Valrhona Le Noir Extra Amer (Extra Bitter Black)
January 20, 2019
Sometimes people cringe when I recommend trying an 85% cacao chocolate bar. “Way too bitter,” they say, or “It’s like eating unsweetened baking chocolate.” If you’re shy about trying something on the dark side, chocolate marketing doesn’t help matters with descriptions like “Extra Bitter Black.” They might as well be saying, “I dare you to like it!”
I get it. If you have a sweet tooth, that kind of jargon only turns you off. This is unfortunate because most chocolate lovers don’t realize that higher percentage dark chocolates have the potential to provide an outstanding flavor experience.
Getting to the point of appreciating very dark chocolate is an incremental process that takes time. You can “move up” the percentage ladder one step at a time starting with 35%, then 48%, 60%, 70%, etc.
Trust me, there are tasty 85 or 90 percent chocolates out there. Making super dark chocolates palatable is both an art and a science. Yes, the chocolate does need to capture bitter notes, but it can be crafted without harboring volatile flavors.
Roasting the bean will drive off the volatile elements, and finding just the right balance of temperature and humidity will bring out the terroir. What dark chocolate lovers love about dark chocolate is the cacao’s natural essence. And this is best accomplished when the sugar and other added ingredients are limited or left out completely.
About Valrhona Noir Extra Amer
The Valrhona Noir Extra Amer is 85% cocoa solids made from a blend of African beans. The texture is smooth with a hard snap and an even melt. I taste rich, deep cocoa notes with a slightly nutty flavor. For me, the bitterness provides a nice chocolatey finish. This bar is fairly straight forward, no complex flavor profile. A reliable chocolate taste for everyday eating!
According to the Valrhona website (US), https://www.valrhona-chocolate.com/, in addition to producing the world’s finest chocolate in Tain L’Hermitage, France since 1922, their internationally known chocolate school (L’École Valrhona) has been helping students learn to create chocolate bonbons for more than 25 years. They have campuses in France and in New York.
I encourage you to start working on your taste for dark chocolate, and keep trying higher percentages. You might settle on a preferred range (63% - 70%) and don’t feel the need to go higher. That’s great! Eating less sugar and increasing antioxidants is a bonus that comes along for the ride. Go ahead, don’t be afraid of the dark!
Here's a link to the chocolate on Amazon.
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I just bought these bars to make a flourless torte. I have made the torte before, and remembered buying the purple swoosh about 8-9 years ago. Still, a little worried that I actually bought the 70%. we will find out this weekend if it’s too bitter or not.
I should think 70% is not too bitter. Sounds like it’s going to be a delicious weekend!
actually, it was the 85% I used today. And still, not too bitter!
85% is my favorite. I just eat it out of the package. I’ll have to bake with it now. Thanks for sharing!