The Dark Side of Chocolate

In this first chocolate review of 2011 (see previous posts here, here and here) I have decided to write a little about two chocolates with an quite unusual high percentage of cocoa (so fasten your seatbelts!):

Michel Cluitzel, who some of my long-time readers will remember from his excellent 65% Mangaro, has come up with a small (30g) bar with an astonishing 99% cocoa content. Very eager to find out whether such a 'high voltage' chocolate is actually edible I could not resist bringing one home. 

My recommendation is to gradually 'taste one's way up', i. e. accustoming the palate to these quite intense flavours by first eating piece of a 70% chocolate, then one with a cocoa content within the 80s before embarking the top ones. To my dismay the Infini 99% tasted extremely bitter (in the literal sense of 'bitterness, not to be confused with 'dark'), was very dry as well as reminded me somewhat of the taste of paper. Assuming me having a bad day I tried it once again a few days later, however still continued to be very disappointed.

After this experience I'm sure my reservations towards high percentage chocolates are understandable. Some time later I heard that Stainer's 100% (!!) bar was supposedly different, so I - although reluctantly as I had tried a Stainer chocolate with a 70% cocoa content and wasn't impressed - gave it a try. 

And was very positively surprised. With a very fine texture and an incredibly creamy glaze this Tuscan delight was a complete opposite to Cluitzel's Infini and it's rich and full body flavour pleases the palate long after it has smoothly melted on the tongue. Hadn't I known that it was a 100% chocolate I probably wouldn't have believed it. The perfect accompaniment to a strong espresso I'd like to recommend it to all my readers who have a faible for very dark chocolates.

Just having one more piece ...
Memonji