Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Review: Pascha Organic Dark 70% Cacao

Richard's Rating: 7.0
chocolate maker(unknown)
bar70% Cacao
regionPeru
plantation(blend)
cacao trees(unknown)
year(unknown)
size100g ~ 3.5oz
cocoa solids70%
added fatcocoa butter
sweetenersugar
emulsifier(none)
flavoringvanilla
other ingredientscocoa powder
list price$5.00
colormedium brown
PANTONE 19-1012
Dark Brown
appearancesmooth, imprints, scoring, scuffing, adhered bits
aromaroast (smoke), vanilla, earth, spice, sweet
snapmedium hard
tastesweet (butterscotch, honey), vanilla, fruit (citrus, grapefruit, berry), roast, nut, chalk
meltsmooth
lengthmedium
finishtannin, somewhat acidic, slightly chalky, slightly sour
As you probably read in our review of their 85% Cacao bar, Pascha began selling chocolate this year that is completely free of exposure to any of the eight food allergens recognized by the U.S. F.D.A.

70% Cacao was made in Peru from local cacao. The bar was certified organic, verified non-GMO, certified fair trade, and certified kosher.

The ingredients were cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla, all of which were organic. Cocoa solids totaled 70%.

The bar was the traditional size for chocolate bars: 100 grams. It came sealed in plastic inside a paper box. The bar was scored into 24 pieces, half imprinted with parallel lines and half imprinted with the image of someone carrying a basket of cacao pods. The best before date was May 21, 2014.

The color of the chocolate was a medium brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012). The surface was smooth, with a little scuffing and some adhered bits of chocolate.

70% Cacao had a medium hard snap. The aroma contained scents of smoky roast, vanilla, earth, spice, and sweetness.

The chocolate tasted sweet, with vanilla, fruit, roast, and nut flavors. The sweetness seemed to be a combination of butterscotch and honey. The vanilla flavor was strong. The fruit included citrus, grapefruit, and berry. I also tasted some chalkiness.

The melt was smooth. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 35 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin, somewhat acidic, slightly chalky, and slightly sour.

This chocolate bar surprised me. While not perfect, this was a very good chocolate, which would be an accomplishment for anyone, but is especially noteworthy for a new company.

You can purchase Organic Dark 70% Cacao online directly from Pascha in packs of 5 bars for $25, or from Chocosphere for $5.30 individually, $24.65 for five, or $46.60 for ten.

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