vii #29: 7 ponderings on chocolate
It’s Easter Monday and is there an occasion more synonymous with chocolate than Easter? Read on for my favourite products, pairings and recipe inspiration.
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Chocolate. It’s one of my favourite foods.
A chocolate mousse will always be ordered from a dessert menu, a brownie or chocolate chip cookie is a preferred sweet treat, and is there anything as comforting on a bitterly cold and dark evening than curling up and cupping a scalding mug of hot chocolate between your palms?
For months, chocolate eggs have sat side by side with hot cross buns. And with it everywhere from supermarket shelves to restaurant menus, chocolate often feels readily available to all of us. But in an industry fraught with challenge, that may not always be the case. The cocoa industry has long had ethical challenges, with poverty, child labour and environmental damage all linked to chocolate production. Deforestation in West Africa has made way for the expansion of cocoa plantations to meet demand, as well as increase farmer income. The impact of climate change may also result in cocoa being even harder to grow with changing temperatures, rainfall and droughts, and is already leading to decreased availability or quality, with prices subsequently soaring and yet to stabilise.
The price of cocoa, skyrocketed from USD 2,000−3,000 per ton in 2023 to over USD 12,000 per ton in 2025.
- Chocolate Scorecard
Like the other produce we consume, it’s important to be cognisant of where our foods come from, the ethics of the brands we give our money to, and the impact of the choices we make when doing our weekly shop.
Earlier this month, the 6th chocolate scorecard was released which ranks brands on a number of factors which include traceability and transparency, living income, child and forced labour, deforestation and climate, agroforestry and pesticides.
Tony’s chocolonely, famous for its unevenly structured bars that represent the imbalance of power in the cocoa supply chain, topped the rankings at 91% with Ritter Sport also considered an industry leader with a score of 83%. Big names score much lower or, in the case of Mondelez (the company behind Cadbury, Green & Black’s, Milka, Toblerone…), simply did not respond to the scorecard questions.
Chocolate isn’t just for Easter and hopefully this increases the awareness of the values of the brands whose products you love.
7 OF MY FAVOURITE CHOCOLATE PRODUCTS
Tony’s chocolonely (specifically the Everything bar) and Ritter Sport’s limited edition pistachio bar are some of my supermarket personal favourites. A more recent discovery of a smaller chocolate brand, that I’m yet to find a local stockist of and therefore have to savour the bars all the more, is Up Up. I love sea salt and lime paired with chocolate and previously would have declared Montezuma’s Sea Dog dark chocolate, lime & sea salt as an all-time favourite. With the silky mouth-feel of milk chocolate and beautifully balanced profile, Up Up’s sea salt and lime milk chocolate has pipped it to my personal top spot.
For delicious hot (or in the summer, iced) chocolate, you need look no further than Knoops who are becoming a high street staple in many towns. Choose your chocolate % from more than 20 options and customise your drink with your choice of milk, as well as salt, spices, herbs or fruit, as well as the more traditional whipped cream and marshmallows. You can also buy their chocolate flakes to recreate their drinks at home, although I will confess to making mine with more chocolate than recommended after first confusing the recommended measurement in teaspoons for tablespoons. It was triply chocolatey and I simply can’t go back! I currently have the 65% and 70% at home and enjoy it with oat milk and a pinch of smoked salt.
My favourite chocolate brand to bake with is Firetree. I first came across them when they sent me a PR sample many years ago. I’m not a wine drinker and so whilst I’m aware of the various tasting notes people refer to when drinking it, it’s not something I’m familiar with. I wasn’t prepared for how dominant the tasting notes in Firetree’s chocolate would be, with citrus and red fruit really tangible in their Solomon Islands single origin chocolate. Not only was I blown away by flavour but also the story behind their volcanic chocolate, supporting the local farmers.
