Bar: 62% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur De Sel Sea Salt Bar
Maker: Askinosie (Springfield, MO, USA)
Chocolate Percentage: 62% dark milk chocolate (54% cocoa liquor and 8% cocoa butter)
Price: $8.95 / 85g (3oz) from The Basket Store at Chelsea Market; $8.50 online
Ingredients: Davao, Philippines Cocoa Beans (Trinitario), Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter (made in factory with Davao beans), Goat’s Milk Powder, Sea Salt (from The Meadow)
Additional Notes:
Chocolate Origin: Davao, Philippines
Awards: 2017 – Bronze – Academy of Chocolate Awards; 2016 – Americas – Silver International Chocolate Award; 2014 – Good Food Award; 2013 – Good Food Award; 2011 – Gold – London Academy of Chocolate’s Best Bean to Bar Milk Chocolate; 2011 – Silver – London Academy of Chocolate’s Best Bean to Bar Milk Chocolate; 2011 – Gold – London Academy of Chocolate’s Best Packaging

Packaging: And I thought the inside packaging of the Raaka chocolate bar was detailed. Askinosie takes it to another level in terms of transparency. The focus on the front of the packaging is on the source of the chocolate with “Davao Philippines” printed boldly at the top with a picture of the cocoa bean farmer below. The specific chocolate bar type and Askinosie brand logo are left to the lower third of the front label. The back of the packaging touts a “Real People. Real Places” trademark and explains that the farmer on the front of the package is Peter Cruz, whom Shawn Askinosie, Founder & CEO personally met on his first journey to the Philippines. Askinosie also promises a “Taste Good Does Good” approach to their chocolate by guaranteeing higher than Fair Trade prices to the farmers, open books, and a share of the company’s profits. However, an equitable supply chain does not seem to be the only company focus. The paper packaging even details that the tie keeping it closed came from a biodegradable bag of beans that were shipped to the factory. Further, the inner wrapper of the chocolate is also home compostable from and made from a sustainable source. Askinosie also values environmental sustainability in its production process. The last detail on the packaging is a rubber stamped number, which I would guess equates to some kind of batch number. However, a lot more detail about Davo, Philippines and Peter Cruz can be found on the company’s website. The details here include that the cocoa bean consists of a Trinitario variety, which are harvested in October-November, fermented in wooden boxes, sun dried on a patio under rain cover. The chocolate comprises of 54% cocoa liquor and 9% cocoa butter, has a medium roast, medium conch and is tempered at 43C, 31.6C. Again, the level of transparency is shocking.

Appearance: The chocolate bar is divided into a 6×3 rectangle grid, with a letter centered on each square to spell out “Askinosie Chcocolate”. Not the prettiest bar in my opinion, but it does get a proud message across. Being a dark milk chocolate, the color is lighter than your typical dark chocolate bar. The chocolate has a nice little shine to its surface.
Aroma: Creamy vanilla and caramel smells
Melt & Snap: Crisp snap. Ultra smooth, creamy, slow melt. No hint of grittiness in the chocolate (like Raaka).
Flavor: A sweeter dark chocolate, with vanilla and milky caramel tones. Definitely get the luxuriousness from the goat’s milk. I did not taste much of the sea salt, but got a hint of toasted nuts instead. This is a far cry from Hershey’s.