THE AUDACITY OF CHOCOLATE

Time to kiss the sea salt and caramel farewell as the world's top chocolatiers swap traditional pairings for bold, daring flavours. From chili and caramelised onions to smoked bacon, the next frontier of indulgence is anything but sweet.

- Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

For centuries, chocolate has been a source of comfort.

But what if it could also be an adventure? The world of luxury chocolate is no longer confined to traditional pairings of nuts and fruit. A new generation of chocolatiers is pushing the boundaries of taste, infusing their creations with ingredients like curry, chilli, bananas, pepper and even bacon. This is chocolate designed not just to be eaten, but to be experienced.

The Alchemists of Cacao

The movement of pairing savoury ingredients with chocolate began with international brands, such as Vosges Haut-Chocolat, pioneering the art of the unexpected. The American luxury brand gained fame for its Curry & Ginger Truffle, a bold and surprisingly harmonious blend of dark chocolate, Indian curry and ginger. The flavour was not meant to shock but to showcase the earthy, robust notes of the cacao, which stand up beautifully to the aromatic spices. But what they are most known for is the Bacon & Smoke bar, where crispy applewood-smoked bacon is folded into dark chocolate, offering a perfect balance of smoky, salty and sweet. The bacon is sourced from a family farm in New Hampshire, before being hand chopped into fine nibbles. They also do a boozy one with Dalmore scotch whisky along with honey ganache, candied orange peel, olive oil and spiced ginger crumbs.

Fossa Chocolate, a Singaporean brand specialising in handcrafted bars, is renowned for its Salted Egg Cereal chocolate. This bar tastes like salted egg yolk and features crunchy bits of toasted cereal, chili and curry leaves. Though unusual at first taste, the rich, savoury profile quickly becomes addictive.