Thursday, November 19, 2015

Review: Ethereal Madagascar

Richard's Rating: 6.0
chocolate makerEthereal
barMadagascar
regionMadagascar
plantationblend
cacao treesunknown
yearunknown
size64g ~ 2.3oz
cocoa solids80%
added fatcocoa butter
sweetenercane sugar
emulsifier(none)
flavoring(none)
other ingredients(none)
list price$7.50
colormedium brown
PANTONE 19-1431
Fudgesickle
appearancesmooth, scoring, uneven sheen, adhered bits, bubbles
aromaearth (hay), roast (smoke), fruit (raisin, coconut), spice
snapmedium hard
tastefruit (citrus, plum, lime, blueberry), earth, roast (cocoa, smoke), sweet, tannin
meltless smooth
lengthshort
finishsomewhat acidic, somewhat tannin
Mary and Sara Ervin have been crafting hand-made organic chocolate confections and bean to bar chocolate in Woodstock, Illinois, as Ethereal Confections since 2011.

Ethereal's Madagascar chocolate bar was made from all organic ingredients: cacao beans, cane sugar, and cocoa butter. Cocoa solids (cacao beans and cocoa butter) made up 80%, with the remaining 20% being cane sugar.

Inside a thick paper wrap that was sealed with the label, the 2.25 ounce bar came wrapped in pink colored foil . The label also adhered to the foil wrapping along the bottom edge, which made removing the chocolate without breaking the bar a bit challenging. The best before date was September 28, 2017.

The bar was scored into 24 pieces. The chocolate had a smooth surface, with an uneven sheen, some adhered bits, and a few bubbles. The underside was shaped with a thin protruding edge. The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color.

Madagascar had a medium hard snap. The aroma revealed scents of earth, and hay in particular, a smoky roast, fruit, and spice. The fruit scent included raisin and coconut.

The chocolate tasted primarily of fruit, with flavors of citrus, plum, lime and blueberry. In addition, I tasted earth, a cocoa and smoky roast, and sweetness. Some tannin was also present.

The melt had a less smooth texture, but no graininess. The chocolate flavor lasted about 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a short length. The finish was somewhat acidic and somewhat tannin.

Overall, a good chocolate with delicious fruit flavors. For me, the texture needs improvement, but if you enjoy Madagascar interpretations with this flavor profile, give this chocolate a try.

Best Prices Online
$7.50 directly from Ethereal
$7.50 from Chocolate.org
$7.50 from Chocosphere

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