Valrhona Grand Cru Milk Jivara Lactee 40% Beans

One of the best milk chocolate blends out there, the Valrhona Milk Jivara Lactée 40% Bean has a very distinctive flavor. It’s mild, but unapologetically chocolatey, with notes of caramel and vanilla, and whispers of malt and brown sugar.

Incredibly easy to work with, this baking chocolate is perfect for making glaze for donuts, as a melty ingredient in chocolate pancakes, in smores, or even eaten straight out of the bag in a moment of craving. If you’re looking for a more adulty treat, try making a chocolate Viennois with Whiskey.

• In a saucepan, bring water, heavy cream, whole milk, and whiskey to a boil. (Try this Griffo one)
• Infuse with a cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, and caramel extract for 10 minutes.
• Strain into another saucepan, add in Valrhona Cocoa Powder, and let cook until it reaches 185F.
• In a tall glass or mug, place Valrhona Milk Jivara 40% Bean and Valrhona Dark Manjari 64% Bean, then slowly pour the hot liquids onto the chocolates.
• Top with whipped cream, and sprinkle more Valrhona Cocoa Powder on top.

The Nacional cocoa bean is a rare variety found in Ecuador and Peru. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Nacional cocoa bean was considered to be the most coveted cacao in the world by European chocolatiers because of its complex flavor and floral aroma. But this golden age was abruptly interrupted in 1916, when a disease devastated Nacional trees throughout the country. This forced the hybridization of Ecuadorian cacao with other varieties. By the 21st century, people believed the pure Nacional to be extinct. That is, until 2009, when researchers found six trees to be 100% genetically Nacional. And in 2013, nine more were found.

Store your chocolate feves in a cool, dark place, ideally between 18 to 24°C. You can use the refrigerator, but place the chocolate in an airtight container to keep the moisture and humidity out—and retain its full range of flavors, of course!