Valentines Day is not only for those in relationships; You can use this day to show appreciation for a loved one, a friend, or even yourself! No matter how you decide to spend February 14th Branson’s Chocolates has several different options for you.
This year we are partnering up with The Valley Radio Station for a special Valentines Day promotion, where callers have the opportunity to win a box of chocolates and those finalists are entered to win a grand prize drawing, beginning January 30th and ending February 10th.
In our retail location, we have a three piece and a twelve piece heart shaped truffle box available. Those who purchase the twelve piece truffle box will receive a free rose from B. Cazwells Floral Dezines (while supplies last).
If you are looking for simpler options we also have chocolate bars engraved with the sentiment “Love”, and heart shaped chocolates in both milk and dark chocolate.
Ashland’s favorite home town confectioner has been hard at work in her chocolate factory making chocolate delights of all shapes and sizes. With recipes dating back to the late 1800’s, Deena Branson keeps traditions alive and Ashland coming back for more. I met with Deena to learn more about her chocolate adventures.
Deena, thanks so much for doing this interview with us today.
Thank you, I love talking about chocolate!
Deena, I’m sure that many in Ashland know of your success story, but I know that some do not. Would you mind taking us back and tell us about your story?
I managed Ashland Fudge Company for almost 10 years. I had been gone almost 3 years when my husband came home one day and said, “Did you know that Ashland Fudge Company closed?”So we bought their equipment and recipes and started Branson’s Chocolates from scratch. That was 11 years ago.
Did you ever have any doubt that it might not work?
It never crossed my mind. I just knew it would work one way or another.
Who were some of your greatest supporters and how did their support help you power through the challenging times?
Besides the help and support that my family has given us, there are also our wholesale customers. Paddington Station was the first customer that I did a custom mold for. They have always believed in us, so when they asked if I could make English Toffee, I figured it out and never looked back, and it’s become one of our biggest sellers. The Grange Co-op has also been a huge supporter; it all started with an “It’s A Girl!” chocolate bar. They were the ones that gave us the boost we needed to be able to move into our current location and add retail. Those are just a two of our many wholesale customers that believe in us and support us.
Please tell us about some of your treasured recipes?
Ashland Fudge Co. started as a franchise. When the second owners purchased it, they bought out the franchise and the rights to the recipes. The recipes we use for creams, caramels, and truffles are based off of those original recipes. The fudge recipes that we use originated in the late 1800’s on Mackinac Island Michigan.
What kind of training do you have?
The first owner of Ashland Fudge Co. knew that I liked to know how things worked, so he would explain how the different machines worked and why he would do things the way he did, not knowing that 9 years later I would be using the same equipment. Other than that, I am self-taught–I’ve learned by watching, reading, and occasionally from trial and error.
How did you learn to do what it takes to make things work?
I grew up with two self-employed parents, my mom is a hair dresser, and my dad was a mechanic with a service station, tow truck, and the longest running U-Haul dealership in the region. I learned all about hard work from them. Dad worked six days a week at 70-80 hours. Mom worked three days a week and kept the house going with four kids.
Did your parents come from an entrepreneurial family?
My dad did. His father owned a trucking business before opening the service station with my father.
Customers love your chocolate and it’s also very affordable.
We have always wanted to make our chocolates affordable enough to be an “Everyday Indulgence”.
Deena you are continually pushing the envelope to try new things. What are some of your new creations and will you have any of these as the Oregon Chocolate Festival?
My husband keeps challenging me to make new creations, but it took me three years to make his first challenge; I didn’t think it would sell. Boy, was I wrong. Six years ago I started making the Tequila Truffle; I use Patron Silver in the ganache, and topit with a sprinkle of lime-flavored white chocolate and sea salt. He also challenged me last year to make a Wasabi Ginger Chocolate. I mix wasabi powder into a dark chocolate ganache center, dip it in milk chocolate, and top it with crystallized ginger. I started making Jasmine Tea Squares last year with jasmine tea infused into the dark chocolate ganache, which is dipped in milk chocolate. The newest one is a Matcha Green Tea Squares, made with ceremonial grade Matcha Green Tea powder mixed into a white chocolate ganache, dipped in white chocolate, and topped with a sprinkling of the Matcha Green Tea Powder.
