Chocolate Making & Extra at Montadero Chocolate in Puerto Rico

I took a chocolate making workshop at Montadero Chocolate in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Learn on for my expertise!

Do you know Puerto Rico has a rising gourmand chocolate scene? It’s a little-known gem, with the local weather and temperature excellent to develop a few of the costliest cacao pods on the earth. 

There are just a few native gamers which can be making huge strikes within the chocolate business, chief amongst them being Montadero Chocolate. 

I had the pleasure of visiting the shop and participating in a chocolate workshop, to not point out tasting virtually every part they provide because it was inconceivable to depart empty-handed. 

Right here’s what it is advisable to know to plan your go to! 

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The place is Montadero Chocolate? 

Montadero Chocolate is positioned in Caguas, a couple of half hour south of San Juan.

They’ve a storefront that lately opened and has a number of tables in addition to a classroom and workshop area. 

There may be road parking obtainable for free of charge if you could find an area and are expert in parallel parking. Bear in mind that the streets are slim and Caguas is a crowded neighborhood with lots of site visitors normally. 

The store is superbly adorned with an elaborate mural of the chocolate making course of. The lady prominently featured within the mural is the proprietor, German Ramos’, grandmother. 

German is pictured above together with his spouse, Kenia. Their son is someplace within the background, having the most effective “convey your baby to work” day attainable. 

What makes Montadero Chocolate particular? 

You gained’t discover Godiva or Lindt shops on the island. Puerto Rico has not usually been related to high-end chocolate, till now.

Montadero Chocolate works with main manufacturers and makes customized truffles with endemic flavors like passionfruit and papaya.

They’re the official chocolatier for Dewar’s on the island and notably shine in alcohol-infused recipes. 

Montadero Chocolate makes use of 100% domestically sources cacao beans and all chocolate manufacturing happens in-house.

One of many farms they buy from is Hacienda Chocolat, positioned in Fajardo. Additionally they do chocolate pairings and experiences with whiskey and wine.

This can be a small Puerto Rican business that’s making a world title for itself. 

Montadero Chocolate has nods to its roots and household historical past all through the shop and model.

As an example, the form of the bars themselves are made to appear like a topographical map of the mountains within the city the place Ramos’ household lives. 

What’s the Chocolate Workshop like?

The Chocolate Workshop is obtainable totally on the weekends and prices $36/pp. It lasted roughly 2 hours.

I made my reserving on-line and acquired affirmation by way of textual content after. They want a minimal variety of individuals to proceed with the workshop so have an alternate date obtainable, simply in case. 

We discovered about how chocolate is made and noticed Ramos grind the beans right into a chocolate paste. We talked about tempering and molding chocolate.

We reviewed our choices for add-ons, from crunchy chocolate coated rice balls to truffle salt. Then we set to work!

There have been 4 individuals in my class whole. We every had the prospect to pour our personal chocolate into the molds and enhance the bars as we noticed match. 

Then, whereas they cooled, we tasted whiskey and paired it with chocolate. 

The expertise consists of the whiskey tasting (or sizzling chocolate for those who don’t drink) and also you make 3 chocolate bars to take house with you. 

As soon as your creations are cooled, you wrap them in foil and bundle them formally within the containers supplied. 

I did the workshop on my own however the different individuals there have been a bunch of associates and I do know households with babies which have signed up for the exercise as properly. 

Montadero Chocolate Store 

You’ll be able to’t go away with out buying just a few gadgets from the chocolate store.

I appreciated their number of choices. They’d cacao tea, constructed from the husks of the pods.

Additionally they had varied dainty desserts, decadent cookies, chocolate bars with various percentages of cacao, sizzling chocolate, and extra.

The truffles are made contemporary every day and are restricted in amount so if there’s one you see while you arrive on the workshop that’s operating low, buy it first!

I made this error and missed out on 2-3 flavors that offered out within the 2 hours I used to be there. 

Each time attainable, I encourage you to transcend San Juan and help small native companies like Montadero Chocolate.  

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Until subsequent time, secure travels!