The Science of Chocolate Pairings: Unlocking the Perfect Flavor Combinations
Deliberately pairing complementary flavors, creating perfect combinations, and synchronously enhancing flavors of diverse products is essential in food pairings. The art of mixing and matching flavor profiles, like chocolate and wine or chocolate and coffee, has become an intricate and exciting collaboration. Discovering new and unexpected flavor combinations is a thrill for any chocolate enthusiast. How do such combinations end up working well together? The answer lies in the science of flavor pairing. Diving deeper into the chemistry and sensory elements behind these combinations can elevate and expand your chocolate tasting and appreciation of the treasured treat.
Understanding the fundamental taste components of flavor pairing will magnify the tasting experience and it is crucial to understand the basics behind such a delicious pursuit. First we must identify the principal taste categories: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Chocolate itself can exhibit a wide array of these categories, ranging from bitter to sweet and expanding into a diverse range of flavor notes. For example, Dolfin’s 60% Dark Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns starkly contrasts Dolfin’s 28% White Chocolate Bar with Crunchy Raspberries, but both bars are equally delectable. Flavors can be nutty and earthy to fruity and floral. Thus, flavor matching within the realm of chocolate is limitless, pointing to the exciting possibilities of taste in collaboration with decadent pleasure.
Although, you can look at this pairing process through a much more analytical lens. Mouth-watering flavor notes are influenced by deep-rooted production factors such as processing methods and the origin of the cacao beans. Delicate hints of flavor often originate from the natural creation processes. Similarly, the interaction of chemical compounds serve as critical scientific elements behind these combinations. When considering one of the most harmonious blends of flavor, coffee and chocolate, both commodities contain theobromine and caffeine. Hence, their properties become effortlessly intertwined in pairing, establishing a widely enjoyed combination of flavors.
Success in traditional pairings undoubtedly relates to origination, aroma, and flavor, but the possibilities of unconventional pairings allow for curiosity, experimentation, and clever intuitions. Chocolate should serve as a basis for breaking boundaries and finding new enjoyment; thus, oddity can be rewarded. Consider chocolate and cheese, where the creamy, fatty texture of cheese amplifies the smoothness of chocolate. Therefore, you should feel unrestrained in your tasting efforts and enjoy the invention process. Whether you take a scientific approach to combining flavors or work from instinct and spontaneity, each approach can take flight toward new flavor possibilities and endless enjoyment. There are no right and/or wrong combinations, so experiment freely and enjoy the journey!
In celebration of Father’s Day and throughout the summer we’ll be featuring some promotions around tastings and pairings. To kick things off, below you will find some great bars with unique flavor combinations and some suggestions as you start to explore pairing with various spirits.
Bar Recommendations that Intertwine Diverse Flavor Profiles
Goodnow Farms Limited Release El Carmen Nicaragua 77% Dark Chocolate Bar with Zanzibar Black Pepper
This flavor journey is surprising, satisfying & sublime! The deep, rich, earthy El Carmen cacao and bright, lemony and spicy sun dried Zanzibar Black Peppercorns from Burlap and Barrel prove that opposites do, in fact, attract.
Dolfin 37% Milk Chocolate Bar with Masala Chaï
The velvety smoothness of premium milk chocolate, delicately blended with the exotic spices of Masala Chaï. Each bite unveils a symphony of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, meticulously balanced to perfection. The warmth of the spices pair perfectly with the creamy richness of the milk chocolate.
Dolfin 60% Dark Chocolate Bar with Lemon & Ginger
Embark on a sensory journey with our exceptional 60% dark chocolate bar infused with the zest of lemon and the kick of ginger. Each decadent square harmoniously blends the tangy citrus notes of lemon with the subtle heat of ginger, creating a symphony of flavors that dance on your palate.