Please tell us about your store and hours and opportunity for the general public to come and visit.
We are open Monday – Friday 10-6pm, Saturdays 11-5, and closed Sundays. When you walk in, you can see right over the counter to the production area and watch everything being made. There is no wall between the production and the retail areas. It makes it so we can work and interact with the customers. The packaging room has huge windows, so you can see how we hand wrap and label all the chocolates bars.
What surprises you most about your growth?
How steady of a growth we have had over the years. When we started, it took a year to go through 500 lbs. of chocolate. I now bring in over 500 lbs. a month. We make 200 to 300 bars a day, plus all the hand-dipped chocolate that is made daily.
Deena, please tell us about the array of custom products you make.
The first chocolate bar that I made was a Marionberry Dark Chocolate bar, which was requested by Ashland Springs Hotel. We make Lavender Salted Caramels and Lavender chocolate bars for English Lavender Farms using their lavender. And we make chocolates with essential oils for Blue Giraffe, to name a few.
Product sourcing and quality are an important consideration that goes into all of your creations.
I source locally and directly from the farmers and distillers whenever possible. For example, our macadamia nuts and hazelnuts come directly from the farmers. I choose Oregon-produced products and liquors over nationally-produced products. The mint oil that I use comes directly from the farmer in Clatskanie, Oregon. And we make everything in small batches with care to ensure the quality of our products.
Deena are there any last thoughts or comments you would like to share with our readers?
We have exciting things to come this year so stay tuned.
Did you know that over 50% of Branson’s Chocolates business is done through custom orders? We have several different options of how you can customize your orders from molds to labels to the chocolate itself. Whether you are looking for a gift this holiday season or a customer appreciation item for your business we have several options to customize your confections.
Custom Chocolate
Have you always wanted to create your own custom chocolate bar? We have done everything from a bride’s favorite mixed drink in a truffle to various unique flavors of chocolate bars.
Custom Molds
Custom molds allow you to create a unique shape or engraving onto your confection and allows you to further personalize your order to fit your specific needs. Once you decide what you want your mold to look like it takes 6-8 weeks for the molds to be produced.
Custom Labels
To wrap up your final product you have the option of creating your own label for your custom confection. If you decide that you want to create a custom label rather than using the default Branson’s Chocolate label, you provide the logo that you would like to see on the front of the chocolate and in some scenarios I can create a simple graphic logo.
If you are interested in a custom order inquiries and pricing details can be emailed to info@bransonschocolates.com
If you have ever wondered what exactly a Truffle is, or what different flavors of chocolate bars we sell, this series will provide all of the answers to your questions. Over the next couple of months, I will be writing separate blog posts as part of a series on the different types of confections we offer including Truffles, Cremes, Chocolate Bars, etc. To read our post about Truffles, the first installment in this series click here.
Today we will be talking about one of our best selling products; Chocolate Bars!
So what exactly is a Chocolate bar? A chocolate bar is formed using a mold that can be filled with nuts or fruit or a variety of other items. All of our bars are handmade, hand-wrapped and hand-labeled with no chemical preservatives used in the process. However, we have not always produced Chocolate Bars here at Branson’s Chocolates. Click here to read more about my story of how I made my first chocolate bar.
If you enjoy our Chocolate Bars but are looking to try something new, you may also enjoy our Clusters. We produce four different types of clusters including Hazelnut, Peanut, Coconut and Raisin Clusters.
Each individual bar can be purchased for $3.25 with a discount on our six piece box(website only). Many of our bars, along with many of our other products, can be purchased here on our website or in our retail location at 1662 Siskiyou Blvd in Ashland, OR.
We have 22 different flavors of Chocolate Bars, and if you find we do not have a flavor you want we offer the option of customizing your ideal bar!
