Roast
"We slow drum roast cocoa beans for each chocolate batch to develop unique chocolate flavors. LIGHT - just enough to soften the cocoa's raw acidic edge. MEDIUM - cocoa flavors develop to be balanced and flavorful."
The third roasting option is "DARK" which is not used for these two bars.
Conche
"Heat, motion, aeration & time produce chocolate's final flavor; this is conching. Adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors. SUBTLE - softens primitive edge while retaining aggressive flavor notes. MEDIUM - balance between aggressive and subdued, mellow."
The other conching techniques are "NONE" and "LONG."
Recipe 212, Light Roast and Subtle Conche
This bar has a sharper edge, with a bitter taste at the front. The flavor leans to the earthy side of the palette due to a toasty note, but there is also an element of fig in the mix. The aftertaste is long as a result of the bitter taste. 7.9
Recipe 224, Medium Roast and Medium Conche
The descriptions above for moving from light roast and subtle conche to medium roast and medium conche imply a softer taste for the resulting chocolate. This comes through clearly with Recipe 224. The front taste is softer, but still has a strong cacao note. The flavor palette moves to buttery with a butterscotch note. The secondary flavor is reminiscent of olive. The aftertaste is strong but softer, with a less bitter tail. 8.6
From the Recipe 212 label:
ReplyDelete"Our light roast highlights natural acidity with hints of raisin and fig. During conching the chocolate is heated, mixed and aerated. Our subtle conche softens the cocoa's edge while leaving complex flavors in the forefront."
From the Recipe 224 label:
"Our medium roast reveals subtle notes of blackcurrant and caramel. During conching the chocolate is heated, mixed and aerated. Our medium conche uncovers subtle flavors reminiscent of caramel milk chocolate with hints of red fruit and plum."