Sugar Savvy

Fifteen years ago, the appearance of dark chocolate in the Australian supermarket was limited to the cooking aisle, or to Nestlé Club dark chocolate, languishing amongst the multiple varieties of milk and white chocolate in the confectionary section. These days Club dark chocolate is not only available in plain, but in fruit and nut, mint and with many other additions. Cadbury has its own dark chocolate line and numerous smaller companies also offer dark chocolate alternatives. One company doing particularly well at the supermarkets is Lindt chocolate, of the Swiss brand Lindt and Sprüngli. The popularity of Lindt chocolate in big and small supermarkets is one example of the changing tastes of the Australian palate. When Lindt first appeared on the shelves with its plain packaging proudly attesting 70% cocoa the thin slabs were hidden on the bottom shelves, now they are right at eye level and an 85% version makes frequent appearances.

While the 70% is great for snacking and cooking, my favourite for a sweet, bitter treat is the Lindt Orange Intense. The packet glistens with a picture of a juicy orange, and the combination of dark chocolate, pieces of crystallised orange and slivers of almonds makes for an intense dessert experience. I only know of one size, as with all the Lindt chocolate bars, the 100g slab, and the thin, foil wrapped chocolate is delicate and unique in appearance.

Tearing open the cardboard and sliding the silver rectangle out of the box allows a hint of the deep chocolate smell to escape. However the aroma is immediately present after tearing the whisper thin foil away; the air vibrates with luscious dark chocolate and strong citrus perfume.

The chocolate is strong and dark, with little sweetness. Chunks of sugar-encrusted orange are zesty and syrupy while almond slivers allow for texture and a smooth, unifying flavour. Although the combination of fruit, nuts and chocolate is decidedly not Swiss, the marriage of these ingredients results in a decadent confection.