Almond
Our Almond Bar contains whole roasted salted almonds in the center of a milk chocolate or semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate bar.
Blueberry
Our Blueberry Bar contains whole soft dried blueberries drenched in layers of semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Blackberry
Our Blackberry bar is created by cooking a seedless marionberry (Oregon Blackberry) preserve combined with a semi-sweet 58%(dark) chocolate reduction covered in layers of semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Caramel
Our Caramel Bar is created by using our soft and chewy caramel covered in milk chocolate.
Cayenne Cherry
Our Cayenne Cherry Bar uses soft dried cherries in semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate that has a cayenne pepper kick.
Cherry
Our Cherry Bar envelops soft dried cherries in white chocolate.
Coconut
Our Coconut Bar uses our creamy coconut center covered with layers of semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Cranberry
Our Cranberry Bar uses our soft dried cranberries and smothered in milk chocolate.
English Toffee
Our English Toffee Bar uses our Old-Fashioned English Toffee and surrounds it with semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Espresso
Our Espresso Bar uses locally roasted and finely ground espresso beans gently stirred by hand into either milk chocolate or semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Hazelnut
Our Hazelnut Bar uses dry roasted Oregon Hazelnuts with layers of either milk chocolate or semi-sweet 58%(dark) chocolate.
Honey Comb
Our Honey Comb Bar use pieces of Honey Comb (toasted expanded sugar) in a semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate bar.
Krunch
Our Krunch Bar contains gluten-free brown rice Krispies covered in either milk chocolate or semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Macadamia Nut
Our Macadamia Nut Bar contains direct from the farmer in Hawaii, chopped macadamia nuts covered in milk chocolate.
Midnight
Our Midnight Bar contains solid bitter-sweet 72% (darkest) chocolate.
Mint
Out Mint Bar contains Seely Family Farms (Clatskanie OR) peppermint oil combined with semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Peach (Seasonal)
Our Peach Bar contains Beebee Farms (Central Point, OR) peaches, reduced to a preserve and reduced more using white chocolate and covered in dark chocolate.
Peppermint
Our Peppermint Bar uses Peppermint candies mixed into White Chocolate with a touch of locally sourced Peppermint Oil.
Pumpkin Spice (Seasonal)
Our Pumpkin Spice Bar uses a house blended pumpkin spice mixed into a white chocolate bar.
Solid
Our Solid Chocolate Bar comes in milk chocolate, semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate, sugar-free milk chocolate or sugar-free semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate.
Salted Caramel
Our Salted Caramel Bar uses handmade soft chewy caramel surrounded by Milk Chocolate or Bitter-Sweet 72% (darkest) Chocolate, topped with flakes of sea salt.
Strawberry
Our Strawberry Bar uses a strawberry preserve and milk chocolate reduction smothered in layers of Milk Chocolate.
Thank-You Bars
Our Thank-You Bars are engraved with the words “Thank You” into your choice of a milk chocolate espresso, milk chocolate or semi-sweet 58% (dark) chocolate bar.
Branson’s Chocolates is beginning 2017 with introducing Matcha Green Tea Squares. Matcha powder is mixed into a white chocolate ganache, formed into squares, and then topped with a sprinkle of matcha powder. According to many studies, matcha tea makes this a sweet treat loaded with benefits: L-Theanine, an amino acid known to create calmness and improve memory, powerful antioxidants including polyphenols and EGCg which is believed to be a powerful anti-carcinogen and catechins which help lower LDL cholesterol, to name a few. Thanks to http://www.naturallivingideas.com/10-amazing-benefits-of-matcha-green-tea/ .
If you want to catch us out and about in January, here’s where we will be—
January 20th & 21st, Friday 4-9pm & Saturday 11am-6pm, we will be at ChocolateFest at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. It is the ‘Northwest’s Premier Chocolate Festival’ with over 70 vendors of chocolates, treats, and libations. We’ve been going to ChocolateFest for seven years, and it’s an amazing experience for chocolate lovers. In fact, our Rich Chocolate Truffle won the People’s Choice Award for Best Truffle at ChocolateFest. For more details go to chocolatefest.org .
