Flavour Trends: What Spices Pair Best with Chocolate

Just like seasoning food brings out its best qualities, adding spices to chocolate elevates the tasting experience. While many spices pair well with chocolate, Lindt Maître Chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler shares why these two—chili and fleur de sel—are so popular.

Chili

Chili and chocolate have a long history together: both originated in Central America, and the Mayans mixed the two together creating an unsweetened drink called xocolatl which helped to give chocolate its name. The two remain a power couple, because chili’s heat harmonizes exceptionally well with the slight bitterness of chocolate. After savouring the cocoa aroma of the chocolate, the gentle heat from the chili on the back of the palate is a true delight. Try: Excellence Chili

Fleur de Sel

The caviar of salt, fleur de sel (flower of the sea) is the layer of crystals that form atop seawater on the coast of France. Unlike table salt and other sea salts, fleur de sel crystals are incredibly delicate, and must be harvested by hand. Fleur de sel is the perfect finishing salt to complement dark chocolate (one of the reasons these chocolate chip cookies are so delicious), as the fine, mineral-rich crystals burst on the palate when the chocolate melts on the tongue creating an amazing harmony of flavours. Try: Excellence Sea Salt and Excellence Caramel and Sea Salt