THIS POROUS AND LIGHTWEIGHT CHOCOLATE IS INSPIRED BY AMBRA TOBA
COLLECTION. INJECTING NITROUS OXIDE INTO BEAN-TOBAR CHOCOLATE IT
EXPLORES THE ORGANIC DEVELOPMENT OF PORES.
Basalto / Tobá is a porous and lightweight chocolate inspired by Ambra Tobá. We injected Nitrous
oxide into bean-to-bar chocolate in order to explore the organic development of pores due to the
expansion of gas bubbles in the molten chocolate when the atmospheric pressure is altered. In the
same way that the characteristic porous texture of the stone is created by gas bubbles that are trapped
in solidified lava.
To emulate the diverse composition that Ambra Tobá gathers from Mexican soil to become what it
is, we used extra ingredients besides cacao to create this piece. The common denominator of these
ingredients with the elements that make up the rocks is that they all come from Mexican soil and that
a significant amount of time is required to obtain them. We are using lean cacao debris, a by-product
of the cacao butter extraction process.
CACAO:
From Soconusco, Chiapas, an area that used to
be inhabited by the Mokayas, who domesticated
cacao trees around 4,000 years ago. There’s
archaeological evidence of theobromine traces
found in pottery dating back to 1,900 B.C. They
were the first to process chocolate in Mexico and
most probably they were the ones to coin the
word “kakawa” in their Mixe-Zoquean language.
LEAN CACAO DEBRIS:
A by-product of the cacao butter extraction
process.
SMOKED HEIRLOOM CHILE:
Tres Lomos Chile from the central region of
Veracruz.
ANCIENT SPRING SALT:
From Zapotitlán, designated with the Presidium
title by Slow Food International, promoting its
cultural, historical, and gastronomic value.
HEIRLOOM HIBISCUS FLOWER:
Harvested by the indigenous community “Numa
Gamaa Ski Yu Me’Phaa” in the high mountain
area of Guerrero.
We were familiar with the minerals found in cacao beans, but were amazed to find out that they are
exactly the same as those found in Ambra Tobá: magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and
manganese.
Our piece concentrates a combination of flavors that is only possible thanks to terroir. A coincidence
of soil, climate, geographical location, people, but above all, time.
