No, this isn’t seventy percent Madagascar and thirty percent something else, but a block made with a minimum of 70% cocoa solids using only cacao beans sourced from Madagascar.
I used to be a bit doubtful about ’single origin’ chocolate, thinking that chocolate was chocolate and it was only the volume of cocoa in it that made any impact, until I did my 70% comparison and realised that four best-selling blocks can taste surprisingly different.
Opening the block I could immediately smell a deliciously smoky fragrance, hinting at the rich darkness that I was about to taste.
As is usual with Lindt, the chocolate has an inviting sheen and a gorgeous ’snap’ when it is broken.
The smoky fragrance was evident in the taste as well, even though vanilla is in the ingredients (of which there are only four – a good sign in higher-cocoa content chocolate – cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla beans). The square melted slowly away to a smooth finish, with the dark flavours lingering awhile. I’m tempted to write that it tasted creamy and buttery even though there is no milk in it: it’s just the very best cocoa butter shining through.
For 70% lovers, this is as good as it gets and is the type of chocolate you really must savour slowly, one square at a time.
…..and if you’re a 70% lover watching your weight/cholesterol levels, maybe ‘one square at a time’ is all you should have (yeah, right) because it has 5.1 grams of fat in it, or 51 grams for the whole block (thanks to the high level of cocoa mass and cocoa butter, of course. The price we pay for true chocolatey ingredients).
I’ll go so far as to say – DON’T read the back ingredients/nutrition panel and just enjoy what is the best 70% chocolate I have ever tasted. Bar none.
Oh no! I should have stopped reading before you got to the fat content. Now I’m just sad
Hi Christine,
The fat in chocolate is different and supposedly does not clog your arteries.
There are a number of great books out there on all the health benefits of chocolate. Perhaps, reading one would help you enjoy this super food.
Peace,
Nicole
I’m really intrigued by this! I’m not at all a fan of Lindt’s regular 70% but love the 85% and 90%, and have yet to try their single origin bars, despite comign across them fairly regularly. The thing that intrigues me is that I’ve found I don’t particularly like Madagasar cacao, as it tends towards the fruitier spectrum in my experience. Yet you’re saying here that it has smoky characteristics, which I adore…
Oh Kath, you’ve just ensured I have to buy this one next time I see it, despite having previously convinced myself I didn’t need to!
Christine the one thing that chocolate should NEVER ever do is make you feel sad. Lusty, guilty and naughty yes, but sad, no.
Hannah maybe it will taste fruity to you and I know that it’s usually the descriptor given to Madagascar but my taste buds tasted smoke. I’d be interested to hear what you think when you try it.
I’ve never been a big fan of dark chocolate, although reading these posts has made me try a few. BUT, I really don’t like them all that much and still find myself sticking with the milk varieties. Want to know what I brought home today? Get ready to cringe. Cadbury Peppermint. yes, the green snot one. I just HAD to have it.
Damn, I wish I could remember where I saw this. I didn’t buy it on the spot, and now I can’t remember where it was that they had it
)
Certainly a must try for me. I’m a girl who usually likes to share her chocolate (mostly because I’ll always want to try more chocolates and I could never eat so many bars and boxes all by myself
), but I bleed inside when somebody touches my dark Lindt chocolate. And I give them a nasty look as well.
The antioxidants negate the fat.
Since i’ve been eating a lot more chocolate I’ve LOST 4 kg. Must be the chocolate, mustn’t it!