Chocolate of the Day:
MIA Chocolate
MIA Baobab and Salted Nibs bar
Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)
Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.
Today's MIA Baobab and Salted Nibs bar was from MIA Chocolate (London, UK) and was made in Africa (Madagascar).
This unique, well-tempered 65% dark chocolate bar was a blend of smooth chocolate and slightly chewy and crunchy texture from cacao nibs* pressed into the back of the bar. (Sea salt added to the nibs was very minimal.) The chocolate had a slightly acidic (Vitamin C/citrus) flavor that I'm assuming came from baobab powder.
Madagascar is home to the tall, bulbous-shaped baobab tree, also known as the tree of life. The fruit of this tree, like cacao, is contained in relatively large, tough/fibrous pods. Like cacao, baobab fruit pulp and ground seed powders are edible and have a citrus flavor. Neither fruit can be easily found supermarket outside their country of origin. So, to be able to taste the two in a chocolate bar is a rare opportunity and invites curiosity.
*Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa nibs 4%, baobab powder 2%, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), sea salt (less than 1%).
** Both cacao and baobab are members of the malvaceae (mallows) family--along with okra, cotton, hibiscus, molokhia, marsh mallows and durian. Boabab trees can store water and provide nutrition in dry climates and gave traditionally been used as a medicinal plant as well.
MIA Chocolate
MIA Baobab and Salted Nibs bar
Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)
Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.
Today's MIA Baobab and Salted Nibs bar was from MIA Chocolate (London, UK) and was made in Africa (Madagascar).
This unique, well-tempered 65% dark chocolate bar was a blend of smooth chocolate and slightly chewy and crunchy texture from cacao nibs* pressed into the back of the bar. (Sea salt added to the nibs was very minimal.) The chocolate had a slightly acidic (Vitamin C/citrus) flavor that I'm assuming came from baobab powder.
Madagascar is home to the tall, bulbous-shaped baobab tree, also known as the tree of life. The fruit of this tree, like cacao, is contained in relatively large, tough/fibrous pods. Like cacao, baobab fruit pulp and ground seed powders are edible and have a citrus flavor. Neither fruit can be easily found supermarket outside their country of origin. So, to be able to taste the two in a chocolate bar is a rare opportunity and invites curiosity.
*Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa nibs 4%, baobab powder 2%, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), sea salt (less than 1%).
** Both cacao and baobab are members of the malvaceae (mallows) family--along with okra, cotton, hibiscus, molokhia, marsh mallows and durian. Boabab trees can store water and provide nutrition in dry climates and gave traditionally been used as a medicinal plant as well.
