Monday, August 29, 2022

Manoa Chocolate - Chocolate Macadamia Spread - Aug. 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate
Chocolate Macadamia Spread
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total bar
Calories: 185 calories (estimate) for 1 oz. serving
Cost: $15.00 for 1 jar
Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Today's jar of Chocolate Macadamia Spread was from Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, O'ahu, HI).

Aroma and flavor notes for this thick and smooth, fudgey dark chocolate spread included: mild nutty coconut graham cracker cookie, thick, rich dark chocolate ganache, very faint sweet green (freshly picked green sugar cane stalks, sweet green seed butter, green floral-vanilla), and very faint, fleeting buttered Boston brown bread (a steamed, moist bread containing molasses, cornmeal and raisins).

This was a skillfully executed blend of ground macadamia nuts (1st ingredient listed)--that gave this spread a very subtle, nuanced nutty background flavor--and ground cocoa nibs (the 2nd ingredient listed) that contributed rich, nuanced dark chocolate ganache-forward flavor. 

The sweetener: organic cane cane sugar yielded more flavor depth than processed sugar. Add coconut oil and a judicious dose of sea salt, and you have a flavorful, high-end chocolate spread that captures the spirit of Hawaii. As the label suggested: "Spread the Aloha."

Enjoy this spread on a croissant, toast, between cake (or dessert parfait) layers. Fold it into a smoothie or ice cream sundae. Make your own chocolate-filled sandwich cookie. Or eat it plain while you're dreaming of your next trip to Hawaii. There are no wrong answers here.

Note: Manoa also offers chocolate covered mac nuts and rum chocolate covered mac nuts.

Ingredients: Hawaiian macadamia nuts, cacao nibs, organic cane sugar, coconut oil, cocoa powder, sea salt

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (macadamia nuts). 

Check Manoa website or contact them for allergen-related details. This week's (2022) KoHana Rum 75% Dark Chocolate bar had this label: "Manufactured by Manoa Chocolate Hawaii...(in) Kailua, HI...This facility also processes milk, wheat, peanut, walnut, cashew, pecan, coconut, macadamia (and) hazelnut."


Manoa Chocolate - Kohana Rum 75% Hawaii Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 28, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate
Kohana Rum 75% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Today's Kohana Rum 75% Hawaii Chocolate (bar), made with Hawaii grown cacao, was created by Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, O'ahu, HI) in collaboration with Hawaii rum distiller, Ko Hana, using Hawaii cacao.

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate (in order of appearance) included: aromatic sweet liquor (rum) and chocolate (dark chocolate, dark ganache). The texture was even, light and creamy. 

Chocolate flavor notes included spiked dark chocolate mousse, faint diffuse sweet fruit and brown sugar, very faint pleasing vanilla-like floral spice, and faint wood tones (similar to the oak casks used to age "sweet" bourbon whiskey).

This Manoa Chocolate Hawaiian chocolate had rich, nuanced liquor and smooth dark chocolate flavors. Going slightly darker with a 75% cacao (vs. 70% cacao) base worked very nicely with the inherently sweet (rum and cacao) flavors. This high-end rum and chocolate pairing in a single bar would also make a nice gift, or special bar to share with friends.

Manoa maker's description: "We collaborated with local rum distiller Ko Hana to create this bar. Ko Hana Agricole Rum is meticulously crafted from farm to bottle. They grow single varietal sugar canes that are hand harvested, pressed to juice and then distilled to perfection--resulting in one of the world's finest pure cane rums."

Ingredients: Rum soaked cacao, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter 

Allergen-related information: "Vegan chocolate" "Manufactured by Manoa Chocolate Hawaii...(in) Kailua, HI...This facility also processes milk, wheat, peanut, walnut, cashew, pecan, coconut, macadamia (and) hazelnut."


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