The Seattle Chocolate Bar That's A Favorite Of Bobby Flay

From a 25-year career (and counting) on Food Network to a handful of successful restaurants, there's no denying the culinary prowess of Bobby Flay. Onlookers have benefited from many of his best cooking tips, such as using potato chips to add crunch to your burger. So, when he reveals a favorite made by someone else, it must be amazing. While the chef has called out Bone Suckin' Sauce as the barbecue sauce he can't stop using, the Coconut Gold Bars from Fran's Chocolates in Seattle, Washington, are the sweet treat that he just can't resist.

During a "Season's Eatings" episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" on Food Network, Flay gushed over the Coconut Gold Bars, "It's like an Almond Joy bar — coconut, chocolate, almonds — but this just takes it up to a level that can't be beat." The renowned chef noted that his assistant puts a box of the chocolates on his desk every week, and he eats the entire box within days. He added, "They're just dangerous because they're addictive. They're just incredibly flavorful, and they're creamy, sweet, really rich. And, you can really taste the coconut, and to me that's the key. It's a small bar with lots of impact, that's for sure. And, if I don't have these for the holidays, it's not the holidays."

Bobby Flay acknowledges Fran Bigelow, the talent behind Fran's Chocolates in Seattle, as possibly one of the United States' most well-known artisanal chocolatiers. She's known around the world for her elegant sweets, which she makes by hand with carefully selected, quality, and ethically sourced ingredients.

Bigelow opened her shop in 1982 with a focus on cakes and pastries, but her seasonal chocolates soon became the backbone of her business. When it comes to the Coconut Gold Bars, the inspiration came from wanting to improve on her favorite candy bar as a child — Almond Joy.

In Bigelow's upgrade she starts by pouring dark chocolate into a sheet frame to form the bottom. Then, she makes the coconut ganache, which is what Flay says puts the candies over the top. Bigelow pours the coconut ganache over the dark chocolate in the frame and leaves it to firm up so that she can cut it into bars and place three large roasted almonds on the tops. Then, bottoms down, the bars run through a fountain of dark chocolate that covers the tops and sides. When you're in the mood to try your hand at chocolate making, don't forget to read our tips on how to temper chocolate like a pro.