For many chocolate lovers, a 100% cacao bar can sound intimidating—but this one is remarkably inviting. Ara Chocolat crafts it with cacao from the village of Cuyagua in Venezuela’s Aragua region, a place long celebrated for producing exceptional fine cacao. The beans come from the Cuyagua Farm Company, whose farmers cultivate heirloom cacao that expresses the character of the land.
I’m always impressed by how balanced this bar feels despite having no added sugar. It melts beautifully, revealing deep fudgy notes, soft caramel, and fruit. Perhaps sticky toffee pudding without all that sugar? Instead of bitterness, the experience feels smooth, rounded, and expressive.
For me, this is the kind of 100% bar that invites exploration. It lets you taste cacao in its purest form while still offering a gentle, elegant profile that unfolds slowly as it melts.
Cacao Origin: Venezuela Region: Aragua Producer: Cuyagua Farm Company
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Deep chocolate experience: This cocoa takes anything chocolate to a whole new level. The depth and smoothness is beyond any brand I have used, and I have used many. Intense chocolate experience, but not bitter or harsh. Be prepared to be asked for repeat performances! -Seth
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We at ChefShop are committed to finding and offering the best rare ingredients in the world. Our small batch products are made by personally selected local and international artisans, dedicated to preserving and sometimes reinventing food traditions!
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When my daughter bakes something with this delicious cocoa – I will take a bite for you too! -Kat
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Best Cocoa Ever
If you care about using the best cocoa on the face of the planet, buy this. -Angela
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Our favourite cocoa
I have 8 varieties of cocoa at home -- red cocoa, black cocoa, natural cocoa, and several high-end specialty cocoas (Barry Extra Brut, Valrhona, Guittard, Ghirardelli...). My family goes through enormous quantities of cocoa powder -- for hot cocoa, brownies, chocolate cakes, cookies... and this is by far our favourite. It has depth, complexity, and richness. While the specialty cocoas are excellent, I find they can sometimes be quite bitter, lack richness or body. This one is always perfect for whatever we are making. And being in Canada, I go to great lengths to buy this cocoa -- that should tell you how much we love it! - Monika
At the end of the week, after all the news has been digested, I look to ChefShop’s newsletter as my respite to life. On Sunday, I curl up in bed with my newsletter to forget about the weeks news, and think about romance. The romance of food!
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