Dark Chocolate Orange

Dark Chocolate Orange by Chocolat Bonnat, tart and bright

Dark Chocolate Orange by Chocolat Bonnat is a dark bar from the French town of Voiron, where the cocoa is accompanied by real orange. The fruit lifts the tartness and gives the chocolate a bright, almost summery quality that lingers.

Dark Chocolate Orange is a dark bar from Chocolat Bonnat in Voiron, the town at the edge of the French Pre-Alps where the company roasts and grinds its own beans. At least 65 percent cocoa, plus orange; the label reads Chocolat Noir à l'Orange, 100 grams.

Tart cocoa and a bright citrus side

The first impression is dark and dry, and only as it begins to melt does the orange push to the front, laying a bright trail over the tartness.

The snap is clean, a sign of a carefully tempered mass, and the piece dissolves slowly in the mouth. The fruit acidity takes the edge off the bitterness without the chocolate tipping into sweetness, and carries the flavor quite a bit further than the bean alone would.

Because the orange sits on top and bears the bitterness underneath, the Dark Chocolate Orange seems brighter than its cocoa content would suggest. Those who usually find such bars too intense will find this an easy entry point.

After a meal, it pairs well with an espresso, whose roasted notes pick up the dark side while the citrus fruit remains bright in contrast. A bold red wine with its own fruit notes holds its own just as well, and if you eat it on its own, let each piece melt slowly.

Orangettes, an old idea from Southeastern France

Orangettes is the name in France for narrow strips of candied orange peel dipped in dark couverture, and this bar takes up that old idea in a flat form.

Voiron is in the Isère region, less than thirty kilometers from Grenoble, and in this corner of France, citrus in dark chocolate has been a winter tradition for generations. Chocolat Bonnat incorporates real orange into the mass, and the proportion remains small enough that the cocoa retains the lead.

Candied peel primarily adds sweetness, whereas the incorporated fruit primarily adds aroma, and that is exactly what keeps this combination light. When the oranges arrive from southern Europe in winter, the whole experience feels like a piece of the season.

Because neither milk nor anhydrous milk fat belongs in it, this dark chocolate is vegan, which makes things easier when hosting a mixed group after dinner.

Stored cool, the shine remains

Cocoa butter is sensitive, and a pure bar will reward you if kept cool, dry, and in its closed paper wrapper.

If it gets too warm, fat migrates to the surface and leaves a light film; the taste remains, but the shine and some of the snap are lost. Between fifteen and eighteen degrees, the chocolate will keep for months without losing anything.

Fat also attracts odors, so store it away from coffee, cheese, and spices. If the bar is coming from a cold pantry, let it sit for half an hour at room temperature before opening the wrapper.

More chocolate from Voiron

The fruity theme continues with the Dark Chocolate Strawberry, and those who prefer to taste the cocoa unaccompanied should reach for the Équateur from Ecuador. The rest of the house's offerings can be found in the Chocolat Bonnat collection.