Valrhona 64%: Palmira, Gran Couva, & Ampamakia

Memory is a funny thing, especially when it comes to remembered tastes.  Have you ever craved something you ate as a child, or on a trip, only to have it again and wonder what you were thinking?  Well, I am happy to report that’s not the case here with this trio of bars from Valrhona, though my opinion is different now, after having tasted so many incredible chocolates since my first Palmira bar. A fond memory, as I was completely blown away by its temper, texture, flavor, and refinement.

Tucking into the 2009 Palmira, which seems different from the 2005, there’s still the luscious, smooth texture (Valrhona really knows how to temper chocolate) and the satisfying balance of flavors: honey, just a hint of soil, and roasted beans. Then, I’m aware of a gentle cocoa fragrance, which rounds out the whole experience.  Those Venezuelan Criollo beans are the bee’s knees.  They may not challenge your taste buds the way Askinosie chocolate can, but if you’re craving something elegant this will hit the spot.

The 2009 Apamakia, made from beans near the Sambirano river in Madagascar, offers the same great tempering, a slightly creamier texture, and subtle vanilla notes. It’s milder and less complex than the Palmira.

The 2009 Gran Couva, with beans sourced from Trinidad, is my least favorite, though it’s still a delicious bar. The slightly dry finish distinguishes it from the other two.

Years ago, when I tasted my first Palmira bar, there were far fewer chocolatiers around and a much smaller selection of bars from which to choose.  Have I become jaded? Probably. It’s chocolate’s little evolution, and I’m happy to watch people’s tastes become more discerning.  Do I still love Palmira now that I’ve tried the Tainori and Alpaco? A little less.  They are probably my two Valrhona favorites…but, there’s still something unique and special about those Criollo beans.

Valrhona 70% & 39% Cao Grande Organic Chocolate

Those of you who regularly visit this site know how partial I am to organics, so it was with great glee I opened these two bars from Valrhona.  The milk is very gentle, not too sweet,  creamy bar with a lovely temper. The dark, on the other hand, is another one of those great choices for people who want a 70% that isn’t going to freak their little taste buds out. Valrhona creates such a silky sophisticated texture that an otherwise intense bar seems mild and unthreatening. According to the label, the folks at Valrhona think the fruity notes stand out here. To me, whatever fruit I taste is simply there to balance out the slight acid, bitter, and roasted flavors. Acid, bitter and roasted don’t necessarily sound so appealing, but they are. While “fruity” may conjure up a lovelier gustatory experience, without the more intense notes chocolate would be far less interesting. The bar has a fairly long finish; always an appealing quality. Overall, an elegant choice for yourself or a gift.

Valrhona Bonbons

While I adore a great bar of plain dark chocolate, once in a while it’s luxurious to have a box of little bonbons. Valrhona’s small box of 10 assorted morsels provides a lovely departure from my normal fare.

Five of these are dark: mocha, plain dark, jasmine tea, apricot and candied orange peel. The orange peel was my favorite (probably because I hadn’t had it in ages), though the the other four were each delicious in their own right. The flavors assertive enough to be noticeable, but not in your face. Each was startling fresh and enrobed in just the right amount of couverture.

The two white chocolates, an almond praline, and an almond and hazelnut layered rectangle were a bit sweet. Good texture, and nice nutty flavor. I am simply not a fan of white chocolate.

The last three tidbits were milk chocolate. Valrhona’s milk is like many: very creamy and sweet.  One piece housed a ganache of dark and milk that was smooth and luscious. The other two had almonds, or almonds and hazelnuts.

It’s certainly fun to open a box of chocolates and see all the possibilities, but we all know no one likes every piece equally. Luckily for me, the chocolate covered orange peel is available on its own.

Valrhona Equinoxe Dried Figs & Crispy Biscuits in Milk Chocolate

Figs don’t appeal to everyone, but if you love them this is a delicious, original treat. Chewy, sun-dried gems of fruit are enrobed in a 35% milk chocolate. At first, you might think they are coated in dark couverture, but that’s a bit of a costume, for underneath, it’s milk. Along with the chewy bits are crunchy butter biscuit pieces, also sporting a milk chocolate coat.

I enjoyed these, even though milk chocolate is not my first choice, because the textures went so well together.  Like many people, it’s novelty I crave; so, a chewy bite followed by a crunchy one kept my taste buds humming.

The beautiful black and purple box opens with a hinge revealing a curvilinear well, like a pool behind a 1950s split level, full of bi-colored balls about 1/4″ in diameter.

The holidays are almost upon us. Valrhona’s packaging is so cheerful and elegant, and there is such a wide range of products from which to choose, I can’t imagine someone being anything but delighted to find some Valrhona in their stocking. One caveat: find out whether they like milk or dark.

Valrhona Dark & Milk Chocolate Mendiants

After meeting Raphael Casteau at Premier Gourmet’s chocolate tasting he sent me a variety of Valrhona products to review. Among them was a box of Mendiants. I happen to be fond of this style of chocolate: flat discs of milk or dark with a trio of hazelnut, pistachio and dried apricot.

Though I am generally not a a fan of milk chocolate, unless it’s a dark milk, the sweetness did complement the nuts. Still, I liked the dark ones better. Part of the fascination with Mendiants comes from their jewel-like appearance.  This was enhanced by lovely packaging in leaf green and black.

