Best Allergen-Free Chocolate 2013

Since I am a chocolaholic, I will always be on the lookout for the best chocolate for baking, cooking, eating and giving.  Here is a start to my list.  I'll keep adding to it and letting you know what else I find out, and publish a new one every year! So let me know your favorites and why.

Cooking, Baking & Confections

Barry Callebaut - North America - DARK CHOCOLATE

Barry Callebaut dark chocolate is used by confection makers, restaurants and bakers world-wide because it is a fantastic chocolate.  The North American factory is a dedicated dairy-free facility, and they test for dairy.  The North American factory also does not produce any gluten or nut products, however, they do not test or monitor sourcing. I use this chocolate for many recipes. 

• Dairy Free (processed on a dedicated dairy-free, dark chocolate North American factory line & tested for milk.)
• Kosher Certified
  
• Vegan (no animal products are processed on their dark chocolate line)
• Soy: Contains small amounts of soy (soy lecithin is used for consistency)
  
• **Gluten: currently, gluten products are not processed in the North American Factory, however, there is no testing for this at the moment. 
• **Nuts: currently, nuts are not processed in the North American Factory, however, there is no testing for this at the moment.  Some European factories do process nuts, so please do your own research.
• Organic Status: not certified organic
• GMO Status?  Currently Unknown.
  
  **It's always best to do your own research and match your personal allergens with those of the company.
  

www.barry-callebaut.com

RECIPES

Check out Tender Palate's gluten & dairy-free recipes for Almond Cognac Truffles (contains nuts) & for our Coconut Truffles  using Callebaut.

Navitas Naturals Raw Cacao Powder

UPDATE 5/13/16

PLEASE NOTE: Navitas started producing tapioca in their factories some time ago, so I am no longer able to use their products because I have an anaphylactic response to tapioca. however, I picked up a package this week to show a friend, and the allegen statement has changed. It states that it processes  in a factory that also produces wheat, dairy, peanuts and more. Please check with the company and the label to be sure that this product is safe for you to consume if you are sensitie or allergic to the top 8 allergnes.

"All of Navitas Naturals products are inherently gluten free and vegan. We do not source or process anything with gluten and therefore our entire production facility is gluten free. We do not have a gluten free certification at this point nor do we test for parts per million for each product, but are working toward doing so for the near future. Our foods are also all dairy free. Again we do not test for parts per million at this time, but no dairy is ever present in our facility."

~Arthur Mullin, Navitas Naturals, IN 2013

• No Gluten: not sourced or processed with gluten, but not tested. In the process of getting gluten-free certification and performing a ppm test for gluten-free certification for raw cacao. Navitas Power Snack line is gluten-free certified.
• No Dairy: no dairy is present in the facility, but not tested for dairy at this time.
• Tree Nuts:  facility processes tree nuts, but handles cashews only.
• Soy: We do not test for parts per million for soy or peanuts. Our superfoods come from around the world and are grown in natural, native habitats. The risk for cross contamination with gluten, soy, or other legumes is extremely low and/or unlikely.
• Peanuts: We do not test for parts per million for soy or peanuts. Our superfoods come from around the world and are grown in natural, native habitats. The risk for cross contamination with gluten, soy, or other legumes is extremely low and/or unlikely.
• Sulfite Free: None of Navitas Naturals products contain sulfites
  
• Organic: All products are certified organic and use minimal processing methods such as freeze-drying. The facility is certified organic.
• GMO Status?  Navitas Naturals products are Non-GMO Project Verified! That means they’ve met the rigorous standards of the Non-GMO Project- an independent non-profit reviewer that ensures products are made according to best practices for GMO avoidance. Organic Facility. Under current FDA regulations, no GMOs are allowed in organic foods.
• Certified Kosher: "Most of our products are certified kosher through Earth Kosher. You can find more information at www.earthkosher.com."

Read the labels for your particular allergens at:  http://navitasnaturals.com

UPDATE 5/13/16

Navitas started producing tapioca in their factories some time ago, so I am no longer able to use their products because I have an anaphylactic response to tapioca. however, I picked up a package this week to show a friend, and the allegen statement has changed. It states that it processes  in a factory that also produces wheat, dairy, peanuts and more. Please check with the company and the label to be sure that this product is safe for you to consume if you are sensitie or allergic to the top 8 allergens.

