Our Chocolate
Puma Dorado is a single-estate chocolate bar. The cacao is grown on a tiny farm in the Amazonian rainforest in the Oriente of Ecuador. The sustainably produced beans, after harvesting, are fermented for six days and then sun-dried on site. The later processes of chocolate-making – roasting, winnowing, grinding and conching – take place in small batches using traditional artisanal production methods either by hand among the local population or in a small award-winning factory in Quito.
The chocolate is made from only three constituents (85% cacao mass, 11% sugar and 4% cacao butter). The remarkable flavour is enriched by gold electrolytes absorbed from the soil through the roots of the plants. The current bar is 70 grams. Although the chocolate is not registered as organic, it is based on sustainable farming principles and minimal use of agrochemicals.
The trees are of a recently developed variant, Super Arbol ESS based on the traditional high-quality local Nacional strain, combining good production with disease resistance. The Super Arbol is made up of eight different genetic strands, each with its own distinct characteristics.
Puma Dorado is carefully manufactured using BPM Ecuadorian international harmonized standards and the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) food safety certification. To ensure export facilities to the USA the chocolate has FDA registration.
Creating the Chocolate
The chocolate that reaches your hands is not just any product: it is the culmination of a journey full of care and attention that begins long before the bar is formed. It all starts with the fermentation process and with drying the beans, transforming the fresh pulp into a collection of unique aromas and flavours – the very foundation of good chocolate.
The cacao undergoes a meticulous inspection selecting only beans that meet the quality required. Puma Dorado is not looking for quantity, but excellence. The next step is roasting, where the magic begins to be felt in the air. The heat transforms the beans, causing them to release their intense, deep, and enveloping aroma. It is here that those notes you will later discover in every bite are born: fruity, floral, or even nutty undertones, depending on the characteristic of the specific Super Arbol variety.
After roasting, the husk is removed to get the heart of the cacao. This is slowly ground to form a thick paste, known as cacao liquor, which concentrates the full character of the bean. In this state, the cacao is pure, strong, and vibrant. But the true alchemy occurs when it is taken to the conching stage, a prolonged process in which the paste is delicately mixed and oxygenated. Time and movement manage to soften the texture, balance the flavors, and eliminate any harsh notes, leaving a silky and well-rounded chocolate on the palate.
Later comes a moment of precision: tempering. Here, the chocolate is subjected to exact temperature control, an art that ensures the cocoa butter crystallizes correctly. It is this care that results in a flawless shine, a crisp texture, and that unmistakable ‘snap’ when you break a bar. Finally, it is poured into moulds and allowed to rest, until it becomes the perfect piece that will reach your hands.
In the small Aroma Ecuador factory in Quito, machines are used to guarantee uniformity and safety, while emphasising the artisanal character of our chocolate. Every decision, every movement, and every minute invested reflects a deep respect for the cacao and for the person who will enjoy it. Our purpose is to deliver a natural product, free of chemicals and additives, that preserves the authenticity of the bean and at the same time expresses the passion of those who make it.
When you take hold of one of our bars, you are not just holding a piece of chocolate, but are receiving the story of a bean that was cared for from its origin, the heritage of an ancestral process, and the effort of transforming the purest of nature into a pleasure that awakens all the senses and its flavour brings out the taste of the soil of the land.
Nutritional Information
Puma Dorado chocolate is not just another chocolate bar, but is low in sugar, and contains no salt, gluten, milk or artificial ingredients. The chocolate is vegan and suitable for celiacs.
Chocolate generally contains many minerals that are useful for health. These include:
Flavenoids: These are powerful antioxidants. Cacao is one of the world’s richest sources of flavanols (like epicatechin), surpassing even green tea and red wine.
Theobromine: An alkaloid similar to caffeine but with a milder, longer-lasting, and less ‘jittery’ stimulating effect. It acts as a vasodilator and a smooth muscle relaxant.
Anandamide: A neurotransmitter our bodies naturally produce. Cacao not only contains anandamide but also compounds that slow its breakdown, prolonging a sense of well-being.
Magnesium: Crucial for muscle and nerve function.
Iron: Important in on order to avoid anemia.
Potassium: Useful for the nervous system, blood pressure and muscle function.
Copper: Helps to produce red and white blood cells.
History of Chocolate
From the vibrant, green heart of Ecuador, where rivers serve as roads and the rainforest breathes, comes the most ancestral of all cacao. This is not simply another regional variety; it is the cradle, the genetic birthplace where, over 5,000 years ago, the Mayo-Chinchipe culture first domesticated this sacred fruit. To speak of Amazonian cacao is to speak of the very origin of chocolate.
What makes this cacao unique is its environment and cultivation method. It grows wild or is cultivated in traditional biodiverse forest gardens managed by indigenous communities. Within this system, cacao is not a monoculture but part of a harmonious ecosystem. It thrives alongside guayusa, banana, yucca, timber trees, and medicinal plants.
This symbiotic relationship imparts a unique and complex flavor profile. In a chocolate made from Amazonian cacao, one can discover exotic notes of rainforest fruits, wildflowers, and subtle hints of wood and damp earth. It is a profound and nuanced flavor, a direct reflection of the unparalleled richness of its ecosystem.
Today, Amazonian cacao is a treasure for master chocolatiers and connoisseurs seeking authenticity and pure flavors. It represents a vital opportunity to preserve the region’s incredible biodiversity and to honour the ancestral knowledge of the communities that have safeguarded it for generations. To taste this cacao is not merely to enjoy an exceptional chocolate; it is to experience its very origin a living piece of Amazonian history.
Puma Dorado chocolate is available for purchase in U.K. and Ecuador from our sales points. We are currently exploring other markets.
Ecuador: g_rosero@pumadorado.com
UK: adrian@ pumadorado.com
Whatsapp: +593 999 8 999 59