10 delicious chocolate and cheese pairing ideas

What makes chocolate and cheese a surprising match?

Chocolate is a sweet treat that is perfect all on its own, but sometimes, when you’re craving something special, why not give cheese a chance? Surprisingly, it’s one of the flavours that go well with chocolate. 

• Complex flavours: both chocolate and cheese mirror each other in terms of complexity, featuring sweet, salt or bitter notes in one bite.  

• Tannins: the tannins in chocolate help balance the creamy, fatty texture of cheese. Wine also contains tannins, making it such a delicious match for cheese.  

• Fat content: both cheese and chocolate contain a relatively high amount of fat, which helps them carry flavour very well and creates a satisfying creaminess in the mouth.  

 

Guidelines to pairing chocolate with a cheese 

Remember to experiment and have fun with these pairings, as everyone’s taste buds are different, but we do have some general advice to keep in mind: 

• Match intensities: strong-flavoured cheeses should pair with robust dark chocolate, while lighter cheeses are perfect matches for more subtle chocolates.    

• Taste them at room temperature: bring out the full complexity of flavours for both chocolate and cheese by tasting them when they’re at room temperature.  

• Quality ingredients are the key: if you want to create a special treat for you and your loved ones, make sure you use the finest quality chocolate and cheese you can. Look for ones crafted from real ingredients, as they’ll have a much more complex flavour profile.  

 

10 chocolate and cheese combinations 

1. Extra dark chocolate + blue cheese  

This pairing is best savoured in a candlelight, dark room, because it’s so intense, complex and moody. The deep flavours of dark chocolate are made even stronger by the loud, boldness of quality blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola or Stilton.  

2. Milk chocolate + cheddar cheese  

A perfectly balanced combination where the powerful, piercing flavour of the cheddar is softened by milk chocolate’s silky-smooth sweetness.  

3. Orange dark chocolate + spicy cheese  

For those who love punchy flavours, this is a must-try. The chilli in the spicy cheese perfectly complements the fruity, citrus notes of the chocolate.  

4. Milk chocolate + honey drizzled Brie  

The beauty with this match is that there aren’t any contrasts; the creaminess is just amped up to new levels and made even tastier. The richness of the milk chocolate complements the creaminess of the Brie, and the drizzle of honey helps it come together effortlessly.  

5. Dark chocolate + flavoured cream cheeses (like sundried tomato, jalapeno or basil)  

There’s an exciting mix of textures with this one, where you can use the dark chocolate as a cracker to dip into the cream cheeses, and the “snap” of the dark chocolate when bitten into will be extra satisfying.  

6. Dark chocolate with nuts + Parmigiano Reggiano  

All kinds of dark chocolate pair deliciously well with Parmesan cheese, but a nutty dark chocolate is on another level, matching well with a naturally nutty and complex Parmigiano Reggiano.  

7. White chocolate + goat cheese  

For a refreshing combination, try white chocolate and goat cheese garnished with herbs. The saltiness of the goat cheese helps offset the sweet chocolate.  

8. White chocolate + ricotta  

This duo is extra light and full of sweetness, creating a bouncy match that’s perfect for desserts. 

9. Dark chocolate + Gruyère 

This nutty, firm Swiss cheese doesn’t shy away from dark chocolate’s natural intensity and helps to bring out some of its more earthy and sweet undertones.  

10. Milk chocolate + Brie  

For an indulgent tasting experience, combine silky milk chocolate with the creamy texture of Brie. It will all melt together in the mouth wonderfully.  

 

Cheese and hot chocolate: the exquisite Colombian tradition 

Many of us try to make our hot chocolates sweeter, not saltier. Maybe we’ll serve it with a few marshmallows, but never cheese. However, drinking hot chocolate with cheese is a Colombian delicacy, and something that's worth giving a go before you can truly have an opinion. 

It’s an unexpectedly sophisticated way to enjoy this beverage, delivering salty & sweet flavours simultaneously with each sip. To try this at home, choose a gourmet hot chocolate that focuses on cocoa rather than sugar. Traditionally, hot water is mixed into the cocoa, instead of milk; otherwise, it could be too creamy. Finish off with a pinch of cinnamon and heat and whisk it until frothy.  

Now it’s time for the exciting part: add a few bite-sized cubes of Queso Colombiano cheese, or you can swap it out for halloumi or mozzarella. You’ll be eating hot chocolate with a spoon, fishing out the gooey, warm chunks of cheese and enjoying the contrasting flavours and textures.  

 

Experiment pairings with Venchi's chocolates 

Venchi’s meticulously crafted artisan chocolates are the perfect way to begin your tasting journey. 

Add some fine dining inspiration to your table by pairing Venchi’s 75% cocoa dark chocoviar truffles with blue cheese. These seemingly opposite delicacies actually share more than 70 flavour compounds and work together in a magical way.  

For a melt-in-the-mouth combination, combine Venchi’s velvety smooth milk chocolate with Gouda or Edam cheese. Thin slices of cheese are best and will help bring out the caramel-like notes in the chocolate even more.  

The fusion between Venchi’s pistachio chocolate truffles and tangy goat cheese tastes like luxury. There’s a delicious play of textures and contrasts between the saltiness of the cheese and the richness of the pistachios.