Fjak Sjokolade - Single Origin 60% Milk Madagascar (Akesson Bejofo Estate) - July 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade 
Single Origin 60% Milk Madagascar - Akesson Bejofo Estate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / ~1.87 oz. (53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's 100% Organic Single Origin 60% Melk Madagaskar (Milk Madagascar) bar--made with cacao from Akesson's Bejofo Estate, was handcrafted in Scandinavia by Fjak Sjokolade (Hardangerfjord, Norway).

Aroma notes for this single origin 60% bar included: milk chocolate, fruit (raisin) and very faint vegetable (potato vegetable soup). Like most chocolates, any savory vegetable notes generally "disappear" or recede after a few minutes of opening. 

This dark milk chocolate had a uniform, creamy taste and texture, with a slight granular astringency.

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate, subtle cream caramel, and lovely fruit (fresh, ripe, sweet, white wine grape; white raisin and very faint sweet tangerine).

Maker's tasting notes: "Round creamy chocolate with hints of citrus and caramel"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, cane sugar*, milk powder* and cocoa butter* (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

Nibble Chocolate - Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 24, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar (4 servings)
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Aroma notes for this 70% cocoa chocolate included: dark chocolate (drinking chocolate/cocoa), fruit (mango) and vanilla.

The texture was smooth, and relatively thick and creamy (in a cool room).

Flavor notes included: rich, bold dark chocolate with balanced fruit acidity, and authentic fruit (tart sweet mango, very faint orange), vanilla and faint spice.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, mango, organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts.

 

Nibble Chocolate - 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) - July 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar (4 servings)
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Nibble offers single origin and blended origin bars, and bars with flavor inclusions. Their square bars are scored into an 8x8 grid of 64 much smaller squares. The idea is to invite people to savor chocolate more slowly...to "nibble rather than gobble."

Aroma notes for this 85% Madagascar ultra-dark chocolate (crafted from Trinitario* variety cacao grown in Madagascar) included: bold dark chocolate; faint sweet tart green-lemon herb; very faint nut, spice, and freshly baked bread; and, last but not least, diffuse, tart/sour/acidic dried fruit notes. Madagascar cacao is known for having fruit notes (often citrus and tart berry).

The texture was smooth, almost creamy.

Given the relatively bold, acidic aroma, I was pleasantly surprised that the taste was more appealing/friendly than I imagined it might be.

Flavor notes included: rich, bold dark chocolate with moderate-to-high fruit acidity. The complex, sweet-tart to mildly sour fruit (dried stone fruit (plum), tart-sweet/sour citrus (pink grapefruit with berries) notes were frisky yet well-balanced. And the deep chocolate-y (extra dark fudge brownie, tart) taste was very appealing in the best possible way--very flavorful and not that sweet. 

Nibble Chocolate description: "Notes: plum, citrus, raspberry, and spices. Bold with underlying earthiness."

All these flavors from just two ingredients...

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts.

*The Trinitario cacao is known for fruit notes--as is cacao from Madagascar in general. The theory is that Trinitario cacao is a product/cultivar of bolder Forastero cacao and milder and subtly fruity "heritage" cacao varieties like Criollo, and Nacional. Trinitario likely originated in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago).

 

Madecasse - Beyond Good Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate - Salted Almond 63% Cocoa (bar) - July 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Madecasse - Beyond Good
Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate 
Salted Almond 63% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Beyond Good Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate 65% Cocoa (bar) was produced in Madagascar and distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma notes included salted nut (almond), dark chocolate and faint salted potato chip--that disappeared after the bar was opened for a few minutes.

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate was interspersed with crunchy bits of almonds.

The base dark chocolate was well-balanced, and not too sweet (thank you). This 63% dark bar tasted darker--more like a 72% dark chocolate. 

This Madagascar cacao-based bar had flavor notes that included: chocolate-y (chocolate syrup to dark chocolate brownie), and balanced acidic fruit (bright-tart citrus (tangerine), and dark tart berry (blueberry)) notes.

It had a restrained, balanced bitterness; that is, it was not too bitter, but it was bolder than many other 63% dark chocolates. The salted almonds added complementary mellow, savory flavor.

Maker's tasting notes: "Uniquely delicious notes of red fruits and nuts"

Ingredients: "*Cocoa beans, *Cane Sugar, *Almond Nibs, *Cocoa Butter, *Sunflower Lecithin (Emulsifier), Sea Salt." *Organic Ingredient

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and other tree nuts."

 

Monsoon Chocolate - Bejofo Estate Madagascar 64% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - July 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Monsoon Chocolate
Bejofo Estate Madagascar 64% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Monsoon Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Bejofo Estate Madagascar 64% Dark Milk Chocolate (Batch #7) bar was from Monsoon Chocolate LLC (Tucson, AZ).

