In its first incarnation, the solid chocolate bar had harsh, bitter flavors, but — as Alexandra explained — it was the introduction of milk into the process that gave us the chocolate we know and love today. Milk that smooths and tames the flavors of the chocolate, making it a luxuriant treat. The quality of the milk is almost as important as the quality of the cacao beans, and is a major difference between American and European Chocolate.
Al Nassma is a company from Dubai that truly values the importance of milk, but not the kind you might think. On the Arabian Peninsula, Al Nassma uses Camel Milk in its chocolate.
The process of creating these chocolate delicacies is fascinating. Chocolate making requires a steady stream of milk of a consistent quality. Much of the camel milk that is sold around the world comes from collectives of nomads, and while the milk is very good, some of the properties are variable and unpredictable in chocolate making. A camel farm in Dubai is the only source of camel milk regulated enough to support the making of chocolate. Al Nassma sends milk from this farm to Austria, where it is processed by the only machines in the world specifically calibrated to handle camel milk.
Here the milk in churned into fantastic chocolate bar, singular square bites, and ornate camel shaped truffles. The chocolate is shipped back to Dubai for packaging and to ensure the highest quality. It took us nearly a year to bring it in, but after the wait we are currently the only retailer in the United States with this unique treat.
A bite of this chocolate immediately changes your perspective on what chocolate can be. On my first tasting of their whole milk bar, I first noticed how stiff the chocolate was, with a good weight. It breaks with a heavy crack, louder than any other milk chocolate I've encountered. In hand and mouth, the chocolate has a texture more like what one expects from dark chocolate. But the flavor of the chocolate is something completely new; subtle yet full bodied. The chocolate is incredibly decadent with a cream flavor that is thick without being opaque.
The flavor of the cacao comes through the chocolate vibrantly, but without bitterness. There are subtle tastes as well, warmth from the milk itself that is difficult to describe; it has a delicate sense that I think is similar to nutmeg or paprika.
The chocolate has less sugary sweetness to it; any additional sugar would detract from the subtle notes that build this chocolate into a very potent experience. The nature of this particular chocolate lends itself to some very interesting combinations that work in ways beyond that of cow milk chocolate. They have a fig in camel milk chocolate as well as an orange and macadamia. These subtle flavors really explode in a camel milk chocolate bar because the milk is so accommodating to intricate tastes.
Camel milk chocolate is a rare and refreshing twist on chocolate that we are very excited to share with you.
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