Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Pascha - Organic Dark Chocolate Lacuma bar - Jan. 17, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pascha Chocolate Company
Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate Lacuma bar
Good +
Weight: 1.17 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories (estimate per label) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Alternative Sweetener Theme Week.

Sometimes alternative or other natural sweeteners are combined with some cane sugar to enhance or add sweetness or flavor. Such was the case with today's bar.

The 70% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate with Lacuma bar was made in Peru for Pascha Chocolate Company (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

Pascha packaging described Lacuma as a "Latin American superfruit that is sweet but low glycemic and gives a rich caramel note."

The company replaced half of the cane sugar (they would normally use for a conventional 70% dark chocolate bar) and replaced it with lacuma powder.

How did it taste? First, this bar felt much "lighter" (in weight) when I removed it from the packaging than chocolate I'm used to handling. Lacuma powder was the second ingredient listed (after cocoa mass), and this powder might be less dense or have a lighter/different "feel" than cocoa mass, cocoa butter or even cane sugar (the third ingredient listed).

The bar broke with a very hard snap, a sign of a good temper. (It was also a cold day outside.) This chocolate tasted a bit lighter too -- not as dense, bitter or acidic as many 70% cacao chocolates.

It did have a light fruitiness (think apples, pears and peaches with a slight, pleasant carrot note, as opposed to dark berries)—and, as advertised, it had a light caramel note too. Overall a satisfying bar.

This Pascha bar was free of several common allergens: there was no peanuts, nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, wheat or gluten.
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