Luxury Dark Chocolate

When tasting chocolate, especially dark chocolate, you can elevate your experience by engaging all the senses.

Setting the Scene: to focus purely on our craft dark chocolate, we recommend starting with a moment to yourself, free from noisy distractions. The best time to really ‘taste’ dark chocolate is late morning - after we’ve sated our appetite at breakfast but whilst our palate is still relatively clean. Ensure your chocolate is at room temperature before you start.

Use your eyes: we rarely think to really look before we eat, but studying the chocolate before you try can really help create a sense of anticipation. A good, dark chocolate should have an appealing shine to it with no bloom or mottling. 

Breathe in the aroma: taste and aroma are intrinsically linked and so breathing in the aroma of the chocolate will give you the first clues as to what taste notes to expect. 

Hear the ‘snap’: like any well-made luxury dark chocolate, Firetree chocolate has a sound to it. Break a piece off and you should hear a pleasing ‘snap’. That sound comes as the crystalised fat molecules make a clean break, a sign that the chocolate has been expertly tempered.

Savour slowly: now it’s time to taste the chocolate and feel its texture in the mouth. Place a piece on your tongue and let it dissolve slowly. You’ll start to experience different taste notes and layers of flavours as it dissolves. Move it around in your mouth and don’t forget to breathe! Breathing helps to elevate our taste experience. 

Read the tasting notes: if you feel less confident in pinpointing the different layers of flavour, then simply refer to the tasting notes on each chocolate. Our Master Chocolate Maker has an expert tasting palate and carefully assesses each of our chocolates to pinpoint the key taste notes, the top notes and those that sit underneath or emerge and linger. 

Firetree luxury dark chocolate is a taste adventure for those who like to explore a world of taste and flavour experiences. Here are some suggestions to make your chocolate experience even better:

Coffee: The flavours of coffee can pair beautifully with the deep complex taste of dark chocolate. We recommend starting with the coffee roast. The best coffees for dark chocolate are those with earthy or spicy tones and those with a dark roast. Coffees that have fruity or floral notes can be easily overpowered, so choose a chocolate that is lighter and sweeter to pair.

Tea: Most teas pair beautifully with dark chocolate. From robust black teas, bright green teas and delicate white teas, or teas with stronger flavour profiles such as Chai, Earl Grey or Lansang Souchong, you’ll find a Firetree dark chocolate that complements the different taste notes from light and citrusy to deep and fruity. Our dark chocolates also pair well with herbal blends and tisanes such as mint or ginger tea.

Whisky: The world of whisky (or whiskey if you’re choosing an Irish or American tipple) is as complex and varied as the world of chocolate and as such, the pairing possibilities are endless. Start with your whisky and decide whether you want to complement or contrast. The whisky’s taste notes will give you clues as to what you should be looking for. With this pairing power couple there’s almost no going wrong so experimentation is the key.

Berries such as strawberries, raspberries and forest fruits: The natural sweetness and tanginess of berries offer a contrast to the taste of dark chocolate. How you enjoy these pairings is limited only by your imagination and perhaps your cooking and baking skills. Simple options include dipping your fruits into melted dark chocolate or using dark chocolate shavings to top your fruity desserts.

Cheese: The fat content in cheese can prove tricky to find the right pairing. We recommend experimenting with a creamy brie and a very high cocoa chocolate, or pair a tangy goat cheese or sharp cheddar with something a little more mellow.

Nuts: such as almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts provide a crunch and earthy flavour that compliments the smoothness of dark chocolate. Whether presented on a tasting platter or dipped into melted dark chocolate, there’s no going wrong with any nut and dark chocolate combination.

The key to any great pairing is experimentation. Find what works best for your palate as we all taste foods differently. No matter what you choose, Firetree Chocolate will help make any pairing experience a joy and a journey for the senses.

Like most chocolate, Firetree chocolates carry a Best Before date on the packaging. To ensure that your dark chocolate maintains all of its taste notes and flavour profile, we recommend storing it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and strong odours. Avoid keeping your chocolate in the fridge unless you absolutely have to as the moisture can interfere with the fats and sugars causing them to rise to the surface to create a ‘bloom’ or cloudy white appearance. It’s still safe to eat, even if it has bloomed, but if you don’t like the appearance, you can melt it down for hot chocolate or use it as an ingredient for baking if you prefer not to throw it away.

