HCP 1: Paredes Farm, Alto Beni, Bolivia
Designated in 2014 as the first Heirloom cacao, these beans are grown by the Paredes farm in Alto Beni, Bolivia, processed in Palos Blancos, and shipped to Manchester, New Hampshire, where we produce our couvertures. This chocolate is well-balanced, and is designed to be perfect for most chocolatier and pastry applications.
THIS IS THE CACAO THAT INSPIRED ME TO BECOME A CHOCOLATIER. The trees had been newly-discovered growing wild in Bolivia. I stumbled across a magazine article and the thought that chocolate could be so rare and unique completely fascinated me. At the time, the only chocolate produced from these beans was Cru Sauvage, by Swiss chocolate maker Max Felchlin. I purchased a bag of Cru Sauvage couverture–it was transformative.
Volker Lehmann (left) works with the area’s farmers to produce some of the world’s most spectacular cacao.
Alto Beni chocolate is a quartet, more Bach than Jazz. Genetic analysis shows a fudgy Amelonado base with equal parts fruity Criollo and spicy Forastero, and a splash of floral Nacional on the finish. The flavor is bold, complex, and pitch-perfect. Alto Beni cacao hasn’t been available on the international market for years.
The flavor is bold and full-bodied, with tart dark fruits, such as cherries, dates, and raisins, evolving into rich caramel with mild acidity and astringency, and a long bright finish.
Learn more about how cacao genetics impacts chocolate flavor.
Tempering / Working Properties
This chocolate tempers at slightly lower temperatures than typical dark chocolates. We recommend that this chocolate be MELTED to 55-58C (130-135F), CRYSTALLIZED at 28C (82.5F), then brought back to a WORKING temperature of 31C (88F).
The fluidity is optimal for most chocolatier applications.
We package this couverture chocolate untempered in 1 kg (2.2 lb) slabs, which store compactly, and are easily broken down for melting or tempering.
INGREDIENTS
cacao mass (60%)
cacao butter (10%)
organic sugar (29.5%)
organic sunflower lecithin (.5%)
COMPOSITION
cacao solids (30%)
cacao butter (40%)
organic sugar (29.5%)
organic sunflower lecithin (.5%)