We’re often out and about at many of the local wineries and events. For the latest event updates, please check us out at https://www.facebook.com/bransonschocolates . If you’d like to see us at one of your favorite local events, you can contact us on our Facebook page or email us at info@bransonschocolates.com . We’d love to hear from you!
If you have ever wondered what exactly a Truffle is, or what different flavors of chocolate bars we sell this will provide all of the answers to your questions. Over the next couple of months I will be writing separate blog posts on the different types of confections we offer including Truffles, Cremes, Chocolate Bars, etc.
Today we will be talking about one of our favorites; Truffles!
So what exactly is a truffle? A truffle has a ganache, (a combination of a chocolate butter cream and flavoring) based center. All of our truffles are gluten free except our specialty beer truffles. Our truffles are made by creating the center and dipping them twice in chocolate as opposed to being dipped only once or being processed in a mold. All of our truffles are handmade with no chemical preservatives used. Click here to read more about dietary concerns pertaining to each individual truffle. If you enjoy our truffles and are looking to expand your repertoire, we recommend the Wasabi and Jasmine which are also ganache based confections.
Each individual truffle can be purchased for $2.50 and we offer a discounted price on our six piece box. Many of our truffles along with many of our other products can be purchased here on our website or in our retail location at 1662 Siskiyou Blvd in Ashland, OR.
We have eleven regular flavors of truffles and six specialty flavors. Specialty flavors include our “Beer Truffles” made from locally produced beer.
Amaretto
Our Amaretto Truffle is made with Deseranno mixed into the ganache because of the more natural almond flavor as opposed to almond extract.The truffle is topped with chopped almonds.
Blackberry
Our Blackberry Truffle is made with Brandy Peaks Blackberry Liqueur (Brookings, OR) mixed in with the ganache. The truffle is topped with a purple colored white chocolate.
Crème de Menthe
Our Creme de Menthe truffle is made with Creme de Menthe and topped with a green colored white chocolate.
Espresso
Our Espresso Truffle is made with espresso grounds from Rogue Valley Roasting company. The truffle is topped with more espresso grounds.
Orange
Our Orange Truffle is made with Crescendo Arancello Organic Orange Liqueer (Eugene, OR). The truffle is topped with an orange colored white chocolate.
Hazelnut
Our Hazelnut Truffle uses Frangelico and is topped with a roasted hazelnut grown in the state of Oregon.
Pomegranate
Our Pomegranate Truffle is made with Pama, a pomegranate liqueur, and topped with a pink sugar pearl.
Raspberry Chambord
Our Raspberry Chambord Truffle uses Raspberry Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur from France. The truffle is topped with pink white chocolate.
Our Rich Chocolate Truffle is dark chocolate finished with more dark chocolate
Tequilla
Our Tequila truffle uses Patron Silver topped with a mix of lime flavored green white chocolate and Fleur de Sel sea salt.
Rum
Our Rum Truffle uses 4 Spirits Silver Rum and is topped with white chocolate.
Beer Truffles
Our specialty beer truffles were created when my husband encouraged me to do something different and challenged me to create a “six pack of beer”. We have six different flavors of beer truffles:
Mogli Truffle
Our Mogli Truffle is produced with Caldera Brewery Mogli and dusted with cocoa powder.
Tunguska
Our Tunguska Truffle is produced with a cream style ale by Opposition Brewery.
Bloody Hippie
Our Bloody Hippie Truffle is made with a blood orange wheat brew and topped with red chocolate.
Milk & Honey
Our Milk & Honey truffle is produced with Standing Stone Milk and Honey and topped with white chocolate.
Toasted Coconut
Our Toasted Coconut Truffle is Produced with Standing Stone Brewery’s Toasted Coconut and topped with flakes of toasted coconut.
Siskiyou Pass
Our Siskiyou Pass Truffle is made with Bricktowne Brewery Siskiyou pass and topped with dark chocolate.
