Chocolate and cheese – A perfect match

In the world of food there are some pairings that have stood the test of time – wine and cheese, strawberries and cream, and peanut butter and jelly, just to name a few. However, there is another enticing pairing that I wasn’t aware of until very recently and that’s chocolate and cheese. While this pairing may seem rather odd, it’s highly addictive when you first develop a taste for it.

I suspect the reason why chocolate and cheese work so well together lies in the interplay of contrasting and complementary flavors. The sweetness from chocolate just goes incredibly well with the savory and sometimes tangy profile of cheese. I’ve been playing around with different kinds of cheese and chocolate, and here are some of my favorite pairings:

Dark Chocolate and Blue Cheese: I’m not usually much of a blue cheese person, but the sharp flavor of blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort, is just amazing together with the sweet bitterness of dark chocolate.

Milk Chocolate and Brie: The creamy, buttery texture of Brie pairs wonderfully with the subtle sweetness of milk chocolate. This combination offers a milder, more delicate taste that is perfect for those new to the world of chocolate and cheese pairings. I also really like the Methodical + Lumineux Coffee Chocolate with brie and fresh strawberries (the photos in this post). It’s delicious.

White Chocolate and Aged Gouda: White chocolate has a sweet, less bitter flavor, which creates a delightful contrast with the savory, nutty notes of aged Gouda. This pairing is very mild and sweet and easy to love.

Chocolate with Sea Salt and Goat Cheese: The tanginess of goat cheese is complemented by the sweet and salty notes found in chocolate with sea salt. The contrasting flavors create a unique and satisfying taste sensation. Goat cheese is also good with chocolate with fruit or berry notes such as the Orange & Cardamom Dark Chocolate from Lumineux.