There’s a difference between a Best Before date and a Use By date. Foods that have a Use By date (usually meat and dairy products) will spoil more quickly after that date and consuming them carries a risk of food poisoning. Eating foods after a Best Before date, however, does not carry any risk of harm provided they have been stored according to instructions. We very much doubt you’ll forget about one of our chocolates and leave it to gather dust, but if you do eat it after the Best Before date has expired, it may simply no longer taste as we intended.

You should also consider what other ingredients may be in the product. If the chocolate is blended with other ingredients such as cream, fruit or nuts, then these may still go off.

The cocoa content for luxury craft chocolate tends to start at around 70%, although legally, a chocolate need only contain 35% cocoa solids to be considered dark chocolate. At Firetree, we believe that the cocoa bean itself leads us to the right cocoa percentage. Some of our cocoa beans, like the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, lend themselves to chocolates with different cocoa solid percentages. For others, we find the perfect cocoa percentage to allow the taste notes in the cocoa to ring out.

70% Cocoa: This is often seen as a place to start for those who are new to dark chocolate. The balance of cocoa solids and sugar blend to provide a dark, often complex flavour profile without the more bitter or earthy notes that some people notice in darker chocolate with lower sugar content. 

85% Cocoa: For a deeper, lower sugar taste experience in which the cocoa carries more of the taste profile, we recommend opting for a chocolate with cocoa solids from 80% to 90%.  Chocolates like our Madagascar, Sambirano Valley 84% or our Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal 82% are full of deep cocoa tones with notes of red fruits, plum and raspberry. 

100% Cocoa: Once the cocoa content exceeds 97%, the result is no longer considered to be chocolate. Instead, it is referred to as cocoa. 100% cocoa is a popular choice for those who prefer or require ‘chocolate’ that’s completely free from added sugar. Whilst many 100% cocoa products can taste quite bitter, we use our skill and expertise to select the perfect beans, whole-roasting them on a low and slow heat to drive out any bitterness and then expertly conching to release their natural flavours and creaminess. 

Although our quality bean-to-bar dark chocolate is intended to be eaten as a treat, not a health food, it can provide small health benefits provided you enjoy it in moderation.

Antioxidant Rich: quality dark chocolate is renowned for its abundance of antioxidants, particularly flavonoids, which can help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation in the body.

Heart Friendly: The flavonoids present in dark chocolate have been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease by assisting in reducing blood pressure and enhancing blood flow, to both the heart and brain.

Improved Cholesterol Profile: Luxury dark chocolate has been found in some studies to be beneficial, for improving cholesterol levels by boosting cholesterol (HDL) and potentially lowering bad cholesterol (LDL).

Blood Sugar and Insulin Sensitivity: Although luxury dark chocolate contains sugar, its health benefits can positively impact insulin sensitivity, which may help reduce the risk of diabetes.

Mood Enhancement: Premium dark chocolate includes compounds that can stimulate the brain to release endorphins, known as feel-good chemicals, potentially enhancing mood and easing symptoms of depression.

It’s important to note that even the best quality dark chocolate also contains fats and sugar, so moderation is key. If you are at all concerned about your diet, you should consult your doctor or a nutrition expert.

Absolutely! Firetree’s premium luxury dark chocolate is perfect for baking and cooking. With its high quality ingredients and rich flavours it’s much-admired by chocolate makers, pâtissiers, professional chefs, bakers and cooks. Our Create with Firetree Easy Melt chocolate is perfect for those who want to enjoy baking and making with our premium chocolate. 

Here's how our quality dark chocolate can elevate your creations:

Rich Flavour: no two of our dark chocolates taste the same. The complex and layered taste profile of our different dark chocolates will give a unique twist to your creations from chocolates and truffles, cakes and bakes to desserts. 

Smooth Texture: artisan dark chocolate typically contains higher cocoa butter content resulting in a smoother and more luxurious texture in desserts such as mousses and ganaches.

Versatility: from plant-based cappuccino chocolate to our signature dark chocolate, our Create with Firetree range will complement a wide range of uses. We also offer our Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal 100% cocoa in the Create with Firetree 1kg format. With 54% cocoa butter derived directly from the cocoa beans, it is suitable for most coating requirements and perfect for centres, creams and inclusions.