Pairing Flavors With Chocolate
There are a number of reasons that chocolate is so popular. One of those reasons is the fact that chocolate is a near-universal flavor that can easily be paired with many different flavors. From savory to sweet, there are many different ways that chocolate can enhance a dish. In the creation of classic food products as well as the most innovative, fresh, and new products on the market, chocolate can play a big part. However, it is important for a flavorist to have a good understanding of the flavors that do work best with chocolate.
One of the first things to understand is the many different types of chocolate that are available, and the particular subtleties of those chocolate flavors. Dark chocolate is rich, strong, and often bittersweet if it is even sweetened at all. It is this type of chocolate that pairs best with savory or spicy flavors. One popular flavor combination is chocolate and pepper. However, even a particular spicy ingredient such as cinnamon, produced by flavor ingredients such as Advanced Biotech’s Natural Cinnamic Acid, can make for an intriguing combination.
Milk chocolate is sweeter, and therefore more suitable for use with other sweet flavors. However, that does not mean that a flavorist cannot find ways to add complexity to these treats. Citrus flavors, such as that produced by Natural Octanal, provides a tart but sweet, and delicious, flavor. Tart berries are another popular combination. Milk chocolate can also be paired with caramel, honey, or butterscotch flavors.
White chocolate is another flavor that has increased in popularity. The sweetest of the chocolates, it usually requires a light touch, and light flavors such as coconut, which can be added with flavor ingredients such as Natural Gamma Undecalactone. Whether a flavorist is looking to create a delicious new confectionery treat or another chocolate flavor, such as a cocoa or a bottled drink, there are a number of great chocolate combinations that they can choose from to create something truly unique.