers and the art of making incredible-tasting chocolate. 

So, there’s a cool book about craft chocolate?

Yes! Megan Giller, a chocolate aficionado and blogger of Chocolate Noise, has been studying bean-to-bar chocolate for years and her colorful and insightful book about everything she has learned is available. I couldn’t put ‘Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: America’s Craft Chocolate Revolution‘ down and have learned so much about where chocolate comes from, how to taste chocolate, what drinks and foods to pair with chocolate, the history of many bean-to-bar companies in the U.S., and more! The book is packed with information and is sure to get you excited about chocolate.

Fun illustrations in the book

Snippets from the Book

Here are a few facts and things to know about chocolate from the book. The book is the perfect place to start learning about craft chocolate.

• ‘Chocolate maker’ refers to the people taking cacao beans and making them into chocolate bars. ‘Chocolatier’ refers the people taking chocolate and making them into confections like bon bons and truffles.
• Cacao refers to the pod and beans while cocoa is what it is called after it is fermented and dried. Chocolate is the finished product, like a bar, we eat.
• Single-origin chocolate means the beans used to make the bar is from one country. These bars usually say the country on the wrapper. Countries are known for specific flavors (fruity or nutty are a few), so that’s a way to find the chocolate you like.
• Going further, single-estate chocolate means the beans come from one specific farm.
• Cacao only grows 20 degrees north and south of the equator.
• In the U.S., cacao is only grown in Hawaii.
• White chocolate IS chocolate. It contains at least 20% cocoa butter, something present in every pod.
• Direct trade means chocolate makers buy directly from the farmer.

Great profiles on chocolate makers in the book

Craft Chocolate Recipes!

Yes, the book also includes decadent recipes from chefs and chocolate makers. This means you can take your craft chocolate and make things like chocolate mousse, truffles, cakes, and more!

What are some craft chocolate companies?

There are over 200 craft chocolate companies in the U.S. and here are a few of them. Many more companies are featured in the book! Also here’s a list of 50 chocolate makers in the U.S.!

• Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO)
• Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA)
• French Broad Chocolates (Asheville, NC)
• Raaka (Brooklyn, NY)
• Ritual Chocolate (Park City, UT)
• SRSLY (Austin, TX)

Where Can I Buy Craft Chocolate?

In Austin, Texas, you can find craft chocolate at:

• Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
• Central Market
• Wheatsville Co-Op
• Whole Foods

Outside of Austin:

• Check out Whole Foods or Central Market in your city
• Check any artisan food shops
• Buy it straight from the chocolate company on their website
• Buy bars from different companies through ChocoCurb, Cocoa Runners, and The Chocolate Garage

Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Events

Megan is in town promoting her book with a few fun events. I got to attend her chocolate tasting event at Chocolaterie Tessa to taste some bean-to-bar chocolates and talk chocolate. They even had some cacao pods and beans for us to see. (Chocolaterie Tessa is an awesome chocolate shop in Austin. I love their single-origin bon bons!) Check out all the events here.

Roasted pod on the right, raw pod on the left

Some things I learned from the tasting (some of these things are included in the book too):

• It’s best for your palate to taste chocolate from darkest (higher percentage) to lightest because milk/cream stays in your mouth longer.
• Taste chocolate at room temperature for the full flavor.
• Raw cacao beans taste nothing like chocolate. Roasting the beans is where chocolate gets its flavors!
• The first craft chocolate was sold in 2005.
• The flavors of craft chocolate bars are not exactly the same because the beans vary from crop to crop. That’s what makes it fun!
• Craft chocolate is getting better and better because the machinery is getting better.
• The average cacao farmer is 50 years old and 25% of their children are planning to enter the industry. The cacao industry is not profitable because they are not paid as well for the crop. This makes it more important to support farmers to sustain and grow the industry. (More reason for my ‘why craft chocolate’ section above.)
• Recommended article to read: The Economics of Chocolate

Conclusion

Whew, that was A LOT of information! I could probably nerd out with you more but I’ll let you read the book to get the full scoop. Craft chocolate is an exciting part of the foodie world and I hope you get to experience it for yourself!

GIVEAWAY: If you want to WIN a copy of the book, check out my Instagram contest here or leave a comment below. I’ll pick a winner from all entries in a week!

Quick Links

• Megan Giller’s blog/website
• Buy the book on Amazon

Do you like chocolate? Any specific brands? What craft products do you like?

Disclosure: I was given an advanced copy of the book. I was not required to publish anything about the book and all opinions are my own. I read the book and if you can’t tell, I loved it and am happy to share all about it!

P.S. Want to learn the importance of honey? Check out this post!

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Bloglovin’. You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

The post Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: How Craft Chocolate is Changing the World appeared first on Fearless Captivations.