Liquor and Spirits
As Vodka is a versatile, more-neutral liquor, it is the most subjective spirit to pair with. Fruit-infused chocolate pairs well with Vodka, while sweeter milk chocolates will lighten Vodka’s natural flavor profile. Keeping these particular characteristics in mind, we recommend trying these chocolate bars in your Vodka pairing endeavors:
Lake Champlain Chocolates 57% Dark Chocolate Bar with Raspberries
Get ready for the real fruit-and-chocolate experience! This organic 57% dark chocolate bar is studded through and through with crisp pieces of tart raspberries. So every bite delivers a perfect balance of fruitiness and rich dark chocolate. And since it’s fair trade and organic certified, this is one fruit chocolate bar you can feel 100% good about sharing, giving, or enjoying all to yourself.
Dick Taylor Madagascar 72% Dark Chocolate Bar with Black Fig
Dick Taylor’s best selling black fig dark chocolate is made using cocoa beans from ‘Akesson Plantation’; a cacao farm in northern Madagascar in the Sambirano Valley. DT handcrafts their 72% Madagascar dark chocolate with these beans alongside organic cane sugar from Brazil to bring out the subtle fruity & floral notes in the cacao. They honor this incredible cacao by pairing it with beautifully rich and chewy, dried California black mission figs that have been generously sprinkled on the back of the chocolate.
This may come as a surprise, but instead of chasing Tequila with a citrus fruit, consider using chocolate. Tequila’s strong notes of Agave pair quite nicely with creamy chocolate. Fruit-flavored and mint-flavored chocolate also elevate the grassiness of the spirit. You can even experiment with the infusion of cinnamon or chili to reduce the potency of the heat and enhance the spicy kick in the back of your throat. Keeping these elements of flavor in mind, give these particular bars a try:
Nirvana Spicy Aztec 72% Dark Chocolate Bar
Unwrap a piece of history and savor the treasured blend of organic Trinitario cocoa, spicy chili pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, and vanilla. The stark contrast between the combinations of spices and flavor will pair perfectly with the bold Tequila taste.
Dolfin 60% Dark Chocolate Bar with Mint Leaves
Dolfin’s dark chocolate with refreshing natural mint leaves perfectly captures the smoothness of the dark chocolate engulfed with cool mint, making this bar a perfect option for a successful Tequila pairing.
MIA Madagascar 65% Dark Chocolate Bar with Candied Orange
The intensity of Madagascan 65% dark chocolate is cut by a citrus zing of infused orange throughout and chewy, candied orange pieces jeweled across its back. The evident orange flavor will undoubtedly evolve in combination with the Tequila flavor.
The darker the Rum, the better the pairing. Rum pairs well with fruity chocolate inclusions, and chocolate with warm spice, ginger, & nutmeg. Chocolate-covered marzipan also pairs well with Rum. Lighter rum pairs better with lighter chocolate, especially milk chocolate and caramel blends. So, here are some suggestions to get your Rum pairings started:
Lake Champlain Chocolates® 57% Dark Chocolate Bar with Salted Caramel Filling
Uncover a hidden treasure of golden caramel tucked inside rich dark chocolate—an alluring blend of salty and sweet in every bite. Peel away the paper and foil, breathe in the fresh chocolate aroma, then snap off a square and discover a delicious new adventure for the senses that pairs absolutely perfectly with Rum.
Goodnow Farms Special Reserve Dominican Republic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar with Brown Butter
The sweet, toasty notes of the brown butter pair perfectly with the cinnamon raisin flavors of the Zorzal communitario cacao. The butter also gives this bar an exceptionally creamy smoothness! As with all Goodnow Farms bars, this features cocoa butter pressed from the same Zorzal beans used to make the chocolate. It’s a truly exceptional flavor experience that can only be enhanced by the bold Rum flavor.
Feel free to get creative with your chocolate pairings because creativity is the basis for flavor exploration. To find more details on chocolate pairings visit World Wide Chocolate’s in-depth analysis of flavor profiles, specific pairings, and creative ideas located under the “Experience” section of our website!
New flavors await, your assignment…find yours. Cheers!