Why is chocolate and salt a perfect match?

The functions of salt in chocolate

Uncover why and how salt enhances chocolate's flavour profile below. You'll discover all the different ways salt interacts with chocolate to heighten its sweetness and unveil its more subtle flavours.  

 

Accentuates sweetness 

It may seem illogical at first, but salt actually enhances chocolate’s sweetness even if there isn’t more sugar present. We have taste sensors in our intestines and tongue, but the ones in our intestines can only be activated once salt is added, making it easier and quicker for our body to detect sugar.  

This is also why many dessert recipes call for a “pinch of salt,” and milk chocolate is no different. Of course, you can’t go overboard, but a tiny amount of salt helps bring out the chocolate taste even further and opens up other more subtle flavours.   

 

Balances texture and flavour 

Playing with texture often creates more intriguing chocolate creations, and salt can be a big help with this. When chocolatiers hope to make a textural statement, they’ll choose large salt crystals that are of the finest quality or ones that have unique flavours to help take the chocolate to the next level.  

Salt brings out chocolate's complexities by sharpening and separating its flavour profile. You'll be able to taste its underlying notes more easily—such as vanilla, caramel, fruits, florals and spices.  

 

Suppresses bitterness

Dark chocolate is the most intense of all the chocolates and the least sweet—while its taste can vary, it’s often described as earthy and deep with slight hints of bitterness. When you combine dark chocolate and salt, it balances the natural bitterness of cocoa and creates a new concoction of flavours that’s fun to try.  

How does this happen? Salt is like a wake-up call for our receptors that helps us taste the savoury, sweet, and spicy flavours in all food. When it’s added to dark chocolate, you distract your taste receptors from tasting bitterness so strongly because of the wide variety of other flavours that you’re already tasting.  

 

Release chocolate's aroma

Taste and smell are very much intertwined; when one is heightened, it makes the other more intense as well. So, since salt naturally enriches the complex flavours of chocolate and brings them to life simultaneously, it also awakens its aromas and creates a feast for the nose.  

 

Which chocolate pairs best with sea salt?

Sea salt adds an extra dimension to all types of chocolate like no other ingredient. Discover how well it complements dark, milk and white chocolate below.  

Sea salt in dark chocolate makes this sophisticated variety even more intense and complex. The hints of salt help bring out the fruity notes in the cocoa, which are usually hidden. As we've already noted, because salt enhances every flavour in food, it can distract your taste buds from the bitterness that is sometimes present in extra dark chocolate.  

Add contrast and depth to the creaminess of milk chocolate with a sprinkle of sea salt. This seasoning balances out the normal sweetness and dairy of milk chocolate and makes it taste even richer.  

The most delicate of the varieties, white chocolate can be paired with sea salt but sparingly. A contemporary way to try this combination is with a white chocolate bar with nuts such as salted pistachios or macadamias—every bite is a delightful contrast between sweet and salty, as well as crunchy and creamy.