Madre Chocolate: Passionfruit

Still wonderful here in Oahu. And you’re still not here. Just thought I’d emphasize that.

To make my trip sound even better, let’s discuss some more chocolate from Oahu-based Madre Chocolate. How about a bar with some fruity additions? How about a bar made from Hawaiin passion fruit AND Hawaiian cocoa? An all-Hawaiian product, if you will.

The packaging for 70% cocoa Passion Fruit bar features information about the source of both the passion fruit and the cocoa, and notes that passion fruit “lifts the mind and stimulates the palate.” I’m not sure how much one needs mood-lifting while visiting Hawaii, but perhaps if I bring some more of these bars back to the mainland, I’ll take advantage of that property on a windy, rainy November day.

The bar has, unsurprisingly, a fruity aroma, which is mostly citrus-based, and is a bit softer than the pure Hawaiian Dark Chocolate bar.

The passion fruit emerges from the chocolate the moment it hits your tongue, and is well-mixed with the chocolate. The chocolate has a very strong citrus flavor throughout, which is complimented by the perfect amount of sugar and a creamy melt that is smooth but just a tad quick for my tastes. Aside from the citrus flavor, it’s difficult to tease out other flavors, aside from a bit of woodiness, from the chocolate itself, as the passion fruit is so dominant.

This raises a philosophical question: at what point does an addition overpower the chocolate too much? In this case, I happen to thoroughly enjoy passion fruit, especially in this bar, as it is flavorful and well-distributed. But should I also be able to appreciate chocolate flavors more?

Hard to say. In either case, if you enjoy passion fruit as much as I do, this bar is a must-have.

Do you think that chocolate or an added fruit should be more dominant in the flavor of a chocolate bar?