Nyangbo ground chocolate, a single origin chocolate from Ghana to try without delay!

This week we’re taking you to Ghana, an African country bordered by the ocean, the Volta, the savannah and several national parks. The rich wetlands of the country’s south-west are host to the cocoa plantations of Nyangbo 68% chocolate, an exceptional Grand Cru, both in terms of its aromatic profile and the story it tells! Don’t take our word for it - find out more below!

Ghana, the land of cocoa

Cocoa has been cultivated in Ghana for over 100 years. Here, thanks to bountiful tropical rains, producers harvest some of the best cocoa in Africa. Since 2008, Valrhona has worked with 800 of these producers. They come from 8 different communities, each of them working on plots of 3 to 4 hectares and actively participating in the development of the Nyangbo 68% Grand Cru.

As the economic backbone of the region, cocoa farming structures the lives of communities. From harvesting to opening pods using machetes (pod breaking), all tasks are carried out in groups.

Nyangbo, the secret of a Grand Cru de Terroir

Once extracted, the beans are fermented under banana leaves and dried on site on large bamboo mats. This is where the flavor precursors develop. The beans are then sorted and shipped to Valrhona, which uses a perfectly executed recipe to turn them into exceptional chocolate.

The result is sublime: Nyangbo 68% reveals a subtle acidity before unveiling the first round, warmly chocolaty notes that then give way to a toasted second wind, loaded with sweet spices. The intensity of this Grand Cru de Terroir is matched only by Valrhona’s commitment to the sustainable development of its producers.

Nyangbo is more than chocolate; it is a commitment!

As in all the countries in which we operate, Valrhona is engaging with local communities to identify areas that would significantly improve people’s living conditions. In Ghana, education support has been prioritized. In consultation with partners and local representatives, it was decided to come up with a long-term solution to facilitate access. As a result, between 2015 and 2020, a community center, two new schools and a college were built and more than 2,500 children have benefited from it. These spaces are still in operation today, and Valrhona’s commitment continues. 2021 marked the creation of a primary school, equipped with a computer room and a toilet block. It can accommodate 270 students in 6 different classes. Its completion is the fruit of a project that was set up in partnership with its beneficiaries!

Did you know?

The name Live Long, the program set up by Valrhona to imagine the best of chocolate for cocoa producers, professionals and the planet, comes from Ghana.

The story goes that in 2018, a sourcing expert was traveling around the country when they were warmly welcomed by local people holding “Live long Valrhona” signs.

This slogan was quickly adopted by the brand to represent its long-term societal commitment to producers around the world.

Nyangbo chocolate today in your pastries and drinks!

Rejoice: you can now easily access Nyangbo 68% chocolate. And since good things come in threes, here are two recipes that will give you the opportunity to test this Grand Cru.

The Nyangbo Stracciatella Dome is a gourmet dessert designed by chefs at the École Gourmet Valrhona, adapted for home-made dishes.
Allow 1 hour 20 minutes to prepare and, before you get started, make sure you have Ivoire 35% white couverture chocolate, Almond Hazelnut Praline 50% and Ground Nyangbo 68%, of course!

The second recipe is simpler and faster but just as delicious! As the weather gets colder, we have put together a recipe for an exquisite plant-based hot chocolate! This drink is very easy to make because Nyangbo chocolate comes ready-to-use! Finely grated, Nyangbo chocolate is sold as shavings and offers two key advantages for hot drink preparation: better blending of solid and liquid and better diffusion of aromas.

Heat the almond milk and infuse the peppercorns for 10 to 15 minutes, away from the heat. Filter the peppercorns and heat the almond milk again. Put the hot drink and Nyangbo chocolate shavings in a blender, then blend until you have a smooth mousse. Serve hot!
You can make this recipe in the same way with whole milk (in this case just 100g of Ground Nyangbo 68% will be enough). For other flavors, replace Timut pepper with 2g of gingerbread mixture, an orange zest or leave a vanilla pod to infuse.

For about 4 cups of hot chocolate, you will need:

500g almond milk (preferably intense)
8g Timut pepper
NYANGBO 68% chocolate shavings

Guaranteed result: you, your friends and your family will be won over by the smoothness and aromatic richness of this seasonal drink!

Nyangbo chocolate for all occasions

Feel free to use some imagination and add ground Nyangbo 68% to your pastry creations, to add flavor to your homemade yogurts and granola or simply use it as topping on your desserts!

And for those who want an even more accessible treat than the ideas and recipes presented above: simply open the Nyangbo 68% chocolate bag, pour a few pieces onto a spoon and enjoy!

We will conclude this article with a final positive note: by using ground Nyangbo 68%, you are baking with high quality chocolate as well as actively participating in sustainable development projects in Ghana.