Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares Are a Real Treat

May daughter doesn't keep candy around her house. She's smarter than I am. She knows if it is there, the temptation will be too strong.

On the other hand, she is always disappointed when she comes to visit if I don't have candy on hand. So recently, I have taken to buying candy that she likes but I don't. That way she gets her occasional treat and I don't break my diet.

She loves all things Ghirardelli, with a personal preference for their chocolate squares. While I don't dislike Ghirardelli chocolate, it isn't my favorite. That means it is safe to keep it in my house.

Recently, I purchased several bags of Ghirardelli chocolate squares to keep on hand. One bag is their Caramel Trio. The bag contains squares of milk chocolate and caramel, dark chocolate and caramel and milk chocolate with caramel latte.

There are about 15 squares in each 8.51 oz. bag. A serving size is 3 pieces. There are 220 calories per serving. Of that amount, over half or 120 calories come from fat.

There are 13 grams of fat in each serving of Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares. Of that amount, 7 grams come from saturated fat and .5 grams are related to trans fat. There are also 27 grams of carbohydrate, 22 grams of sugar, 50 milligrams of sodium and 10 milligrams of cholesterol.

On the flip side, Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares also contain 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber. Finally, they offer 8% of the daily-recommended amount of iron, 6% of the required calcium and 2% of the needed vitamin A.

Ingredients include artificial and natural flavors, cocoa butter, corn syrup, disodium phosphate, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, potassium sorbate, salt, soy lecithin, sugar, sweetened condensed whole milk, unsweetened chocolate, vanilla, water and whole milk powder.

What Ghirardelli does that is unique lies within their quality control. They begin with bean selection, choosing only the very best beans to be used in their product. Next, they roast the beans using their own process that brings out the flavor of the chocolate. In refining, they work to make certain the chocolate is velvety smooth and creamy. Finally, in conching, they bring out the sophisticated nuisances buried within the chocolate.

Here is my summary review:

Taste: 4 stars. I like Ghirardelli chocolate but I don't love it. Still, there is no denying that it is a premium product.

Appearance: 5 stars. Every one of the Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares is a work of art on its own. The colors are picture perfect. There are no flaws in the form. In short, they are stunningly beautiful.

Freshness: 5 stars. Freshness is important to Ghirardelli. They take it seriously and consequently, their products are first rate.

Packaging: 5 stars. The bag for Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares is stunning. It is done in pink and red with blue, brown, and white lettering. The bag is heavy-duty foil and beautifully made. Inside, each square is wrapped in coordinating, but unique cellophane packets.

The Caramel Latte Squares are done in a swirl of off-white and beige cellophane with a gold banner, blue trim and brown and white lettering. The Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares are wrapped in antique gold cellophane with the same gold, blue, brown and white banner. The Dark Chocolate Caramel Squares are wrapped in chocolate brown cellophane with the same gold banner as the other squares.

Dietary value: 3 stars. Chocolate may not be a major food group but it is one in which a lot of people will indulge. If you are going to do that, Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares are no worse choice than any other and, quality wise, they may be a step above most.

Ease of purchase: 5 stars. Ghirardelli Caramel Trio Chocolate Squares can be purchased at most discount department stores, major drugs stores and some grocery marts.

Price: 4 stars. I got the bag at a special sale for about $1.50. It normally averages closer to $3.50 to $4 a bag. That works out to roughly $.25 a serving. For this chocolate, that is a bargain.

Final rating: 3.7 stars, which borders on good.

RATING SCALE:

5 stars - outstanding
4 stars - good
3 stars - average
2 stars - below average
1 star - poor