By now, you’re familiar with macambo — a cousin of cocoa that can be made into a chocolate equivalent (not as good), but can also be added in pieces to a bar, much like a nut. Here, Anquria — a new brand for me — caramelizes it beforehand, adding a touch of praline that I won’t complain about.
Again, a chocolate from Yasuni - here, a project run by women of the Waorani community, one of the many peoples of this region of the Amazon.
Belly’s chocolate is always special - as much for its granular texture as for its unique, light taste, somewhere between citrus, flower and sweet butter. Here, we add a few notes of coffee. It’s present, but subtle: it adds color to the chocolate without taking control of it. For me, who’s not a fan of coffee, it’s a success: I appreciate the notes without being overwhelmed, just as I can appreciate them in a tiramisu. An interesting variation.
Avanaa offers us a chocolate of great intensity. Right from the start, it unfurls strong notes of wild berries, sandalwood and even red wine. Although the cocoa comes from the Dominican Republic, I immediately thought of Alluvia’s Vietnamese chocolate - they’re in the same range.
The pine essence plays a major role in this bar. Refreshing, well-sweetened and silky, it’s a pleasant chocolate, but not particularly striking.