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Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate
What's the weirdest flavor/inclusion combination you've not only heard of in chocolate but have actually eaten?
Inquiring chocolate minds want to know.
I will start things off by saying that I think the Austrians are among the most adventurous when it comes to flavors in chocolate.
I used to think it was the Spanish when I was tasting the work of Enric Rovira (chocolate covered corn-nuts, pretty good actually) and Oriol Balaguer (the saffron truffles were definitely an acquired taste, and it was a lot of fun to give someone his pop-rocks chocolate without telling them what it was ...).
Lately, however, I think the prize has to go to Zotter. I took a look at a bar with an asparagus or artichoke and something or other filling and decided instead (whatever possessed me I do not know) to try the mustard and coffee bar. It wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds, thought it is not something I would buy for myself (I got mine at Fog City News in SF) ever again.
There is another Austrian company I have heard of that is making camel's milk chocolate for sale in the middle east. I would definitely try it (at least once) just to know how it tasted different from cow's milk.
Inquiring chocolate minds want to know.
I will start things off by saying that I think the Austrians are among the most adventurous when it comes to flavors in chocolate.
I used to think it was the Spanish when I was tasting the work of Enric Rovira (chocolate covered corn-nuts, pretty good actually) and Oriol Balaguer (the saffron truffles were definitely an acquired taste, and it was a lot of fun to give someone his pop-rocks chocolate without telling them what it was ...).
Lately, however, I think the prize has to go to Zotter. I took a look at a bar with an asparagus or artichoke and something or other filling and decided instead (whatever possessed me I do not know) to try the mustard and coffee bar. It wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds, thought it is not something I would buy for myself (I got mine at Fog City News in SF) ever again.
There is another Austrian company I have heard of that is making camel's milk chocolate for sale in the middle east. I would definitely try it (at least once) just to know how it tasted different from cow's milk.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Molly Drexelius on -
i have been given bars from Japan, but I cannot read the package! I know one was green tea -- it was like a KitKat bar covered with infused white chocolate. Not something I'd go for again. There was also a bar I think was tiramisu and another that was coffee. Both were candy sweet and were layers of milk and dark.
I recently tried an olive oil truffle at the FFShow in SF, but I didn't like the combo -- i look forward to trying some of the items mentioned here!
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Permalink Reply by Malena Lopez-Maggi on -
It's taken a while to perfect our Kalamata Olive Caramel, but by jove I think we've got it. It's our second-bestselling flavor now.
www.TheXocolateBar.com
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Permalink Reply by Molly Drexelius on
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well, i love olives so it's a good bet i'll try this one!
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Permalink Reply by Julie Bolejack on -
I made a bar yesterday - white chocolate swirled with cardamon and dotted with pink peppercorns and lemongrass
Also made another white chocolate bar with fennugreek, lemon peel and pistachios
Always looking for new combinations
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Permalink Reply by Nancy on -
hello all,
I think the most adventurous I have been is some dark chocolate, soft truffle with chili powder in it----just a local company. The other one I have tried is dark chocolate with green macha in it, not bad either.
I have never tried the Austrian ones, where can one buy them outside of Austria and what brand do you suggest?
for all your fave sweets and more...candy
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Permalink Reply by Nancy Nadel on -
I make three unusual combinations regularly and a fourth I will only repeat on request because it is so complex and filling - may as well describe that one first - it's a 70% cacao Jamaican chocolate (floral at first, nutty at finish) molded cube filled with sorrel chutney that has vinegar, garlic, sorrel, raspberries and I forget what else. Two of the others also have the same chocolate shell ingredients but one is filled with lime pepper jelly, straight out of the jar by Busha Browne to promote another Jamaican product. The other is my own recipe, a chocolate barrel shape with a rum soaked raisin (Jamaican rum of course) swimming in curried sweetened condensed milk. The last one is a ball of 60% ganache rolled in a mix of crushed blue corn chips, chipotle pepper and roasted Jamaican cocoa nibs. I love those.
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Permalink Reply by Scott on
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Pig's blood ganache from Xocolatl de David.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on -
I agree that Xocolatl's Pig's blood ganache is weird - but I have tried it and it works. It took me a while to screw up the courage to taste it but I trust David, he is good. And the blood/chocolate connection is not so far fetched, really, if you think about it.
I love the sound of all of those Jamaican chocolates. YUM.
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Permalink Reply by Scott on
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I don't disagree. (I have a jar of his foietella on my desk right now, actually.)
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Permalink Reply by Kristina on -
The owner of a small chocolate shop in Zürich made a big mistake giwing me some truffs with olive ganache as a bonus to my purchase. I would had bought quite a fiew when gived the opportunit to try - what a great harmony with chocolate.
Our local chocolate company was experimenting at the beginning - I was pleasantly suprised by garlic fillig. They still offer truffels with cheese (seemingly blue), but I guess they don't care about matching a lot and "just ecotic" might be interesting just one time. Beer fillig wasn't bad, though, but probably it was too much or too little exotic...
I am quite curious to try sprikled chocolates by Bachhalm (Austria). He uses rose, hepatica and lilac petals etc (as well as ginger and haselnuts or grapa infused grapes) pairing them with a chocolate cuvee . Maybe not really weird :) but quite promissing.
Maroon filling for truffels isn't very common as well - and it makes a great taste!
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Permalink Reply by Seby Singh on -
I tasted the camel's milk chocolate at the New York Chocolate Show and liked it so much that I bought quite a few bars to give as gifts to friends. To me, it was just a good piece of milk chocolate and enjoyable. The sellers were German from Dubai.
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