Fresco – ABOCFA, Ghana 68% Light Roast, Subtle Conche

TASTING NOTES

This 68% dark chocolate is made with a light roast and a subtle conche cycle that bring out the rich fudgy notes and classic ‘chocolatey-ness’ so typical of cocoa from this region. As it melts on the tongue, a delicate floral profile can be detected among the chocolate brownie, with a strong finish bringing out fruity-sweet hints reminiscent of fig jam.

The name ‘260’ might seem a little odd for a chocolate bar, but this is how Rob Anderson identifies all his bars. The number refers to the specific recipe and combination of processes that go into crafting the bar – a little different to the 261 Dark Roast Medium Conche, for example.

ABOUT THE MAKER

Based among the beautiful inlets and mountains between Seattle and Vancouver, Fresco Chocolate aims to apply the scientific method to chocolate making. Rob Anderson, a computer scientist from Southern California, founded the business in 2010 after a series of inspirational visits to the legendary Scharffen Berger chocolate factory in Berkeley. His experiments change one variable at a time: origin, cocoa percentage, roast time, conche time. Many craft makers do the same before picking their favourite combination and sticking with it. But not Rob. Rob is unique in releasing many variations, so you can see for yourself the profound impact such subtle changes can have on the final flavour.

THE BEANS

The beans in this bar were grown by the folks at ABOCFA, a 13-village farmer cooperative in Ghana known for producing some of the highest quality traceable cacao in the country. Unlike in other cocoa cooperatives, the beans at ABOCFA are not centrally fermented, so each farmer must be taught the best practices for fermenting and drying. The program has been successful, though, because ABOCFA beans are known the world over for making great-tasting chocolate.

Allergens*

No allergens listed by maker.

Ingredients

Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

*Allergen advice: We directly import, and purchase, all products from independent makers and have these shipped by our partner warehouse (which is not certified allergen-free), and so we cannot guarantee that any product will be allergen-free. Even where an allergen is not listed, products may have been produced, shipped, or stored in facilities which handle allergens.

If you would like further information about a specific product, please contact us on [email protected] or contact the maker directly.