With Easter comes chocolate, and since Easter is only a few days away, we thought we should get some insider tips on our favourite sweet treat. From the truth about dark chocolate to how to pair chocolate with wine (perfect for any dinner party), Ann Czaja from Lindt gives us all the information we need....
Is dark chocolate actually healthy?
Well, it does contain flavanoids and antioxidants, but it still has to be eaten in moderation. We definitely do not promote chocolate as a health food. It’s an indulgence; it’s the affordable luxury right now. Less is more with dark. Because it is so powerful, you don’t really feel the need to eat as much.
We’ve heard there is a proper way to eat chocolate, is that true?
Absolutely. The key is to let it melt in your mouth. The big mistake people make is chewing it all up. You should really let ALL chocolate melt in your mouth. If you feel a compulsion to bite, just bite it to break it up and then let it melt. You lose a lot from a chocolate’s taste when you chew.
We always see labels advertising premium chocolate, how can you tell if a chocolate is premium?
Very easy, there are just a few tricks. First, look at the ingredients: They should list milk, cocoa butter and sugar. There should only be really pure ingredients. When you get it home, open up the bar and take a look at it. It should be shiny, there should be no white streaks on it and it should be nice and smooth -- no gritty build up. You want it to melt in your hands; cocoa butter melts around body temperature so if it’s not melting in your hands it means there is some other kind of fat in there. Dark chocolate should snap, milk chocolate won’t snap because there is too much other stuff in it. When it snaps, there should be a clean break, minimal air holes -- it shouldn’t just flake off.
We’ve heard a lot about wine and chocolate parties. How do you pair them?
Wine and Chocolate parties are the new thing and are replacing the wine and cheese parties. Just grab a few different kinds of chocolate and pick a few bottles of wine. The wine and chocolate should compliment rather than overpower each other. As in every good relationship, balance and compatibility are the keys to success.
- Only pair high quality chocolate with high quality wine.
- Always go from lowest cocoa content to highest.
- The wine should be at least as sweet, if not a bit sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving it with. High cocoa content chocolates (which contain less sugar than bittersweet or semi sweet dark chocolate) are the exception and pair well with sweet or fortified wines.
- Pair lighter chocolate with lighter bodied wine. Stronger chocolate pairs well with more full-bodied wine.
- Only try about 5 pairings. Neutralize your palate with water, unsalted crackers or cubes of white bread.
For wine and chocolate pairing suggestions from Ann, Click here.
Swiss trained American Maitre Chocolatier Ann Czaja worked for Lindt and Sprungli before returning to the U.S.A. She has toured the US hosting in-store events, and sharing the “Five Senses” Tasting Process with consumers.