Take a comforting afternoon break by opening a bar of Lindt Excellence to complement your favourite loose-leaf tea. To fully enjoy the medley of flavours, take a sip of tea and then a small bite of chocolate, allowing it to melt in your mouth before you chew.
Renowned tea sommelier Linda Gaylard is the author of The Tea Book, a popular resource and international bestseller that has been translated into nine languages. She is also an alumna of Toronto’s George Brown College, Culinary Arts Faculty.
1. Lindt Excellence 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate + Earl Grey Black Tea
The brisk base of Indian black tea and the scent of bergamot citrus in Earl Grey make for a zesty pairing with 70% cacao chocolate, which offers just enough sweetness, along with notes of dried fruit and vanilla, to balance the tea’s intensity.
2. Lindt Excellence Sea Salt Dark Chocolate + Pu’er Tea
Pu’er is well matched to chocolate, as this tea leaf (produced in the Yunnan province in Southern China) and the cocoa bean both go through a fermentation process. A “ripe” Pu’er is best for this pairing: The sea salt combines with the tea’s fresh, earthy aroma and together they evoke the salted teas of the Mongolian plain. Pu’er is a relatively mellow tea, which lets the salty and sweet flavours of Lindt Excellence Sea Salt Dark Chocolate really shine.
3. Lindt Excellence Hazelnut Dark Chocolate + Long Jing (Dragon Well) Green Tea
One of the famous teas of China, spring-harvested Long Jing is an unoxidized tea known for its fresh chestnut and buttery flavours. This nuttiness mingles nicely with the medium sweetness of the chocolate’s roasted hazelnuts and brings out its subtle notes of dark toffee and burnt caramel.
4. Lindt Excellence Caramel & Sea Salt Dark Chocolate + Milk Oolong Tea
As its name suggests, milk oolong has a creamy flavour reminiscent of sweetened condensed milk, which is reflected beautifully when paired with the chocolate. The crisp flakes of caramel add a textural element, and the sea salt is just enough to balance out the sweetness. The overall effect is a dessert-worthy combination that’s perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth.
5. Lindt Excellence 90% Cacao Dark Chocolate + Jasmine Pearls Green Tea
The summery fragrance of jasmine-infused green tea leaves counterbalances the brisk, deep earthiness of 90% cacao. The tea’s lighter, flowery notes draw out the dark chocolate’s complex flavours of dried fruit and roasted sugars.
