Bittersweet and Elegant -- Guanaja, the iconic dark chocolate of Valrhona, created with a complex and balanced blend of different aromatic profiles.
In 1986, Valrhona created the world’s bitterest chocolate using 70% cocoa. It was quite an achievement! This heightened cocoa content required a complete rethink of how things were done. This is when we started to select cocoas with absolute precision, because with such a low proportion of sugar there was nothing to mask imperfections. Cocoa was therefore selected according to its aromatic profile in order to create balanced blends with a unique flavour.
Guanaja immediately revolutionized the market and became a benchmark product. Its name, Guanaja, is a nod to the first cocoa beans given to Christopher Columbus when he washed up on the Caribbean island of Guanaja on July 30, 1502.
Guanaja is a subtle blend of cocoa aromatic profiles typical of Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Madagascar. These profiles are blended to obtain Guanaja’s unique and consistent flavour, which is both bittersweet and elegant. This blend, impeccably produced since 1986, is a showcase for genuine prowess and skill.
Guanaja’s forceful tanginess and its comforting notes of bitter cocoa nibs call and respond like the warm, harmonious tones of woodwind instruments intermingling with celebratory song and the gentle rhythm of a percussion section.
Recommended Applications:
- Ganache Chocolate
- Ganache Patisserie
- Coating
- Moulding
- Tablet Bar
- Ice Cream & Sorbets (Optimal)
Suggested Pairings:
Frutos / Red fruits / Ginger / Tonka bean / Salted butter caramel
Composition:
- 71% cocoa
- 28.5% sugar
- 42.2% fat content
Storage: Keep in a dry, cool place at between 60.8/64.4 °F (16/18 °C)
Product of France
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Summer Shipping:
At above 26°C, cocoa butter in chocolate products may start melting, and recrystallize as white streaks or marks on the chocolate's surface. This phenomenon is called 'fat bloom'. While it may not have the perfect appearance, bloomed chocolates are safe to eat and use in recipes.
During summer months when the temperature is relatively warm, we advise adding cold packaging to your shipment in order to minimize the risk of melting. While we are careful and diligent in maintaining the temperature of your package, we unfortunately cannot guarantee the products in the cold packaging will not be affected by unusually warm weather and irregular transit time.
Click here to choose your cold packaging. (Optional)
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Created in 1922 in France by a pastry chef for pastry chefs, Valrhona has remained a chef driven company that values working in partnership with culinary professionals. Valrhona employs 30 corporate chefs and operates four premier pastry schools ("Ecoles Valrhona") throughout the world for chefs to learn, exchange ideas, and master their craft. Valrhona is committed to the creation of unique artisan quality chocolates with complex and balanced flavors. As an owner of 2 plantations, Valrhona is literally the source of fine chocolate as they plant, discover, select, and blend fine and rare cocoa beans.
Since 2020, Valrhona is certified B CORP. Obtaining this certification is a huge honour but also a philosophy that they wish to implement for the future. The B CORP movement has been promoting strong values of change throughout the world to make companies "a force for good" and distinguish those that balance profit and purpose. Its holistic and demanding vision revolves around 5 impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. B CORP's objective is to certify companies that integrate social, societal and environmental objectives into their business model and operations.
