Choco-Almond Duality

This plant-based snack features an interesting variety of textures in two different elements. It has an intense dark chocolate flavor, combined with the taste of roasted almond versus raw almond. It is completed with black cherries infused with Mavrodaphne sweet red wine and an antioxidant mix of spices.

For this snack, my inspiration is to present the “contrast” between a natural - unaltered flavor, and one that has been developed by us humans, using almonds as an ingredient. These two different flavors finally come together with chocolate. They can be enjoyed separately as well as in combination. A crude looking crunchy-filled snack features the raw almond flavor (nature side). A “shiny” hot-chocolate drink features the bond between the plantation chocolate Alto el Sol and the roasted -Maillard reaction- almond flavor, (knowledge/science side). By dipping the top half of the snack in the drink, the flavors come together, with chocolate being the binding element.
The snack is inspired by a traditional Greek sweet pie called “Bougatsa” that has a crunchy thin pastry exterior and is filled with semolina cream.
Nutrition-wise, this snack is a powerhouse of energy and packs a great quantity of antioxidants that come from the combination of almonds, cinnamon, curcuma and black pepper, red wine, the anthocyanins of the cherries and of course, the cocoa solids.