Fine & Raw Chocolate Bars

Good morning! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was so relaxing that I do not want to go back to work this week. 

This weekend I was lucky enough to try a a few, new to me, candy bars from Fine & Raw and they were so delicious I thought I would tell you about them just in case you wanted to try a few for yourself.

Fine & Raw was started by Daniel Sklaar who came to the US from South Africa for a job in finance. After a couple of years working as an analyst Daniel decided that finance was not for him so he left his job to search for his passion. Lucky for us he discovered his passion was chocolate and he began creating raw chocolate bars in 2007. For those of you who do not know raw food can only be cooked to a certain temperature, and the belief is that it retains more of its nutrients, in the case these chocolate bars 118 degrees.

All Fine & Raw chocolates are bean to bar, meaning that Daniel and his crew start with the raw beans instead of making their bars from ready made chocolate and melting it. 

I was sent a few bars to sample, including Almond Chunky, Sea Salt, and Cashew Butter and they were all delicious but my favorite was the Alderwood Smoked Salt. I love the slightly smokey salty flavor, paired with the rich 70% dark chocolate.

You can find Fine & Raw at Whole Foods or you can order directly from their website.


NOTE: This is not a sponsored post, I was sent several bars to sample in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Skor Toffee Bar Chocolate Cheesecake

This post contains affiliate links. 

I love cheesecake not only for its scrumptious taste, but because it is easy to make and easily adaptable. You can take one basic recipe and make it plain, or chocolate, with fruit in the cake or on top and each time it is different but delicious. 

I have used this recipe from the Food Network many times and each time I am a bit how easy it all comes together and how rich, creamy and tasty it is. If you need a "go to" recipe this is it! 

Chocolate Skor Toffee Cheesecake

Recipe Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

15 chocolate wafer cookies

10 sugar cookies

3 Tablespoons of butter melted

1 Tablespoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder

1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon

Filling:

8 ounces of chocolate chopped (60% Ghiradelli chips + semisweet chocolate chips)

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

2/3 cup of sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs room temperature

2 Skor Toffee Bars chopped

Glaze:

4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 teaspoon corn syrup

2 tablespoons sour cream room temperature

Garnish:

4 Skor Toffee bars chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line and 8 inch baking pan with foil. 

In a blender or food processor blend butter, cookies, coffee, cinnamon, sugar, into fine crumbs. Then press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until set.

Melt chocolate at 75% power in a microwave until melted. Or place chocolate in a bowl over simmering water until melted.

In the bowl of a stand mixer blend cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar until smooth. Scrape the side, and then add eggs one at a time until incorporated. While the mixer is running add the chocolate and mix until smooth, then add chopped Skor bars and mix until incorporated. 

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 25-30 minutes. The filling will be puff around the edges and be a little wiggly in the middle. 

Let cool on a wire rack.

While the cake is cooling combine chocolate, butter and corn syrup, and heat at 75% power in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Once melted add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Pour mixture over the cheesecake and spread evenly. Garnish with chopped Skor  toffee bars. 

Let cake COOL COMPLETELY, then refrigerate overnight.

NOTE: I have not been paid by Hershey Chocolate the manufacturer of Skor  and Heath candy bars, I just like them and use them in my baking. 

I hope you try this cheesecake, it could not be easier and it is so GOOD!