RECIPES

Here's a recipe for a 14 allergen free (also not nuts/peanuts) Not Yo Mamma's Chocolate Mousse Tart & Chocolate Squash Muffins using Navitas Raw Cacao. Both are soy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, tapioca-free.

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

& Bittersweet Chunks

This is a great little chunk. The chocolate is very good, high quality and can be used in most of your baking needs. I've even used it to make truffles, which surprised me that these chunks would work for confection. Enjoy LIfe chocolate products do contain tapioca.

• Free of the 8 most common allergens (NO wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, or shellfish. Also made without casein, potato, sesame or sulfites).
• Nut-free (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• Gluten-free  (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• **Dairy-free (tested)
• **Soy-free (tested)
• **(produced in a facility that also processes dairy and soy, but produced on a dedicated dairy-and soy-free line.  Ingredients have been additionally tested for the presence of dairy and soy)
• Contains Tapioca
• GMO status?  Currently unknown.
• Organic Status? Not organic

Read the labels for your particular allergens at: http://www.enjoylifefoods.com

RECIPES

Here's a recipe using these chunks/chips for Coconut Cream Muffins & Brownie Tart

Giving & Eating

Eating Evolved - The Primal Dark Chocolate Company

Eating Evolved Vanilla Latte TruffleI have not yet tasted these incredible looking treats myself, but am adding them to this list because I've read other reviews which loved them. It is also rare to find a chocolate product that has no dairy, soy, gluten, or tapioca in it.  I corresponded with Eating Evolved on Facebook to find out more specific information on how they handle common allergens.  Here is what they said:

Our chocolates are completely gluten, dairy, soy-free and is made in a facility that is free of those allergens. We do have three flavors of Primal Chocolate that contain nuts (banana walnut, coconut almond, and fig & almond) so our facility is not nut-free.

No Gluten: no gluten in the ingredietns and made in a gluten-free facility but is not yet tested for gluten. Gluten testing is in the company's future plans.

No Dairy: no dairy n the ingredients and made in a dairy-free facility but is not yet tested for dairy. Dairy testing is in the company's future plans.

No Soy: no soy in the ingredients and made in a soy-free facility but is not yet tested for soy. Soy testing is in the company's future plans.

No Tapioca: ingredients are tapioca free

Organic Status: All ingredients are organic except for the coffee beans used in the Maple Bacon Mocha Truffle and the Vanilla Latte Primal Chocolate. The estate that produces the coffee beans is Passive Organic and the family that owns it does not allow chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, etc.). Click here to find out more about the coffee beans they use.

All of our ingredients are organic except for the coffee beans used in the Maple Bacon Mocha Truffle and the Vanilla Latte Primal Chocolate. The estate that produces the coffee beans is Passive Organic and the family that owns it does not allow chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, etc.). Click here to find out more about the coffee beans we use. - See more at: http://eatingevolved.com/?page_id=78#sthash.4c8jgRWA.dpuf

Tree Nuts: Certain products contain nuts

Peanuts: Though there are no peanuts in Eating Evolved products, nor are there any in their facility, Some of their ingredients that they get from other vendors are packaged in facilites that handle peanuts.

http://eatingevolved.com/

Righteously Raw

This is dark stuff, and I love, love, love it. If you haven't had raw chocolate that isn't too sweet, this might be a palate changer for you. The chocolate is developed to contain many phytonutrients from superfoods, including the raw cacao itself. I always feel like I feel better after I eat one of these bars. I don't think its my imagination! The acai and maca are my favorites. The caramel, which I also like, is an acquired taste (it doesn't taste like typical caramel), as is the rose. But I wouldn't kick them out of my shopping cart.

No Dairy: Certified Vegan, no dairy in the facility

No Gluten: Facility is free of gluten / wheat

No Soy: Facility is free from soy

No Peanuts: Facility is free from peanuts

No Nuts: Facility is free from nuts

PLEASE NOTE: I have a call in to discuss any testing that they do, and to see if any of their suppliers have allergens in their facilities. Stay tuned for more info on that.

Ceritifed Kosher

Certified Organic

GMO Status: part of the non-GMO project (love that)

Indie Candy 

Indie Candy makes allergen-free confections for Tender Foodies of all kinds.  Their truffles are very good, and they cater to several special diets. They offer selections that are:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• Kosher
• Vegan
• Feingold Diet Approved
• Contains Tapioca
  

www.indiecandy.com

Check out what The Tender Foodie has to say about Indie Candy in our Review.