Valrhona Equinoxe: Dark Chocolate Crunchy Pearls

This 75 gram little drum of 55% chocolate pearls is an unusual product. Tiny bits of crunchy biscuit are enrobed in dark chocolate. The package is adorable, the miniature spheres are attractive, and the taste is like Lilliputian Rice Krispies in excellent chocolate. I like them, I just can’t figure out if they’re for people or a doll’s tea party. Seriously, they would be nice sprinkled on vanilla ice cream with Kahlua, or garnishing a dessert plate. Perhaps, they’re a diet aide? Maybe, it’s a Marquis de Sade thing: you eat them one by one with a full minute to rest before the next one. How about sprinkling them in with real Rice Krispies for some haut cereal?  Or, add them to your trail mix for a Park Avenue touch? They might also be beautiful scattered on a dark ganache topped cake, like a Sachertorte. What about a chocolate amuse bouche before you tuck into a Tainori bar?The people at Valrhona clearly have a sense of humor, god bless them.

Valrhona Grand Cru 66% Alpaco & 64% Tainori

A few weeks ago, at a wonderful chocolate tasting hosted by Premier Gourmet, I got a chance to meet the charming and knowledgeable Raphael Casteau from Valrhona. Not surprisingly, his bars outshone everything else. After sampling the memorable Alpaco and Tainori, I had to buy some to leisurely taste at home.

Eight different chocolates comprise this Grand Cru line, two milk, at 33 and 40%, and six dark ranging between  64-85%.

How often does the description on a wrapper promise to deliver a fruity experience and you wonder if they ate the same chocolate you did?  That won’t be a problem here, as these bars deliver exactly what you are primed, by their copy, to expect. For the tasting, each 70 gram bar was on sale at $4.99 (I believe they usually retail for $6.99). Their shape is a bit unusual: flat, relatively thin, and beautifully scored into abstract trapezoidal pieces of varying sizes, unlike anything else I have ever seen. The almost square shape, at 4″ x 4 1/2″, is different and visually appealing. Matte black boxes with shiny, foil-like writing and art come in different colors for each of the Grand Cru chocolates.

Valrhona knows how to temper chocolate to a snappy, glossy indulgence that is satisfying on every level. Alpaco is floral and oaky, slightly bitter with low acid. It’s a bar for all circumstances, and moods. At 66% the intensity is gentled from its creamy texture and those lovely floral notes.

Tainori, is fruity. While I might not call it intense, as they do, I would certainly vouch for its ability to completely sate your chocolate cravings.

Talking about fruity or floral notes can sometimes be misconstrued to mean simple, or so mild that it borders on boring. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both these bars are absolutely delicious and provide plenty of complexity.

Even though they are 70 and not 100 grams, their design makes them seem larger.  And, as we all know, when something is that satisfying, a little goes a long way.

I highly recommend  them, as each is unique and worth the investment.

Domori Apurimac 70%

This delicious chocolate is from Trinitario hybrid beans grown in Peru. It’s fruity, a little flowery, well tempered to an audible snap, and divinely creamy.  Anyone who is familiar with Domori will not be surprised, as they are known for high quality, and deservedly so.

Apurimac is one of those more gentle 70% chocolates I sometimes recommend for people just experimenting with the higher percentages.  Its delicacy and creaminess make it a great choice for a chocolate tasting; especially, when paired against something more assertive, like Askinosie’s bars.

ESchocolat 55% Dark Chocolate

Ecuadorean chocolate seems to be the big thing these days, and like chocolate sourced from anywhere, it can range from wonderful (Republica Del Cacao) to not so fabulous. This 55% bar, made from Arriba beans, is in the latter category. It’s tempered to a slightly chewy texture with barely a snap. The flavor? Bland and uninteresting. Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything to recommend it. With so many fabulous products on the market don’t be lured by this one’s low price ($3.00 for 100 grams).

Chuao Choco Pod: “Modena” Strawberry and Balsamic Caramel in 60% Chocolate

I like to have an open mind, so when I saw this appealing box of Strawberry & Balsamic Caramel filled chocolates by Chuao I bought them.  In the past, I have not always been a fan of their wares. The 2.3 ounce package was $6 and contained six individually wrapped flat chocolates, each about 2″ long.  The chocolate, at 60%, was creamy and an excellent match for the liquidy caramel. I generally prefer a firmer caramel, but the thinness of this treat kept the caramel from oozing out all over the place.  I loved the balsamic-strawberry flavor. Neither was particularly strong, but together they added a whole extra layer of interest, putting this creative concoction in a class by itself. Texturally, the crisp-yet-creamy chocolate against the soft caramel was a sybarite’s delight.

These also come in Cabernet Caramel and  Banana Caramel, which I hope to taste and review in the future.

I want to mention something about price. Sometimes, high end chocolates can seem a bit expensive; and, compared to a Snickers bar, they are. However, when I compare spending $6 for six unusual, delicious morsels to spending that in a restaurant for dessert, these seem like an excellent value.  I may eat a lot of chocolate,  but I won’t eat six of these at one sitting.  Two or three with some tea and a few slices of perfectly ripe pear is my idea of a fabulous dessert.