At Pastelería Ascaso we turn the recipe for “Chocolate de Aragón” into a tablet, discovered in the manual “Complete and practical treatise on confectionery and pastry divided into four parts that contain the best and most modern national and foreign procedures known in the aforementioned branches, and also includes a manual of picturesque cooking and the manufacture of the best chocolates, liqueurs, ice creams, lemonades and other items used by coffee and botilleros”, by C.P. and A. (3rd edition, 1857).
After thoroughly studying this work, whose authors are unknown under the initials C.P. and A., we have created a recipe that takes into account current tastes and uses, without changing the essence of the original formulation.
Our adaptation of this notable 19th century chocolate contains 74% cocoas from Ecuador and Venezuela, brown sugar, and hints of cinnamon and Tahitian vanilla to balance the mix. It is powerful in the mouth, without acidity, with a long and intense bitterness and a very little sugary perception. Its aromatic profile is oriented on intense notes of wood-bark with marked notes of balanced toasted grué, as well as notes of important spices, such as vanilla and cinnamon, and light tonka-biscuit notes. It is ideal to drink alone or accompanied by wines with notes of wood and spirits, such as cognac, armagnac or brandy. It combines very well with nougat, nuts, spices (cloves, cardamom...), candied fruit (orange, lemon, ginger...) and honey. This creation, which enriches our extensive catalog of gourmet artisan products, has been possible thanks to rigorous research work, which has allowed us to come up with this masterful formula after numerous laboratory tests. In the project we have had the collaboration of the prestigious French chocolate house Valrhona, which allows us to guarantee the authenticity of the cocoas referred to, coming from sustainable crops in their countries of origin. Specifically, Ecuadorian cocoa is of the “National” variety, characterized by its fineness and aroma; comes from Osella, a local company in the country that implements production strategies to benefit the cocoa sector. The one from Venezuela comes from plantations in Carúpano (Sucre), managed by the family business Cacao San José, which has been cultivating high-quality cocoa since 1830.
The packaging, in line with the excellence that characterizes this product, presents its own identity. It is an exclusive design made with sustainable materials by the illustrator Isidro Ferrer, National Design Award 2002 and National Illustration Award 2006, among many other recognitions.
Pastelería Ascaso was born 130 years ago in Huesca and, since then, our commitment to innovation and research into new formulas based on traditional recipes have made us a solid benchmark for the sweetest gastronomy in Spain.
Today, with the fourth family generation in charge, our production is carried out in a 1,680-square-meter workshop located in the Huesca Logistics Platform (PLHUS), which has the most important advances in the sector to optimize the artisan production that characterizes to our creations.
The quality of raw materials, mixed naturally in our artisan pastry, is our most valuable asset. The Russian Cake is our most notorious creation, a sweet pastry whose original recipe remains a secret of the Ascaso bakery.