8 Sweet Chocolate Trends

This year’s top chocolate trends are quite interesting—and delicious. Here are some observations from The Food Channel:

1. Craft Chocolates: “This trend combines all the worries of the world and solves them with chocolate,” according to the Food Channel. Craft chocolates are locally sourced, green, pure, healthy, artisan, premium and DIY—trends that many of your customers care about.

2. Multi-Cultural Chocolate: Mexican chiles have been paired with chocolate for centuries, in the form of mole. Now, more and more chocolaty desserts are acquiring international flavor accents: Dessert pizzas, wonton wrappers filled with chocolate, churros dipped in chocolate and more.

3. Chocolate Popping Up Unexpectedly: Chocolate plus bacon and also with slow cooked pork (the Mexican mole influence again.

4. Healthy Chocolate: Adding nuts to chocolate can be a way to “give me some good with my bad,” according to The Food Channel. In moderation, a touch of chocolate in trail mix, for example, is a good way to walk the healthy line. Nuts like walnuts, almonds and peanuts all have specific nutritional benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease.

5. Cinnamon with Chocolate: This combo is enjoying a resurgence. Try adding some cinnamon to chocolate cake, brownies or chocolate ice cream. Cinnamon with hot chocolate is a great way to update that old favorite wintertime beverage.

6. Gluten-Free Chocolate Treats: Today, flourless, sugar-free and even dairy free chocolate desserts are all in great demand by a growing fan base.

7. Customized Chocolate Formulations: To check out this specialized subculture check out these Twitter sources: @theochocolate, @Chocolatereview, @MenChocFactory. New flavors and reinvention abound.

8. Unique Pairings: The salty-and-sweet combination is a winner. Chocolate partners up well with cheese and wine, of course, but also with bread pudding, potato chips and other surprising accompaniments. Create your own!

Source: The Food Channel www.foodchannel.com