Valrhona · Single Origin Ecuador · Dark Chocolate Couverture

Valrhona Alpaco 66% Single Origin Ecuador Dark Chocolate Couverture

A single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate couverture distinguished by elegant floral and woody notes, sweet spices, dried fruit, and the aromatic character associated with Ecuadorian Arriba and Nacional cocoa.

• Cocoa: 66%
• Origin: Ecuador
• Profile: Floral, woody, sweet spices, and dried fruit
• Format: 3kg professional fève bag
• Valrhona reference: 5572

Product Description

Valrhona Alpaco 66% expresses the aromatic personality of fine Ecuadorian cocoa through a balanced dark couverture suitable for a broad range of professional applications.

It opens with sweet-spice and dried-fruit notes before developing floral, nutty, and distinctly woody nuances. The result is refined rather than aggressively bitter, allowing the chocolate to complement fruits, spices, nuts, coffee, caramel, and baked components.

Key Characteristics

• Single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate couverture
• Sweet-spice and dried-fruit opening
• Floral, nutty, and woody aromatic development
• Balanced intensity for pastry and confectionery
• Professional fève format for convenient melting and weighing

Official Applications

• Coating and enrobing
• Moulding and chocolate bars
• Mousses
• Cream preparations and ganaches
• Ice creams and sorbets

Official Pairings

Grapefruit, hazelnut, lime, lychee, cinnamon, coffee, gingerbread, vanilla, caramel, and licorice.

BBPH pairing direction: Alpaco works especially well with grapefruit or lime in bright plated desserts, hazelnut in pralines and entremets, coffee in ganache, or gingerbread spices in seasonal pastry. Lychee can be used to emphasize its floral side.

Composition & Allergens

Made with Ecuadorian cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, and natural vanilla extract.

Allergen notice: May contain nuts. Always consult the original package for the current ingredient and allergen declaration.

Technical Information

• Official designation: Alpaco 66%
• Chocolate type: Dark chocolate couverture
• Origin: Ecuador
• Format: 3kg fève bag
• Valrhona reference: 5572
• Best-before period: Up to 18 months under the stated storage conditions

Storage & Handling

Store in a cool, dry place and follow the storage directions printed on the original Valrhona packaging.

BBPH handling guidance: Keep sealed and protected from heat, humidity, direct light, and strong odors. Acclimatize a chilled bag before opening to reduce condensation. For moulded or enrobed products, use Valrhona’s product-specific tempering curve.

About Valrhona

Founded in Tain-l’Hermitage, France, in 1922, Valrhona develops professional chocolates for pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers, and culinary professionals. Its single-origin couvertures are created to express the identifiable aromatic character of selected cocoa origins.