Chocolate of the Day
Pralus
Indonesia Criollo 75% (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 292.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order
Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Indonesia Theme Week.
Today's Indonesia Criollo 75% (bar) was made in France by Patisserie Chocolaterie Pralus s.a.s. (Roanne, France).
The Java Criollo cacao variety used to make this chocolate was grown on the Island of Java, in Indonesia. This hybrid cacao is known for nuanced, subtle heritage Criollo flavor(s), blended with the bolder dark chocolate flavors of a Forastero* cacao variety.
Aroma notes included: bold dark chocolate, gentle fruit (sweet, green grapes; faint peach), very faint sweet cracker, malt, and honey; and barely there lemon-green herb (oxalis, wood sorrel, sour grass).
This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap, and had a smooth texture and melt. As this relatively thick bar melted, there was a subtle unfolding and undulation of flavors that I associated with chocolates made with Criollo cacao(s).
Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate, honey, subtle fruits, and fudge brownie.
Ingredients: Indonesian cocoa (min. 75%), sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin.
Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts or milk.
*Some would call this blend somewhat counter-intuitive hybrid a "best of both worlds" that combines the subtle prized flavors of a Criollo cacao (originally transported from the Americas to the Philippines and Indonesia--via Spanish ships many years ago), with the bold flavors of a Forastero cacao. Forastero pods are larger (contain cacao beans) and are more disease resistant as well.
