Review: Francois Pralus Le 100%

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Pralus bar Le 100% region Madagascar plantation Pralus cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 100% added fat cocoa butter sweetener (none) emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price €3,95

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, text imprint, uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma roast (coffee, cocoa), fruit (berry), earth, spice snap medium hard taste roast (coffee, burnt, malt), wood, fruit (citrus) melt more smooth length medium finish somewhat tannin, slightly sour

Pralus sources the cacao for Le 100% from their own plantation on the island of Nosy Be, Madagascar. The bar was certified organic by Ecocert France.

In addition to added cocoa butter, this chocolate included soy lecithin (unlike the previous formulation of Le 100% that we reviewed in 2010). The best before date for this bar was May 11, 2015.

Pralus still sells their chocolate in large 100 gram bars from the same nice molds they have used for many years. Wrapped in gold-sided foil, Le 100% came enclosed inside a paper wrapper. The bar was scored into 24 small pieces and one large piece containing the Pralus imprint.

The color was a little different than earlier version of this chocolate, a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015. The bar had an overall good appearance and a smooth surface, but the sheen was uneven and there were a few bits of adhered chocolate.

Le 100% had a roast aroma of coffee and cocoa. There were additional scents of a berry fruit, earthiness, and spices. The bar had a somewhat softer than typical medium-hard snap

The taste was a heavy roast, with flavors of coffee, burnt, and malt. Other flavors included wood and fruit, the latter of which contained some citrus.

The melt was almost creamy, but still in the more smooth category. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting 35 to 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was somewhat tannin and slightly sour.

Until recently, Le 100% had been my favorite 100% bar. Unfortunately, Pralus changed the recipe and used a roast that tastes excessive to me. It is still a good chocolate, but no longer near the top of our ranking of 100% chocolate bars (which you can see in the second list from the bottom on the Chocolate Rankings page).

Pralus Le 100% is available for purchase online for $8.35 from Chocosphere or for $8.50 from Chocolopolis. You can also purchase it for £4.85 from Chocolate Trading Co.