Top 10 Hidden Sources for Holiday Gluten

 

BY GUEST BLOGGER, KYRA BUSSANICH of Crave Bake Shop

With December in full swing, holiday parties abound as the perfect event to put a little cheer into dreary weather. Those of us with gluten allergies are well-versed in avoiding party foods that obviously contain gluten—like gingerbread cookies, pie, crackers and bruschetta. But what about the foods that you might think are safe and free of gluten?

It may come as a surprise, but gluten can masquerade under different names (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, monosodium glutamate, barley malt extract, modified food starch, and many more). And even more shocking are the products that might contain one of these forms of gluten, so I've compiled this list of foods to beware at your next holiday party. Your best odds are to bring your own dish to share, (or eat beforehand, so you're not tempted at the party).

The Top 10 List!

1. Swedish Meatballs: Most premade meatballs are mixed with breadcrumbs or flour as an inexpensive way to stretch the meat. And that's not even considering the gravy the meatballs are doused with. If you aren't completely certain about the ingredients, your best bet is to just stay away.

2. The Meat and Cheese Platter: Many deli meats contain natural and artificial flavors (including those which include gluten). I have unwittingly consumed gluten-laden turkey, not realizing that the "natural juices" that it was marinated in contained MSG.

3. Candied Nuts: Most times these should be gluten-free, but I have seen packages of candied nuts that contained maltose (which may be derived from barley, which is not gluten-free). Of course, if you make a giant batch yourself, you can control what ingredients you use, and as a bonus, a tin or bag tied with a ribbon full of candied nuts makes a lovely hostess gift.

4. Bloody Marys: Some brands of Bloody Mary Mix (ahem... Mr. & Mrs. T) are not gluten-free. Whether the gluten is from the caramel color, the disodium guanylate, the autolyzed yeast extract, or something else I can't pronounce, let alone spell, I do not know. But if you're craving a Bloody Mary, make it with pure tomato juice or V8, which is gluten-free.

5. Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies: Whenever my friends Rob and Amy host a party, there is a crockpot full of bacon-wrapped little smokies. And no matter how good it smells, with its brown sugary, bacony goodness, I stay away. Why? In this case, the source of gluten is likely not the bacon, but the ingredients in the little smokies sausages, or the sauce that it contains (soy sauce, worchestire sauce, and smoke flavoring all contain gluten of some kind, unless made gluten-free). And because the holidays are such a busy time of year, I don't have weeks to recover from ingesting gluten. So I smell but don't taste.

6. Cheese-Flavored Popcorn: Do you remember those Christmas tins of 3 different flavors of popcorn? When I was a kid, I adored these, alternating between the caramel and the cheese corn (Chicago style!). But as I went gluten-free and started reading labels carefully, I realized that not all cheese popcorn is created equal. And while there are brands out there that are gluten-free, there are also those the use MSG (or other gluten-containing ingredients) as an inexpensive way to flavor.

7. Fudge: Two years ago, I was tossing back fudge at a holiday party, not thinking twice about it. I had surveyed the buffet and pegged the homemade (though not by me) fudge as one of the safe items for me to eat. It was lightly spiced, like chai, and I was enjoying my 5th piece when the hostess came up to me and said, "Do you like it? Its gingerbread fudge! I crumbled up gingerbread cookies into fudge as I poured it into the pan!" Needless to say, the gingerbread cookies were not gluten-free, and because I had failed to ask questions (or avoid the buffet altogether), I had to cut short my time at the party.

8. Candy Canes: Most—but not all— candy canes are free of gluten (and dairy)! This is one of the safer items, but it's still best to check the package ingredients and brand before you accept that peppermint hot chocolate, or unthinkingly stick a candy cane in your mouth. I know Bob's, Spangler's and Hammond's all make candy canes that are free of gluten. But read ingredients anyway.

9. Eggnog: When made from scratch, eggnog should be gluten-free, containing only cream, milk, sugar, eggs, nutmeg and flavorings such as bourbon, rum or vanilla.I have, however, seen some of the carton-ed stuff containing wheat flour, presumably as a thickener. Like candy canes, eggnog should be safe, but read labels to be sure.

