Saturday, November 13, 2021

Manufaktura Czekolady (Chocolate Story) - Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + cranberries (bar) - Nov. 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Manufaktura Czekolady
(Chocolate Story)
Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + cranberries (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 316.25 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, with a focus in the first week on cacao from the Dominican Republic.

Today's Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + dried cranberries (bar) was from Manufaktura Czekolady aka Chocolate Story (Lomianki, Poland).

This dark bar had an aroma with slightly tart-sweet dried fruit (Concord grape/raisin, cranberry) in a sea of true chocolate (brownie) notes. 

The base 70% cacao chocolate was thick, soft and fairy creamy. Soft chewy dried cranberries added texture and sweet-tart flavor that complemented the chocolate nicely.

During the tasting, the chocolate (rich brownie) notes were more pronounced (than in the aroma). The chocolate was well-rounded with barely there nut and fruit notes--the latter was amplified a bit by the dried cranberries.

The finish was fairly clean with a faint lingering red berry (strawberry, cranberry) note.

Hats off to the bean-to-bar makers (Krzysiek Stypulkowski and Tomek Sienkiewicz) who produced this complementary melding of fine cacao flavors and the tart-sweet cranberries. 

I enjoy cranberry and orange together and it seemed there might have been a trace of citrus (very faint sweet orange?) in the cacao that created a nice pairing. Faint nut and/or savory or earth notes would also have helped create what felt/tasted like a well-rounded blend. 

It's more difficult to detect the underlying cacao notes when there is a flavor inclusion (fruit, nut, spice or other) item added to chocolate; but I can guess what might be there.

Ingredients: Roasted cocoa beans from Dominican Republic (70%), sugar, dried cranberry 9% (cranberry, cane sugar, sunflower oil). Chocolate: cocoa solids 70% min.

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, nuts."

Cacaoteca - 51% Negro con Leche Chocolate Dominicano (bar) - Nov. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacaoteca 
51% Negro Con Leche 
(51% Dark with Milk) (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, featuring chocolates made with Dominican cacao this week. 

Today's 51% Negro Con Leche (51% Cacao Dark with Milk bar) was from Cacaoteca S.R.L., the only chocolate maker this week to be based in the Dominican Republic. 

This dark milk chocolate bar had a very pleasing aroma--one that encompasses a blend of nutty, faint earth, slight savory, and chocolate notes. (Sea salt brownie and milk anyone?) The milk (powder) contributed a creamy, smooth texture.

The flavors were also very pleasing with chocolate, a slight spike of earth, smooth nut, very faint savory, diffuse fruit sweetness and creamy milk notes. 

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder

Allergen-related information: "Contains: milk...Manufactured in a facility that also processes: milk, peanuts, almond, cashew, walnut, pecan"

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...