When I’m in the mood for something special that I’ve not made myself, I treat myself to artisan chocolate bonbons from the likes of The Little House Dorset or Octavia Lamb. Watch out for Octavia’s chocolate drops featuring exquisite combinations. It’s no surprise these sell out rapidly on Instagram shortly after being announced. Dan and Anna at The Little House Dorset offer a chocolate subscription service in addition to seasonal specials like Easter eggs and advent calendars. I’ve been a supporter and fan for many years now!
7 TYPES OF CHOCOLATE PAIRING
Before getting stuck into what flavours or ingredients you might want to pair with your chocolate, let’s take a moment to appreciate the beauty of excellent quality chocolate on its own. There are businesses that champion bean to bar chocolate creation featuring single origin sources. And in the case of white chocolate, it’s possible to radically transform the flavour profile into something far more complex by caramelising it, toasting it in the oven.
For interesting and unexpected flavour pairings, as well as timely reminders of some of the classics, I often turn to Niki Segnit’s The Flavour Thesaurus. Chocolate is a versatile ingredient and, whilst it’s usually more associated with sweet dishes, you may also find it taking up space in unexpected ways such as in a sauce accompanying venison.
Savoury - I’m a big fan of sweet and savoury together. Dark chocolate pairs well with salty ingredients which temper its natural bitterness. Flakey sea salt is a classic addition but miso and bacon can offer a similar but more complex salty savouriness.
Fruity - Many traditional chocolate pairings take a fruity form. Whether it’s the Terry’s classic of chocolate and orange, chocolate and cherry à la Black Forest Gateau or the sharp and sweet combination found with other summer red fruits like strawberry or raspberry, one thing is for sure - chocolate and fruit is a match made in heaven. Have you considered pairing with lemon or pineapple, pear or watermelon? All suggestions from Niki that are worth a try!
Nutty - the other classic chocolate pairing is nuts. You’ll find it in the form of chocolate covered Brazil nuts, the almond and nougat of Toblerone or the classic peanut laced Snickers bar. Why not switch things up for walnuts or chestnuts for a twist on the classic combo?
Spicy - Venture into the spice rack for some interesting ingredients to pair with chocolate. Vanilla is probably the most commonly reached for but chilli and cinnamon may also be familiar flavours with chocolate. If you’re keen to push further out of your comfort zone, try cardamom with milk chocolate or saffron with white chocolate.
Herbal - is there a herb other than mint that springs to mind when you think of chocolate? A regular combination for after dinner chocolates, expand your horizons with other herbal or floral pairings like rose, thyme and rosemary.
Other - Coffee and chocolate are well-known complementary ingredients, whether found in a mocha or featuring in recipes that look to showcase one or the other. The Flavour Thesaurus suggests other less common pairings including chocolate with goat cheese or olive or caviar.
If after all of this chocolate chat, you fancy creating something to satisfy those cravings (maybe not the olive one at the end) or utilise any leftover Easter eggs, look no further than the following 7 recipes featuring chocolate for cakes, tarts and desserts or 7 chocolate cookie and traybake recipes.
7 CHOCOLATE CAKES, TARTS AND DESSERTS
Grandma Pat’s chocolate cheesecake
Bernadette Gee’s signature rich chocolate cake
Sam’s vanilla brown butter cake with whipped salted caramel ganache
Ravneet Gill’s miso caramel and chocolate tart
Olive magazine’s chocolate hazelnut and meringue semifreddo
Sue Quinn’s flourless chestnut, chocolate and rum cake
7 CHOCOLATE COOKIES AND TRAYBAKES
Rosie Birkett’s white chocolate and rhubarb blondies
Sue Quinn’s brown butter, banana and tahini chocolate chunk cookies
Ravneet Gill’s chocolate marshmallow and smoked almond cookies
Erin Patinkin’s salted chocolate chip cookies
Nicola Lamb’s chocolate brownies
Edd Kimber’s brownie crinkle cookies
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A fantastic Easter read! And thank you SO much for the very kind words! 🤎
This is a really great read and little different to your previous pieces.