Going Loco for Local: Girl Gone Cocoa’s Bear Paws are the crunchy, caramel-y chocolate treats you deserve
To say that I love chocolate would be an understatement. I live for chocolate. It’s possibly my favourite thing in the world. That one Cadbury ad where an entire city is built out of chocolate? I still want to live there.
So when my boss told me about Girl Gone Cocoa’s Bear Paws, my first reaction was confusion. Bear Paws? What could that entail? Was my boss talking about a bear claw? She was not — she was talking about a form of chocolate and I simply had to have it.
A trip to Fresh Basket confirmed what my boss had told me — the Bear Paws were massive chocolates with a thick layer of caramel and chopped pecans. I couldn’t not buy it! At Rs1,850 for a pack of three Bear Paws, the price was rather steep, however, each claw was quite massive so it wasn’t a terrible bargain.
I tried it as soon as I got to my car, of course. The name made sense when I pulled a paw out of the bag — it vaguely resembled the massive paw of a bear, with the pecans sticking out from the side reminiscent of a bear’s claws.
The chocolate layer had a nice snap to it and I could immediately tell that they used some quality chocolate because it was deliciously smooth. It was also mildly sweet which paired perfectly with the rich, thick caramel — the kind that stretches a little when you bite at it, leaving little caramel ribbons.
The best part was definitely the pecans, especially because they’re not readily available and are therefore usually not used in desserts. The nuts added some much-needed texture with their delectable crunch and the subtle hint of earthiness which balanced the other sweet elements, adding a layer of complexity that mass-produced chocolates do not have.
The Bear Claws are exclusively available at Fresh Basket’s Khayaban-e-Shahbaz branch in Karachi. And while they are expensive, I think it’s a great snack to treat yourself to.
I’m rating it 4/5 with a point removed for the price and quantity.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
This article is part of an ongoing series on supporting local products. All the products are independently evaluated and reviewed by a member of the Images team and reflect their personal opinions. If you’re a local business and would like to be featured, reach out to us at imagesdawndotcom@gmail.com.