This holiday season when you are choosing one of our confections you may be shopping with specific dietary concerns in mind. Here at Branson’s Chocolates we cater to many different needs including Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and Sugar-free. All of our chocolate is GMO-free because we use a delicious European Chocolate.
Local or Direct from Producer
Direct from the Producer Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts, Mint Oils
Local Produce, Beer, Orange and Blackberry Liqueur, Rum, Preserves and Cream
Gluten-Free
Most of our confections are gluten-free
Beer Truffles are the only items that contain gluten
Dairy-Free
All of our dark chocolates are dairy-free because there are no milk fats added
Sugar-Free
Milk chocolate bars with or without almonds
Dark chocolate bars with or without almonds
Milk and dark chocolate hazelnut clusters
Milk and dark chocolate peanut clusters
Sugar-free items are sweetened with Maltitol a sugar alcohol
December is the perfect month for peppermint and eggnog, and at Branson’s Chocolates that means Peppermint Bark, Peppermint Bars, and Eggnog Truffles. Our delicious Peppermint Bark is a layer of rich dark chocolate topped with a layer of white chocolate, crushed peppermint candy and a touch of locally sourced peppermint oil. Our scrumptious Peppermint Bars are white chocolate mixed with peppermint candies and a touch of locally sourced peppermint oil. And our smooth and creamy Eggnog Truffles have an eggnog ganache center made with local eggnog, which is dipped in white chocolate, and topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg. Naughty or nice, you deserve some chocolate, so come in and pick up some for yourself.
We’re often out and about at many of the local wineries and events. For the latest event updates, please check us out at https://www.facebook.com/bransonschocolates . If you’d like to see us at one of your favorite local events, you can contact us on our Facebook page or email us at info@bransonschocolates.com . We’d love to hear from you!
The holiday season is fast approaching, so now is the perfect time to come in and order chocolate for the holidays. Take the craziness out of the holiday season with our custom gift boxes complete with pretty bows. Stop on in and our friendly staff will help you put together the perfect gift of fudge, assorted chocolates, truffles, bars, and turtle
For the past 43-years Paddington Station has hosted their Family of Stores Open House event. This event is a really exciting way to kick off the holiday season! They offer grand prize drawings, music and entertainment, hourly door prizes and all proceeds benefit the Ashland Emergency Food Bank.
Paddington Station is one of the many Southern Oregon locations that you can purchase Branson’s Chocolates. I have participated in their open house for the past seven years handing out samples of the product that they carry. This year I had samples of Peppermint Squares and Peppermint Candy Bars. Among these items Paddington Station also carries our Chocolate Bars, Toffee, Salted Caramels, and Hazelnut Clusters.
There are many local places that you can pick up a piece of Branson’s Chocolates. Visit our website for a full list of places you can purchase our chocolate this holiday season!
Handing out samples at the Paddington Station Open House
Peppermint Squares and Peppermint Bars Sample Station
A great turnout for the 43rd annual Paddington Station Open House!
Branson’s Chocolates has been participating in the Ashland Culinary Festival for the past seven years. It is an exciting opportunity to be able to showcase our hard work for the year and connect with the local community. Every year we host a booth where you can taste some of our favorite confections. This year we promoted our gourmet line of Wasabi Ginger Squares, Seasalt Caramels, and Jasmine Tea Squares.
Aside from our booth at the festival, we also hosted a workshop at our retail location (1662 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland OR.) where participants had the ability to make their own chocolate bars! We included some pictures from this exciting experience!
Some of our participants learning about how to make chocolate bars!
Focusing on getting the right amount of chocolate into the chocolate bar molds! Yum!
Putting ingredients into the molds!
Teaching one of our participants how to use the vibrating machine to shake down ingredients into the chocolate bars!
After the chocolate bars were complete I held a question and answer session for our participants.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this years Ashland Culinary Festival! If you missed this event I will be at the Paddington Station Open House located at 125 East Main St in Ashland on November 19th handing out free samples! More details about the event can be found here.
