In the comment section of my Vestri Girone dei Golosi post, Camille recommended Askinosie for a good white chocolate experience. Askinosie makes its white chocolate with non-deodorised cocoa butter and goat’s milk powder, and the flavour is utterly unlike your standard supermarket Cadbury Dream-style white chocolate. I have, pre-blog, had Askinosie’s plain, pistachio, and cacao nib white chocolate bars, and would have them in regular rotation in Australia were it not for the fact that they cost $AU20 per 85g bar. (Still, cheaper than Manolo Blahniks, right?)
The discussion about Askinosie was most fitting, though, because I had just bought one of Askinosie’s newer dark chocolates with the intention of reviewing it. So what better time than now?
Askinosie Davao Dark Milk Chocolate with Fleur de Sel
You know, this is one of the companies I discussed in my thesis...
First of all, at 62% and very dark in colour, I doubt anyone could pick this bar as milk simply by looking at it. It also tastes nothing like normal milk chocolate. Instead of using sugar and milk powder as its primary ingredients, Askinosie’s Davao Dark Milk lists cocoa beans first, which means that the cocoa is in higher proportion than the sugar and dairy components.
The other, and perhaps more significant, reason for this bar’s delectableness is that the dairy used is goat’s milk powder – and it shows. Don’t get me wrong; eating this chocolate is not like chewing on goat’s cheese. However, the tangy flavour of chevre is definitely present, and oh my bucket is its presence welcome.
From memory, the chevre flavour was stronger in the white chocolate, but that makes sense as the cocoa beans here lend an assertive chocolatiness that cuts through the cultured dairy richness. The tanginess could also be likened to that of plain yoghurt or buttermilk, and the overall flavour to a rich, dense, luxurious chocolate cheesecake.
Imagine this with chocolate, and without the brulee, and, um, as a cheesecake rather than a lemon tart... And in the form of chocolate bar. Yep, that’s what you should do.
Interestingly, the sea salt is here integrated into the base chocolate rather than dispersed as tiny flakes or crystals (which seems the more common format for a chocolate + salt bar). As a result, the salt simply strengthens the cocoa, chevre, and cheesecake notes rather than jumping out with salty assertiveness at unexpected moments.
As I worked my way through this chocolate (in one go… *ahem*), I thought of thick hot chocolate, cultured butter, hay, marscapone, and molasses, but mostly I thought about how utterly satisfying and get-again-able this chocolate was.
This is Askinosie's white chocolate with salted pistachios, not the one I've here reviewed. Just keeping you on your toes.
Mmmm I must try this. I must! I’m searching out a distributor here
The idea of using goat’s milk in it is so interesting!
amaaaaaaaaazing.
thats all i have to say about all of the above. la la la la.
Lorraine: I’m absolutely positive you should be able to find it! It was sold in at least three stores in Canberra (for the aformentioned exorbitant price, mind you), so I really could not imagine it not also being in Sydney! Definitely try this one and the white versions – the goat’s milk flavour is even more intriguing in the white chocolate! Mmmm….
L-Izzle: Get thee to As Nature Intended, stat!
Sounds fantastic! Too bad France is a terrible place to find artisan American chocolate.
sounds amazing – though after decorating a cake with white chocolate ganache recently I wonder what a ganache would be like with their chocolate and if it would spread – or is that blasphemy with such sublime chocolate?
I love the pic of the packet – that is worth paying a lot for – I love some of these swanky chocolate packets – do you collect them once you have eaten the chocolate?
Croquecamille: But you do have Bernachon chocolate, and much, much better cheese. (As an aside, I just saw an American television ad that said “a country is only as good as its cheese”, and not only was it talking about packaged slices, but seriously? Isn’t America the home of Cheez Whiz?
)
Johanna: I don’t think that would be blasphemy at all – but could I please sneak an invite if you ever create such a divine masterpiece?
I did actually keep quite a few of these packages, which proved useful as I focused a section of my thesis on the ethical claims/indications of Askinosie’s packaging – ie the picture/name of the farmer to create the “connection”, the references on the back to biodegradable materials, etc… I wish I could keep all the fancy and unique packaging of the chocolates I’m finding at the moment, but I just can’t take good enough care of them in my tiny suitcase!
Ugh, you’re right. I do. I really, really do.
(i’ve put a ban on myself though…no chocolate until my schoc stuff arrives! I’m saving myself. And also don’t want to waste any more money. I did cave the other night, though, and bought a kit kat…..desperate times, desperate measures and all that. I AM GOING CRAAAZY..so, so chocolate-deprived)
btw i keep the packaging of my chocolate bars too (this will probably not come as a surprise to you), and use them as bookmarks
the curious chocolatier’s are particularly effective.
L-Izzle: Oh, I adore The Curious Chocolatier’s designs. Could well be my favourite!
Speaking of (not) holding off – after about two weeks wherein I had no access to new and interesting chocolates, I bought five today (after putting three more back on the shelf) and am off to Whole Foods tomorrow where I foresee unladylike amounts of chocolate purchasing. (Or very ladylike amounts? Hmm…) Happy times!
Very lady-PMS-ing-like amounts? :p
Women are allowed to love chocolate at any time of the month, surely? I know for sure I don’t limit my chocolate consumption to a paltry once-a-month habit!
Oh, nor do I. But it is a wonderfully stereotypical excuse (not that one should need it).
Besides, PRE-menstrual. PRE. Technically, all but the event in question falls into this “PRE” category. Thus meaning I can justify 3/4 weeks of a month with this excuse. The other one week is just plain old menstrual chocolate consumption.
(I originally wrote “menstrual-chocolate” consumption. That did not sound so nice)
This is going places I’m not at all comfortable with. I draw the line at goat’s milk chocolate.
OK good! Well this is going to be a fun challenge. When people ask me what I’m doing I’ll answer “Searching for chocolate” and they’ll nod in understanding and clear a path through. I’m positive they will
Sorry, what I meant to write was “D’oh!”
Lorraine: I absolutely would, if someone ever said that to me! And I’m sure the friends of yours who pop up constantly on your blog will understand, too
Croquecamille: You know what? I think your silence spoke measures.
OMG I sure need to try some of this as well. Must organise trip to Canberra very soon….. Where was this stuff available again. Sorry have forgotten the places you mentioned.
Intriguing with the goats milk powder. For my birthday last year, my DH had some chocolates shipped over from my favourite chocolatier in Paris, Jean Paul Hevin
http://www.jphevin.com/catalogue.php?type=expediables&id_produit=14
they were astounding. I didn’t think I’d like them, but they were truly amazing, and went ever so well with some bubbly before a big banquet meal out. Sometimes you have to trust the clever people. And it wasn’t just a hint of cheese flavour it was quite intense- as all their flavours are.
Louise: As Nature Intended, which has stores in both Belconnen and Civic (though I think the Civic one may have changed names, but hopefully is pretty much the same thing).
Those truffles look amazing. I’m generally not a truffle person, but I believe I would try those if I came across them. There’s a company here that does a blue cheese truffle that I’ve been keeping an eye out for, but to no avail. I guess I’ll just have to add Jean Paul Hevin to the salted butter caramel Louise-recommended list!