Dark chocolate

Chocolat noir

What it is

The Aztecs used cacao beans as money and drank chocolate bitter, spiced with chili — Linnaeus later named the tree Theobroma, “food of the gods”. Europe added sugar in the 1600s, and chocolate houses became the social networks of London and Madrid.

In the kitchen

A pinch of salt makes chocolate taste more of chocolate. Melt it gently — past 55°C it seizes and sulks, and no apology will bring it back.

Goes with

Raspberry Orange Coffee Chili pepper Hazelnut Cardamom Vanilla Pear

Same species

Blond chocolate Cocoa mass Cacao pulp Cocoa butter Cocoa bean husk Cocoa nibs

Also used with

Amaranth Apricot kernel oil Balsam poplar buds Banyuls Baru nut Seville orange

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