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White chocolate is a cheap and nasty product, laden with sugar and devoid of any flavour, right?
Well, hold onto your horses as I met with Neil from Chocolat Madagascar at the Speciality Fair in London last year to discuss what sets the company apart from others, and how their white chocolate is noticeably different.
He explained that the company holds strong ethical values. It champions Raise Trade, a programme that ultimately benefits the community the cacao is grown.
Unlike many chocolate producers that buy cacao beans and process them closer to market, Chocolat Madagascar produces its chocolate bars on the island, in the Chocolaterie Robert factory in Antananarivo, in the heart of Madagascar.
The farmers in the Sambirano valley in Northwest Madagascar are paid a premium based on the quality of the rare cacao beans harvested. The beans are dried, fermented, and processed into chocolate bars in the heart of Madagascar, contributing the the local economy.
More income and tax revenue is generated in the East African country, which encourages further investment, skills enhancement, and better living standards within the community. So, buying a Chocolat Madagascar bar can have a real, tangible effect in the island nation.
It's fair to say this is feel-good chocolate, but does this white chocolate taste good?
Packaging
The front of the thick, textured, linen-like yellow paper wrapper is fairly minimal, with a postage stamp graphic above the Chocolat Madagascar brand name - almost like an edible postcard from Madagascar. An International Chocolate Awards silver prize badge sits beneath, followed by the product description. Gold foiled print adds a touch of glamour to the wrapper.
The rear of the wrapper lists the ingredients in English, French, German, and Spanish, plus the nutritional information.
Chocolat Madagascar Single Origin 37% White Chocolate ingredients:
Madagascar cocoa butter, cane sugar, cow's whole milk powder, GMO-free sunflower lecithin, Madagascar bourbon vanilla caviar. Cocoa butter 37% minimum. Milk solids 25% minimum.
White chocolate is notorious for being laden with sugar, but the overall sugar content in this bar is a respectable 45%.
The wrapper also touches upon the Raise Trade ethical values of the brand, and includes a paragraph on what makes this particular bar unique.
Chocolat Madagascar Single Origin 37% White Chocolate Review
The chocolate bar is wrapped inside a thick woven-textured piece of silver foil. The creamy yellow speckled bar exhibits a classic shape, with a 7 x 3 configuration, leading to a potential 21 segments. Be warned - there's no way you'll nibble just one segment at a time. I couldn't resist going back to this one again and again.
Other than a clean break right through the middle of my bar, it was flawless with no noticeable blemishes or scuffs.
The aroma is rich, creamy, with a hit of sweet vanilla. It's an incredibly comforting aroma and instantly transports me to the chocolate boutiques in Bruges.
The snap is crisp, and the bar gives way along the moulded grooves as expected.
The white chocolate bar is quick to melt, with sweet vanilla sitting front and centre. A creaminess comes in from from behind to coat the mouth. I picked up hints of tropical fruit, very subtle citrus tones, and a honey-like quality to the flavour. It's a mellow flavour but expertly balanced.
In the aftertaste, the sweetness vanishes instantly leaving the subtle creamy vanilla flavour behind. There's no astringency nor cloying I normally experience with white chocolate. This bar is very good indeed.
This is a grown-up chocolate bar and definitely one to savour. Keep it away from the kids though as they'll demolish this at lightening speed.
Chocolat Madagascar Single Origin 37% White Chocolate Review
RRP: £5.99 | Chocolat Madagascar | Shop now°
A deliciously creamy white chocolate that is full of flavour. It's understandably sweet, but not overly so, and the almost-tropical flavour of the cocoa butter sits front and centre.
Where to Buy Online
You can find a wide range of Chocolat Madagascar products on Amazon°, Chocolate Trading Co°, and Cocoa Runners. It's a favourite amongst chocolate lovers and chocolate chefs alike, so has a range of smaller consumer bars as well as more industrial sized bags of couverture.
If you are looking for a vegan white chocolate, give the Chocolat Madagascar 45% Vegan BlanC Cashew Chocolate a whirl. I tasted a sample of this at the show and it was incredible.
Have you tried Chocolat Madagascar's Single Origin 37% White Chocolate? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
