Gianduja – Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1 review for Gianduja – Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Biagio’s Disciple III – August 20, 2020

   I have a soft spot for giandujas, but at this point in my life pretty much only the fine chocolate/artisanal-quality varieties, as below that level there are some real stinkers. Once you become accustomed to 3 or 4-ingredient gianduja spreads (chocolate, hazelnut, sugar, and optional salt or milk), almost everything else either doesn’t use particularly good chocolate, or even worse has a somewhat chemical aftertaste. Sorry, Nutella- I still love you, but you’re pretty much the chocolatey-spread world’s answer to Cheez Whiz at this point.

   I’ve enjoyed many of Potomac’s bars for about a decade now, and the other day had my first chance to try the gianduja. My first impression upon opening the jar, and expectantly sliding a knife into it (not a spoon this time, although with gianduja I do choose that mode often for immediate jar-to-palate enjoyment), was utter amazement. Potomac have found just the right balance of firmness and spreadability, where the contents don’t collapse upon themselves when some is removed, nor do they require any effort at all to spread. I keep my house at 80-81 degrees in the summer, and this jar hasn’t settled in the 5 days I’ve had it- still just as it was when it arrived.

   As to flavor, it is rich, verging onto toasty notes, and not particularly sweet, which is a nice contrast to some other spreads where it’s difficult to get past that to actually detect the flavor of the chocolate and hazelnut. Perhaps this may require adjustment for people more used to the power punch of sugar and hazelnut that many cheaper versions contain, but get past that reliance on added sweetness and you’ll see this is flavorful, balanced, creamy, and delicious. A rewarding foray by Potomac into the chocolate spread genre, and again I fully laud the remarkable consistency and texture that Potomac has achieved within entirely natural means. Bravo!

2. 

   Ben Rasmussen – August 20, 2020

   Thank you for the review! I’m glad you enjoyed it so well!