Valrhona Guanaja Dark Coin 70% Cocoa

Description

Valrhona’s Guanaja 70% Dark Chocolate Coins (also known as fèves) mark a milestone in chocolate excellence. Launched in 1986, this blend of specialty cocoa beans—from Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Madagascar—was the world’s first 70% cocoa couverture chocolate, setting a new benchmark for intense, balanced flavor.

The Guanaja coin format ensures ease of melting, precise dosing, and consistent texture—loved by pastry professionals for ganaches, molded chocolates, and more.

Flavor Profile

• Primary taste: Rich, bittersweet dark chocolate

• Secondary notes: Roasted and grilled cocoa nuances with floral and coffee undertones

• Finish: Elegant depth and lingering complexity

Composition & Technical Details

• Cocoa content: 70%, with ~63% cocoa mass

• Sugar: ~28%, Cocoa butter: ~7–8%, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), natural vanilla extract

• Certified gluten-free and kosher

• Packaging: Available in 250 g, 1 kg, and 3 kg formats

Recommended Applications

• Ganaches and crémeux

• Mousses, sorbets, and ice creams

• Chocolate coatings, molding, and bar production

• Baking and refined pastry work requiring deep cocoa flavor

Ideal Pairings

Perfect culinary matchups include:

• Red fruits, tonka bean, or ginger

• Salted butter caramel, almond, pecan, macadamia, and peanut
  These combinations enhance both its fruity and bitter qualities in refined dessert creations

Shelf Life & Storage

• Best-before: Approximately 14–18 months from production

• Storage conditions: Keep cool and dry at 14–16°C (57–60°F) to preserve aroma and tempering performance.

• Protect from heat, light, and humidity to maintain quality

Benefits & Advantages

• Considered a “grand cru” in the chocolate world—beloved for refined cocoa complexity and balance

• Excellent tempering and texture performance in professional pastry applications

• A “workhorse” chocolate praised by chefs and home bakers for its depth and adaptability in recipes like ganache and truffles

How to Use

1. Tempering Guide: Melt to ~50–55 °C, cool to ~28–29 °C with seeding, then bring up to ~31–32 °C—use temperature chart specific to Guanaja

2. Melting Tips: Ideal for use in bain-marie or controlled machinery for uniform melting and gloss

3. Ganache Recipe Tip: For long-lasting shelf life, combine with invert sugar or glucose when making ganaches (e.g., 450 g Guanaja + 400 g cream + 100 g glucose syrup)