Today, La Belle Assiette, a company that provides private chefs throughout France, shares with us ideas for sweet and savory combinations using our favorite ingredient. Chocolate is one of the most gourmet foods there is, so it would be a shame not to combine it with other ingredients to create innovative and delicious combinations!
We are all familiar with chocolate in desserts, paired with fruits or other sweet flavors like vanilla or caramel. Now it's time to invite it into our savory dishes! Chocolate will also enhance flavors without altering them, and it will bring a new texture to your recipes. Sweet or bitter, both refined and delicate, a multitude of combinations are possible with this ingredient. Here is our selection:
Sweet and savory combinations
As an appetizer…
– with cheese
And yes, indeed, the sweet and mild flavor of chocolate pairs perfectly with a tangy taste. The best cheeses for this combination are Roquefort, blue cheese, and sheep's tomme. Make an impression by adding melted chocolate to your cheese!
– in chips
To add an original touch to your appetizers, invite chocolate chips to the table! However, be careful not to spoil your guests' appetite!
With vegetables…
– beetroot
With its slightly sweet taste, beetroot is a vegetable that lends itself very well to sweet and savory pairings, especially with chocolate. Let yourself be tempted by a chocolate-beetroot cake or fondant!
– zucchini
These two foods combine very well in the famous sweet and savory cake: Zucchini and chocolate cake. As a dessert or a side dish, it will bring an original touch to your menu.
With meats
Against all expectations, chocolate pairs very well with meats (yes, we're not kidding), especially meats in sauce like game. It enhances their taste and gives them a softer texture that can flatter some palates. Mexican-style chocolate chicken, rabbit or chocolate pork tenderloin, or even chocolate black pudding are all well-known and easy-to-make meat dishes that you can season differently for a very gourmet result!
Other combinations
With spices…
– cinnamon
Cinnamon pairs perfectly with chocolate and is often added when preparing cakes. Don't hesitate to put it in your hot chocolates too, they will be even more delicious! Yum :)
– tonka bean
Its musky aromas, halfway between cinnamon and vanilla, stand out very well in a dark chocolate ganache.
With plants…
– Mint
This plant is the most refreshing and pairs very well with a bitter ingredient. Verrines, fondants, cakes, creams, cupcakes, bites: let your imagination run wild to combine these two ingredients!
– Tea
Good news for those who like to accompany their cup of tea with a square of chocolate: it is also possible to make chocolate tea! The latter then contains pieces or peels of cocoa for an even more gourmet end to the meal. This reminds us of our superb collaboration with Compagnie Coloniale :)
Chocolate is now invited at all stages of the meal and in all its forms. Take advantage of summer to be surprised by these combinations or to share them and amaze your guests at your receptions. To stock up on chocolate, go here: I'M CRAVING IT!
