Summer fruits and chocolate, think about it. Chocolate is one of those sweet snacks that you can eat all day long. However, when correctly paired with fruits, chocolate flavor ascends to another level of deliciousness. Today we are going to discover how to perfectly match the different percentages of cocoa contained in fine chocolates with the level of sweetness of fruits for creating healthy and yummy summer snacks.
THE BASICS
DARK CHOCOLATE
When it comes to chocolate pairing, the logic is simple. The darker the chocolate, the better it matches with the sweeter fruits. Imagine a bunch chocolate-dipped strawberries. They are usually prepared with dark chocolate and no one would doubt this is a mouthwatering combination. The reason is that the bitter flavor of a dark chocolate helps neutralize the high sweetness contained in certain fruits. That said, fruits like bananas and figs, that are incredibly rich in sweet flavors, are the ones that create a great combo with a dark chocolate.
MILK CHOCOLATE
On the other side of the spectrum of the chocolate sweetness, there is milk chocolate. You definitely need to pair it with fruits of mild flavor or higher acidity. We aren’t suggesting that combining milk chocolate with sweeter fruits has a bad taste, nor it’s a disgrace in the gourmet world. However you must admit that one or two bites of such a dessert and you’re sugared out. So, why to prevent yourself to indulge with the yummy fusion of flavors that results from pairing chocolate and fruits?
The flavor of chocolate varies according to the geography of the place where the cocoa used for making it was grown.
PERFECT SUMMER PAIRINGS
Once you understood the logic about chocolate pairing, it’s time to taste the chocolate and determine what flavor notes does it contains. Chocolates have a complex flavor, specially the finest ones. The flavor of chocolate varies according to the geography of the place where the cocoa used for making it was grown. Does it have fruity flavors, maybe some nutty notes, or does it has a spicy ending? All those are variables that can help you make delicious combinations.
The same should be done with fruits. Depending on the degree of ripeness and seasonality; the acidity, sweetness, and aroma of a fruit may drastically vary. During summer, fruits tend to be sweeter than ever. Now that you know how to pair chocolate, you can play a little bit and make different delicious combinations. Guide your gourmet experiments with the following chart of chocolate and fruit summer pairings:
Whether you prefer dark or milk chocolate, the options are endless. You can prepare crepes, ice cream, truffles, and fudges with fine chocolate nibs. You may also enjoy a summer brunch with fresh fruit and a variety of chocolate bars of different percentages of cocoa content. But in case summer got you a little bit lazy, you can also try fine chocolates filled with ganache of exotic fruits.Which is your preferred choice? Tell us in the comments and enjoy the summer!
