The first aerated chocolate that I tasted was a Nestle's Aero bar. Never having seen aerated chocolate before, I was intrigued by the prospect of bubble filled chocolate and eager to find out what it tasted like. It was light, crumbly and quite unlike any other chocolates that I had had. I wasn't hugely impressed at the time, but many years and many chocolate bars later, I realize that I was probably expecting a more impressive sensation from the bar.

Aerated chocolate is chocolate that has lots of small air bubbles suspended in it, giving it a somewhat honeycombed appearance and a light texture. The thin walls separating the bubbles snap easily, so the chocolate crumbles into your mouth before melting from the heat. In the past, this type of chocolate has not been very popular in the US and it is generally only found in stores that stock Aeros imported from Australia, Canada or the UK, but that may change because Bubble Chocolate is an American company that is hoping to capture the hearts, and tongues, with their version of the candy.

The company makes three flavors: 60% Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and Coffee Milk Chocolate. Each large bar (almost 3-oz.) is divided up into smaller squares, which are easy to snap off for a quick bite. They seem to be slightly more snack-able than regular chocolate bards because they are not has heavy, although the flavors are very appealing.

The Dark Chocolate was lovely, with the dark and fruity flavor that you would expect a good-quality dark chocolate to have. The flavor was surprisingly intense and was neither too sweet nor was it bitter, just strong and satisfying. The aeration made it seem light enough that I probably ate more than I should have at one sitting.

By comparison, the other two bars were almost too sweet, a problem that I avoided in subsequent tastings by not eating the three types in the same sitting. Both have the creamy, milky flavor that I normally associate with European milk chocolate. The plain Milk Chocolate was good if you like milk chocolates, but not as appealing as the dark bar if you don't. The Coffee Milk bar really smelled like coffee and tasted almost like a creamy mocha. Real coffee is used in the bar, which is probably what gives it such a good flavor.

Personally, I liked the dark chocolate bar the best, but all were good and worth a try. I haven't seen them in stores yet, but since they were introduced at the Candy Expo last year, it shouldn't be long before they are more widely available. For now, you can find them at some online retailers.