Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Madhu Chocolate - Saffron Milk 45% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 15, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Madhu Chocolate
Saffron Milk 45% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) / 2.6 oz. (74 g.) in total bar
Calories: 188 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.29 (estimate) for 1 bar (Paid $65.00 for a 7-bar order)
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of India Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Saffron Milk 45% Cacao (bar) was from Madhu Chocolate (Austin, TX). Madhu co-owners and chocolate makers (Elliott and Harshit) blend India-inspired flavors with small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate. 

The cacao for this milk chocolate bar was sourced from the Tumaco region of Colombia. (The company also sources cacao from India.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: subtle chocolate with warm, upbeat spice.

The rich milk chocolate had a pleasing and smooth texture and melt.

Tasting notes included: sweet saffron* (and inferred, imaginary vanilla) blended with flavorful milk chocolate. The Colombian chocolate stood up to being muffled a bit by milk powder--that in turn created a comforting bed for saffron spice. 

This was a sweet chocolate; however, thankfully, cacao and spice notes still were able to shine through. It was delightful to experience the saffron in this bar. Like vanilla, saffron has delicate, complex, floral-related notes. Both saffron and vanilla have always felt like "happy" spices to me.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, whole milk solids), saffron

Allergen-related information: (Gluten-free.) "Prepared in a facility that also processes nuts and dairy."

* Saffron threads--the orange-yellow stamen(s) from purple saffron crocus flowers--are used in small quantities to flavor and color beverages, rice and savory dishes, confections...and, occasionally, if we're lucky, chocolate. Long cultivated in Mediterranean climates (e.g., Iran and Kashmir), saffron is a highly valued and expensive spice, largely due to the manual labor required. 

In re-tasting this bar a day later, the saffron's floral notes seem to have dissipated a bit, and there was a faint buttery, grassy earth note in the finish, from the saffron. While these notes are not uncommon with saffron, I advise eating this bar when it's first opened, as the more volatile floral flavor associated with this spice is shouldn't be missed. Oxidized saffron (what a waste!) can taste duller, almost bitter (weedy) in comparison. 

  

Madhu Chocolate - Dark Masala Chai 60% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 14, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Madhu Chocolate
Dark Masala Chai 60% Cacao (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) / 2.6 oz. (74 g.) in total bar
Calories: 175 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.29 (estimate) for 1 bar (part of a larger order, 7 bars for $65.00)
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and India Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Dark Masala Chai 60% Cacao (bar) was from Madhu Chocolate (Austin, TX).

The aroma and flavors of this bar converged on a single description: dark, moist chocolate gingerbread cake with molasses and warm spices, with a rich, creamy dark chocolate chai tea latte.

The well-tempered 60% bar broke with a snap and had smooth, creamy texture. 

This highly appealing (and somewhat addictive) blend of chocolate, milk tea and spice was very flavorful and satisfying. If you like dark chocolate, gingerbread molasses cake and chai spiced (milk) tea, you'll feel like you hit the trifecta* with this bar.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), whole milk solids, black tea, spices.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk. Prepared in a facility that also processes nuts and dairy."

*The word "trifecta" refers to a bet where you correctly predict the first (win), second (place) and third (show) results. A triple win.

 

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