July 7 marks World Chocolate Day. Across its milky, dark and myriad flavoured variations, chocolate, both as a treat and as an ingredient has been adapted to suit the gastronomic needs of those feasting on it. Be it a delightfully priced simple bar, wholesomely baked layers of cake or exquisitely curated luxury dishes, there is no dearth of how seamlessly chocolate has been repurposed. Among the literal sea of recipes and dishes that hero chocolate, lets take a look at some truly out-of-the-box whacky combinations that seem to somehow work, at least for some takers out there.
Chilli and chocolate
There are very few who have tried Lindt’s Excellence Dark Chilli Chocolate Bar and not loved it. For how odd it sounds, spice and dark chocolate are a match made in heaven. The palatable bitterness in the dark chocolate stands significantly elevated with the heat of the chilli which hangs around in its aftertaste in a rather memorable way. For anybody believing this is a contemporary kitchen experiment, they must stand corrected. The origins of the chilli-chocolate crossover dates back to the Mayan and Aztec civilisations who savoured the combination in the form of a drink called xocolatl. Coming back to today, if dark chocolate isn’t your thing, white chocolate coated jalapenos are also quite the rage — give it a shot!
Cheese and chocolate
Before you make a face at this flavour combination, know that adding cheese to one’s cup of hot chocolate is actually a part of Colombian tradition. As a matter of fact cheesy hot chocolate briefly had its moment on the internet collecting a flurry of reactions ranging from gags to gushes. Moving on to gourmet dining, cheese paired with chocolate has developed into quite the delicacy. If venturing down this road, some combinations like milk chocolate and brie or dark chocolate and blue cheese are apparently must-trys.
Chocolate pizza
Very few people are actually going to hear chocolate pizza and not gasp. If you were surprised to know that there are takers for cheese in chocolate you will be even more gobsmacked to know that there are whole companies specialising in chocolate pizzas. The possibilities with this are literally endless. A chocolate pizza can be presented as a desert, by say incorporating the chocolate in the dough and doubling it up as a topping, which honestly doesn’t sound all that whacky at all. That being said, a chocolate pizza can also refer to a quintessential savoury pizza featuring chocolate as a topping or conversely as a key ingredient in the sauce what with chocolate-infused marinara sauce also being a thing. With the many tweaks it allows, you can really push your boundaries when and if experimenting with chocolate pizza.
Potato and chocolate
Simple salted potato chips dunked in melted chocolate may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you want a snack, but somehow it just makes sense together. The saltiness of the chip of course compliments the sweet chocolate complete with a crisp crunch. This delicacy, particularly relished in North Dakota, are called ‘chippers’. As a matter of fact, using potatoes in chocolate cake is actually a thing! The potatoes enable the cake to come out with a soft yet structured texture, all while not harming the taste pay off. This one is an absolute win-win.
If you’re not really experimental when it comes to your sweet tooth cravings but still feel like occasionally pushing the boundaries ever so slightly, you could try lesser daunting combinations such as drizzling some chocolate over your roasted chickpeas or popcorn. Still not convinced? Just head out to the nearest departmental store and seek out the endless flavoured chocolate bars up for grabs to kickstart your journey of experimentation with chocolate.
How will you be celebrating World Chocolate Day today?
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