10. The Dip on the Veggie Platter: Usually a ranch dip accompanies pre-made veggie trays, and chances are fair that the dip contains gluten. By all means, eat the vegetables, but unless you know for sure the dip is okay, it is safer to avoid. And this isn't even considering a cutting board that has already been used to cut bread and other gluteny items and thus is subject to cross-contamination. It is always safest to bring something you made yourself, but then make sure you serve yourself first. I've been to plenty of parties where a congregation around the food table means hungry (and unthinking) guests use the pasta salad spoon to also dish up "safe" fruits (thereby contaminating the most innocuous seeming item at the party—the fruit platter).

Before you Party...

Holiday parties mean temptation in the form of food and drink aplenty. To stay safe, read labels, bring your own food, or, do as I do now: eat beforehand so you can make smart decisions and not graze mindlessly at the party. Have a small meal with protein and fat (like almond butter on an apple, or a coconut milk smoothie) before you head out the door. You'll be eating something you know is gluten-free and safe for you, the lack of starchy carbs means you won't feel bloated at the party, and the protein and fat will keep the pangs of hunger at bay so you're not tempted to indulge in something that looks safe, but might not be. This is also the best way to make sure I can still fit into all my party clothes after the new year!

Happy holidays!

A note on MSG from Elisabeth

We had a reader question about whether or not MSG (monosodium glutamate) is gluten-free.  There is a lot of chatter on different sites about MSG, and MSG can come from a variety of sources like corn, sugar beets and wheat.  Many sources say that MSG in the US is rarely made from wheat today (or that the protein is distilled/process out of the end-product, and the purity of any distillation is also of some debate), but I have no evidence of that either way right now.  Also, I double-checked with Kyra, who, as a pastry chef works closely with her ingredients and their sources.  She said that she included MSG as something to beware of, in part because her own reaction to it mimics her reaction to gluten, but mainly because there are food processors that use MSG as a flavoring.  More importantly,  even if the processor is a US company, they don't necessarily strictly use US ingredients: she's worked in places that have sourced their ingredients from Asia, where the MSG may or may not be derived from wheat.

Whether derived from wheat or not, MSG does, however, cause reactions in many people such as nausea, headaches, lightheadedness and heart palpitations or heart rate changes.  Though the FDA say it is a "safe" additive, enough people have an adverse reaction to it that is similar to an allergic reaction.  It is best to avoid MSG, esp. if you have allergies to its source product, or a reaction to the MSG itself. As Kyra told me, "its better to be safe than sick!"

Thanks to our reader for this question! 

~Elisabeth Veltman

ABOUT KYRA

Gluten-free Pastry Chef, Kyra Bussanich, of Crave Bake ShopKyra Bussanich is the owner of Crave Bake Shop, and the first gluten-free winner of the Food Network's Famed, "Cupcakes Wars".  Kyra graduated with honors from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu patisserie program, which gave her a solid foundation of knowledge about classical French baking techniques which she was able to apply toward baking gluten-free.  Kyra was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder when she was 20 years old. Part of staying healthy meant switching to a gluten-free diet, avoiding all wheat and overly processed foods. Whenever possible, she uses local ingredients, and serves customers with multiple allergies, as well.

More About & From Kyra

Kyra's Perfect Gluten-Free Picnic

Behind the Scenes of Cupcake Wars with Kyra Bussanich

Kyra's Baking Class:  Replacing Common Ingredients

Recipe:  Truffle Fudge Brownies from Crave Bake Shop

Kyra's Baking Class: Replacing Common Ingredients

Welcome to New guest blogger, Kyra Bussanich!  Kyra is the first gluten-free winner EVER of the Food Network's Cupcakes Wars and owner of Crave Bake Shop in Portland Oregon.  Once a month will be helping us with tips and tricks to allergen-free baking -- how lucky are we!  Plus, she will be sharing some of her wonderful recipes.  Thank you for jumping on the blog, Kyra, and for becoming part of the Tender Foodie community.

~ Elisabeth Veltman

The Three Legs of Baking

There are three legs to fantastic baking: gluten, eggs, and sugar.

Each contributes something to the texture and structure of the final product, and when you have already replaced one of the legs of the stool, it makes it more difficult to successfully swap out the remaining two legs without adversely affecting flavor or texture (or both).  This is why gluten-free and egg-free baking present such a challenge. 

