A cup of tea, whether shared with another or enjoyed by oneself, is always a restorative ritual. Likewise, devouring a couple pieces of your favourite chocolate might be considered indulging in the food of the gods. Separately, both flavours are amazing! But have you ever enjoyed your tea and chocolate together?
Like food and wine, certain teas and chocolates are more compatible than others. And, we’re here to take you through some basics so that you can discover the magical match that’s just right for you.
Chocolate and Tea, who goes with whom?
So you like tea. And you like chocolate. But like any relationship sometimes they just don’t connect. So how do you choose which chocolate to enjoy with your favourite cup of tea?
Before we can decide on who to pair with whom, we’d better take a look at the different types of chocolate on offer. There are three main choices when it comes to enjoying your choccies.
First up, we have dark chocolate. Dramatic and bitter, there’s no doubt about it, people are either fans or they’re not! At the opposite end of the spectrum, we have white chocolate. While it is the more creamy and sweet option, it appears to be just as polarising. Not always everyone’s cup of tea, so to speak! And finally, there’s the famed milk chocolate—the middle sibling, amiable, relatable, perfectly balanced.
While there might be other variations, it’s these three that are the main contenders for our affections. By now, you might be thinking you should be on the look for fine quality chocolates worthy of joining your tea-time moments. If so, you really should visit the magical worlds of Haigh’s Chocolate or Koko Black. Choccie gold awaits you there!
If you’ve always wanted to send a warm and thoughtful gift to a loved one or friend, our Tea Gift Hampers make great gifts. They are beautifully gift-boxed and include a personalised message, so you can let them know just how much they mean to you.
So, now that we have a chocolate knowledge base to work from, let’s look at the sipping arrangements. Who should sip with whom?
Milk Chocolate - The Balanced Middle Child
It makes sense that a balanced chocolate would pair well with a balanced tea. We liken this chocolate somewhat to a middle child. Unlike the older sibling who takes on the most responsibility, or the younger child who gets away with everything, the middle child grows to have the most balance.
Similarly, milk chocolate is the ideal combination of cocoa beans and sugar, lending itself to a milder taste than dark chocolate and a little less sweetness than white chocolate.
In this category, your best options are to pair your favourite milk chocolate with a French Earl Grey or English Breakfast. Gift-wise, our Hug in a Mug Tea Gift Box is an ideal choice to send to a friend who also loves their milk chocolate.
Both these teas, as well as the chocolate, are perfectly balanced. And, they really do like to hang out together. Any objections? None from us either!
Dark Chocolate - The Brooding Older Brother
Prefer your chocolate on the not-so-sweet side? Then dark chocolate is probably your fave. Just like the brooding older brother, who likes to hide out in his room listening to punk rock and contemplating life’s mysteries, dark chocolate has a bit more of a serious side. And the bonus is, you get more chocolate for your buck! With less sugar and a higher content of bitter cacao bean, the deliciously bitter hit that you are looking for is to be found here.
Of course, at some stage you’ll want to lighten the mood and that’s where the fresh, minty flavours of our Moroccan Mint or Peppermint Loose Leaf teas work their magic. Our She’s So Lovely Tea Gift Box is a great choice here, especially if you know whether your recipient prefers tea bags or loose leaf tea.
Because these teas are so refreshing, they’ll go well with a few pieces of dark chocolate and possibly become your new favourite after-dinner delight.
White Chocolate - The Sweet Sister
That brings us to white chocolate, the sweet little sister. But, dare we say it, cocoa butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth! And she’ll get away with almost anything!
Similarly, white chocolate contains the least amount of cocoa solids, so it might not technically be considered chocolate! Don’t worry, we’re not at the point of labelling it as an impostor. Because it is so sweet, we’re prepared to let it slide!
Since it is the sweetest of the trio of chocolates, we think it works well to balance the notes found in slightly bitter teas, like green tea. We highly recommend our Green Tea Loose Leaf Single Plantation, with all its antioxidant goodness, as the perfect pairing for all those white chocolate lovers out there.
If you haven’t discovered it already, our hot tip is to add melted white chocolate to your cup of green tea for an indulgent green tea latte. Yum!
The chocolate and tea experiment
Now you know our suggestions on how to enjoy your favourite cuppa alongside your favourite treat. Of course, everyone’s taste buds differ and what we have suggested above might not work for you.
So, why not try doing your own research? By research, we mean conducting many in-depth tasting sessions. And by tasting sessions, we mean lots and lots of serious chocolate eating and tea drinking! This is the only way you will find the pairing that works best for you.
So next time you get caught with your finger in the cookie jar, just say you are doing it for science!
Go forth, fellow tea drinkers and experiment!