Part of the company's Origin Series, this chocolate was crafted using cacao grown on the Bejofo Estate in northwest Madagascar's Sambirano Valley.

This estate is managed by "Bertil Akesson, who has specialized in growing fine cocoa, pepper, and other spices for many years, Bejofo Estate produces 300 tons of cocoa a year. The cocoa has been designated as certified "Heirloom" by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative (HCP)."

The subtle aroma notes included: dark milk chocolate, fruit (tropical fruit, melon, kiwi) and faint cookie. 

The texture was smooth, with a creamy mouthfeel.

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate with tart-sweet fruit notes (mango, cacao fruit (pulp), melon, tangerine, very faint sweet green fruit (kiwi)); faint clean mineral water; faint caramel; and faint butter cookie. 

Similar to other chocolates made with (Criollo, Nacional) heirloom cacao varieties, the flavors in today's dark milk chocolate were subtle, pleasant and complex. The milk and unrefined cane sugar softened the tart-sweet fruit flavors and also added a bit of caramel flavor.

This 64% dark milk chocolate bar was smooth, and sweet and very low in bitterness. It will surely please most milk chocolate fans. However, both dark and milk chocolate fans may also appreciate the sophisticated cacao and softly undulating fruit flavors. I certainly did.

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Milk Powder* (*Certified Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains dairy (milk). "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs and peanuts. May not be suitable for people with allergies to these foods."

 

Monsoon Chocolate - Bejofo Estate Madagascar 80% Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Monsoon Chocolate
Bejofo Estate Madagascar 80% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 136.4 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Monsoon Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Bejofo Estate Madagascar 80% Dark Chocolate (Batch #15) bar was from Monsoon Chocolate LLC (Tucson, AZ).

The cacao used to make this chocolate was grown on an estate in Madagascar. The "Bejofo Estate is an organic cacao orchard that is part of the larger Akesson Estate in northwest Madagascar's Sambirano Valley. Managed by Bertil Akesson, who has specialized in growing fine cocoa, pepper, and other spices for many years, Bejofo Estate produces 300 tons of cocoa a year. The cocoa has been designated as certified "Heirloom" by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative (HCP)."

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate; faint, freshly baked bread, gingerbread; fruit (tart-sweet green grape), and very faint "refreshing" clean mineral.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (ganaches); tart-sweet (acidic) tropical fruit (mango, kiwi, cacao fruit (pulp), pineapple, citrus) that peaked, and then receded. The relatively long finish featured rich cocoa (drinking chocolate) relatively notes.

This flavorful, fruity chocolate's natural fruit sweetness made this chocolate seem more like a 74% cacao than an 80% cacao bar. 

Each year I look forward to featuring "new" Madagascar chocolates for a week and tasting the fruit flavors that they're known for. And, like today's 80%er from Monsoon Chocolate, many (if not most) of the best single origin Madagascar bars I've tasted in the last 20 years have been crafted from cacao grown on the Akesson Estate in the Sambirano Valley. 

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter* (*Certified Organic)

Allergen-related information: "There is no gluten or animal product added to this bar; however, it is processed in a facility that also processes wheat, dairy, nuts, and soy"

Michel Cluizel - Plantation Mangaro Madagascar 71% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Michel Cluizel (Cluizel Paris)
Plantation Mangaro Madagascar 71% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar  
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Plantation Mangaro Grand Cru Ambohimarina 71% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Michel Cluizel (Paris, France).* 

Aroma and flavor notes for this single origin Madagascar dark chocolate included: dark chocolate/cocoa, gentle but persistent fruit (mango, cacao fruit (pulp)), and faint, balanced, vaguely botanical, fermentation (that faded after opening) and light spice notes. The texture was even and smooth. 

The fruit was sophisticated and subtle, and less overtly tart/acidic/citrus-y than some dark Madagascar chocolates I've tasted in the past. The fruit notes were more similar to heritage cacao bean fruit notes, and/or a cacao flavor that was softened by a bit more single origin, cocoa butter. 

I enjoyed the subtle, intriguing flavor notes. 

Maker's tasting/aroma notes: "Biscuit, tangy exotic fruits, gingerbread, hot cocoa, notes of citrus and pepper." (Note: Cluizel offers more online tasting information at www.lessensduchocolat.com.)

Ingredients: Cocoa (71% minimum), sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of shelled tree nuts, milk and gluten"

* Michel Cluizel in a bean-to-bar chocolate making company that was founded in the French town of Damville in Normandy in 1948.