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Claudio Corallo ~ Laranja (Orange)

 

 

Laranja (Orange)

Type: Flavored, Bittersweet, 75%

Bean Varietal: Trinitario, Hybrid

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar, crystallized orange peel, cocoa butter.

Sample Size: 50g or 1.76oz

 

Appearance: Two tablets, one broken, plain non-monogrammed tablets, ashy, bumpy surface from the orange peels, and cracked lines all over the suface, very rustic and simple.

Score: 87

Snap: Mild snap, very thin and a tad chalky.

Score: 83

Aroma: Big char, roasted cacao, toast, huge coffee aroma, pen ink, rubber, buried orange aromas and the faintest hints of blueberries.

Score: 91

Taste: Sweet sugars right up front, char, pen ink, deep fruits, mild orange peels. A nice flavor balance at the end of the tasting through retro-olfaction.

Score: 94

Texture: Dry, chalky, slow to open up, hard but without a decent snap.

Score: 83

 

The score on the appearance is a mixed bag because as I have mentioned in previous Claudio Corallo reviews, I have come to appreciate the simple, rustic, molding of their bars. No pretentious moldings, just simple tablets, packaged and ready to eat. However, I am getting tired of always having broken up tablets from them. And this bar, despite it's simplicity, was totally ashy.

The aroma is what it is. This is Claudio Corallo chocolate through and through. Huge aroma of coffee, char, toast, roasted cacao, but a very slight hint of the orange. It's there but totally buried underneath Corallo's hallmark aromas. It should have more of an orange aroma, and that's why it has the score that it does, but it's also not a bad score based on being in love with this gigantic aroma.

A little sweet at first, then it takes it's time to open up. It's chalky and dry which hides a lot of the true flavors. Pen ink, char, deep complex fruits, and very mild orange peels. I expected more from the orange peels. I expected bigger flavor and more orange oils and a bit of a bitterness from the peels. A bit more sugar from the crystallization. They were very dull.

For me this isn't entirely a bad thing. I am not one to rave about orange peels and chocolate. Even if I am not the worlds biggest fan, I still expected a bit more from the orange. Instead it got completely overtaken by the extreme boldness of Corallo's cocoa.

The lingering aftertaste and retro-olfaction flavors are nice however. More of a combination of the sweet orange and toast flavors give for more of a comforting linger taste. It's a shame this wasn't the case throughout the bar and only reserved for the end flavors.

Overall this wasn't that great. But it's not bad either. I just think it could have been so much more.

 

Final Score: 87.6

    score
     B

 

April 5th is National Caramel Day!

 

 

To celebrate this food holiday I have the perfect thing. William Curley's Almond and Orange Caramel Mou and Sea Salt Caramel bar.

When Angelo Scarnera, my London chocolate hook up, came back to the States, he asked me what I wanted and I specifically asked for the William Curley's Sea Salt Caramel Bar. I only had one of these bars before, but I knew I needed more. And this time Angelo came with a different Caramel Mou from Curley that I haven't had had before either. Mou is just the proper name for chewy caramel.

 

This is not something you should cut into pieces. I only did that to illustrate the awesomeness of the soft, runny caramel in this bar. No too runny where it's all over the place, but just right. Soft, buttery, and just about heavenly. Using Amedei Chocolate as the base for this piece of wonderfullness. I am not sure, but I think it's probably the 70% Toscano.

Deeply intense chocolate, rich and bold with lingering coffee notes. Caramel so soft and creamy like sweet butter. And just like the package describes, a hint of sea salt. Not actually salty or blended with coarse sea salt. The chocolate also has some bright berry notes that come through and a tiny hint of acidity.

This thing is just awesome. I once described this as "eyes-rolling-in-the-back-of-your-head-good!" This is sinfully good and the kind of thing that takes you places. Kind of like those old Calgon Bath commercials. "Calgon, take me away!" I know that's corny, but if you were to try this thing, then you would know that makes perfect sense.

Lord have mercy this kind of confection deserves and A+.

   score
  A+

 

 

 

 

 

Slightly dusty surface as you can see my finger print in the chocolate from pulling it out of it's wrapper. Two "Fun-size" bars in the box individually wrapped. Very light orange aroma from cutting one piece in half. And of course rich smells of buttery caramel.

Soft, chewy, caramel, buttery and perfectly balanced with orange flavors. No artificial orange tastes, just lovely orange oils, soft and flowery. Very sweet and rich. Lightly crunchy slivered almonds for added texture depth.

This is how I want to enjoy caramel. Sometimes you get them too chewy, too hard, or too sugary. This is sweet, soft, and wonderful. Both caramel and orange in chocolate are not usually my favorite combinations of flavors with chocolate. But this was fantastic. The orange was beautifully balanced though out the caramel adding the right kind of flowery sweetness to the rich buttery caramel. The chocolate doesn't hold up as much. It's a rich pop of flavor right up front and then gets lost along the way. But chocolate isn't entirely the point with this confection. Elegant and gorgeous.

   score
  A+

 

I have been an admirer of William Curley for a long time now. There is a lot of skill in his work and possibly some of the best confections I have had period. I long for the day I am back in London and I can sit in one of his cafe's and taste all of the pastries they make too. What an awesome way to spend a national food holiday.