So in this first post, I'm going to offer an overview of replacements for some of the common allergens in baking, offer my opinions on them, and help you understand how they react together.  This kind of understanding is a first step in making some baking magic in the kitchen.

Egg Replacements

I personally am not a fan of egg-replacers in bread, or most baked goods that need structure.  Sandwich bread, for instance, needs a lot of structure.  That said, you can swap out things like ground flaxmeal for the eggs, but it WILL affect the flavor and the texture. That's not to say it can't be delicious; but it WILL be different.

Yeast Replacements (for Rising)

To replace yeast, I use mechanical leavening in the form of baking powder or baking soda.

If you use baking soda, there should be some sort of acid to enact the baking soda (vinegar, apple cider viegar, lemon juice). The trick is to get the bread to rise without tasting too tangy from the baking soda and acid.

My Favorite Gluten-Free Flours

I adore millet flour, sorghum, teff, quinoa (which is spendy) and sweet white rice flour (mochiko)!  I prefer teff flour over buckwheat for that dark, almost nutty taste and texture!

Difference in Gluten-Free Flours

When formulating our products at Crave, I really went back to basics and studied the protein content of the different "gluteny" flours and how that affected the texture of the baked goods. 

For instance:

Pastry flour: has a relatively low protein content of around 9% which helps make very light, flaky crusts and cookies. 

Bagels:   are made with "high-gluten" flour which has a protein content of 14% to make the bagels dense and chewy.

These differences in protein may not seem like much, but when you think about the finished product (like pie crust versus bagels) you see that the protein content of the flours results in completely different textures. I'm simplifying a lot here, but the point I'm making is that instead of using a one-stop "all purpose" mix for everything, I tailor each recipe according to the texture I want the finished product to have, and I select various gluten-free flours and starches based on their protein content.

So, when I'm making bagels, I want them to have a higher protein content than our cakes, so I use sorghum and millet flour (and sometimes teff), instead of starchier components. I realize this doesn't adequately answer this question, so let me retrace my steps...

The Protein Differences in Gluten-free Flours

Because gluten-free flours tend overall to be very refined and starchier than wheat flours, and because they are missing that vital protein for structure and elasticity, it is imperative to add extra protein or binders into gluten-free bread recipes.

Sometimes I simply add additional egg whites; sometimes I use xanthan gum, and sometimes I use psyllium seeds. I've heard of other places also using gelatin for stretch, but I don't prefer to go that route.

Xanthan Gum -- How it works & What to Replace it With

Xanthan gum is a binder, acting much in the way of gluten in terms of holding everything together. And just like gluten, the more you work it, the stronger it acts (so don't overmix your dough)! With xanthan gum, as with gluten, baked goods will shrink up after they're baked if you've played with the dough too long or too vigorously.

Other binding agents: guar gum, ground psyllium seeds, gelatin, agar agar...the list goes on!

Dairy Replacements

Rice milk, or almond milk, if you can tolerate nuts. Coconut milk if you're making a sweeter bread or for dinner rolls.  Or, you could just use eggs and no milk at all, if you can tolerate the eggs!

No "One Size Fits All" Replacement Method

I find that there is no all-purpose formula for replacements (I know you don't like this answer!).  A lot of it depends on the ratio of flours to hydration, what you're using to hydrate, and then the other ingredients that are present in the recipe. I'm sorry I can't be more help, but sometimes I find that I might need 1 tablespoon of xanthan per cup of flour or starch and other times that's just way too much and 1/4 teaspoon will do.  See what I mean?

Hopefully this answers some of your "why's" and "wherefore's" of how allergen-free baking is different.  I'll see you next month with more tips.  If you have any questions, post them here!  Or give the Tender Foodie an E-Jingle.  I'll do my best to include answers to them in upcoming posts whenever possible!

About Kyra

Kyra Bussanich is the owner of Crave Bake Shop, and the first gluten-free winner of the Food Network's Famed, "Cupcakes Wars".  Kyra graduated with honors from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu patisserie program, which gave her a solid foundation of knowledge about classical French baking techniques which she was able to apply toward baking gluten-free.  Kyra was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder when she was 20 years old. Part of staying healthy meant switching to a gluten-free diet, avoiding all wheat and overly processed foods. Whenever possible, she uses local ingredients, and serves customers with multiple allergies, as well.