What Is Miel de Cacao?
Break open the shell of the cocoa pod and you’ll find closely-packed rows of sweet, creamy white fruit surrounding bitter beans. For as long as Theobroma cacao trees have existed, this pulp has been regularly foraged by creatures from monkeys to squirrels to long-ago humans who’ve adored its pleasant, tart taste. In fact, cacao fruit has served as the main attraction to the cacao plant for far longer than chocolate has even existed!
Absorbingly sweet, playfully sour, and distinctly tropical, the fresh pulp of the cacao fruit tastes something like citrus, mango, or lychee. It is a layered, floral fruit flavor with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.
Our Miel de Cacao is the product of reducing this complex white fruit down to a smooth, sweet syrup with a deep molasses color. This is done by collecting the pulp that is usually removed from the bean and wasted, and cooking it at high temperatures to intensify the flavor.
But what does Miel de Cacao really taste like? Its flavor lends us fantasies of syrupy balsamic vinaigrette with tart raspberries, or juicy pomegranate flesh dripping with honey, or a fruit reduction you may have already tried -- delicious grape sabas.
But, after all, each complex food (including dark chocolate and cacao fruit) is made up of hundreds and hundreds of natural compounds arranged in brand-new ways to create exhilaratingly unique sensory experiences!
What do you do with it? Experiment with it! Sure, you can substitute it for fruit syrups like saba, sapa, vin cotto, and mosto cotto. It even makes an adventurous honey or balsamic vinegar replacement. But our favorite way to enjoy Miel de Cacao is to try it all over and see what we enjoy!
We love it slathered on roasted grapes and pears, drizzled on strong cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gorgonzola, and brushed on savory lamb and duck. It makes a delectable salad dressing, marinade, savory sauce, or general drizzle!
The flavor is quite concentrated, so it is best to use it sparingly -- at least at first. A small amount lends a depth of flavor to any dish, sweet or savory. It’s a luxurious syrup of beautiful cacao fruit, yet is also so much more!
Reach out to us at info@mindochocolate to check out our recipes for Miel de Cacao Vinaigrette, Roast Pork Loin with Chocolate Miel Sauce, Miel de Cacao Ice Cream, and more!