Honey and Dark Chocolate: Pairing, Truffles and Easy Bark
Honey and dark chocolate are a sophisticated pairing loved by chocolatiers and home cooks alike. Dark chocolate's bitterness and fruity cacao notes meet honey's floral or malty sweetness to create something deeper than either alone. This article explains how to taste and pair them, how to melt chocolate with honey without it seizing, simple recipes for bark, truffles and sauce, and which honeys suit different cacao percentages. For a cozy pairing, see honey and oats.
For general education only, not medical advice. Our honey is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Why honey and dark chocolate work
Dark chocolate has bitterness from cacao, along with fruity, roasted and earthy notes. Honey softens the bitterness while adding its own aromatics. Darker honeys share chocolate's roasted, malty notes, while lighter honeys add contrast with floral or citrus tones.
The pairing works in both directions: a square of chocolate with a drizzle of honey, or honey-sweetened chocolate desserts.
A simple tasting
Set out two or three dark chocolates with different cacao percentages and two or three honeys. Taste each chocolate alone, then with a small drop of each honey. Notice how some honeys make chocolate taste fruitier and others make it taste richer.
- 2 or 3 dark chocolates, 60 to 85 percent
- 2 or 3 honeys, light to dark
- Water to cleanse the palate
- Taste chocolate alone, then with honey
Matching honey to cacao percentage
A rough guide to start:
| Chocolate | Honey to try |
|---|---|
| 55 to 65 percent | Orange blossom or clover |
| 66 to 75 percent | Wildflower or blueberry blossom |
| 76 percent and up | Buckwheat |
| Dark with sea salt | Wildflower or buckwheat |
Melting chocolate with honey
Chocolate can seize, turning thick and grainy, when a small amount of water or a water-based ingredient touches it. Honey contains about 17 percent water. To avoid problems, melt chocolate gently over barely simmering water or in short microwave bursts, then stir honey in off the heat, or combine honey with warm cream first.
If chocolate seizes, stirring in a little more warm cream or hot water can turn it into a smooth sauce.
Honey dark chocolate ganache
Heat half a cup of cream until steaming and stir in two tablespoons of honey. Pour over four ounces of chopped dark chocolate, wait one minute, then stir until glossy. Use warm as a sauce, or chill and roll into truffles dusted with cocoa powder.
Honey helps keep ganache soft and smooth for longer.
Honey dark chocolate bark
Melt eight ounces of dark chocolate and spread it on a lined tray. Scatter with toasted almonds, pistachios, dried cherries and flaky salt. Drizzle thin lines of honey over the top. Chill until firm, then break into pieces. Store in the fridge, since honey can make the surface slightly sticky at room temperature.
Hot chocolate with honey
Warm a cup of milk, whisk in two tablespoons of cocoa powder or an ounce of chopped dark chocolate, and sweeten with one to two teaspoons of honey. A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom is lovely. Our article on honey and cardamom explains that spice.
Baking with honey and chocolate
Honey works in brownies, chocolate cake and cookies, adding moisture and a slightly chewy texture. Use about three quarters as much honey as sugar, reduce liquids slightly and lower the oven by 25°F. Our baking with honey guide has details.
Cheese, chocolate and honey
Dark chocolate, aged cheese and honey make a surprising and delicious trio on a dessert board. Try aged gouda or Parmesan with a square of 70 percent chocolate and a drop of buckwheat honey. Our honey and cheese pairing guide has more ideas.
What research says about cocoa
Cocoa contains flavanols, which have been studied for heart health. The large COSMOS trial tested a cocoa flavanol supplement, not chocolate, and its main measure of cardiovascular events was not significantly reduced, as the Center for Science in the Public Interest explains. Chocolate bars also contain sugar and saturated fat.
Enjoy honey and dark chocolate as a dessert, not a health food.
Which honey suits dark chocolate
Raw Buckwheat Honey, harvested in New York State, has a malty, molasses-like character that matches very dark chocolate. Raw Orange Blossom Honey, from Florida, brings the classic chocolate and orange combination. Raw Blueberry Blossom Honey adds a fruity note to medium-dark chocolate.
Storing honey and dark chocolate desserts
Keep chocolate bark and truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Bring to room temperature for a few minutes before serving for the best flavor.
The takeaway
Honey and dark chocolate are a rich, layered pairing. Match bold honey to very dark chocolate, add honey off the heat when melting, and enjoy it as a special treat.
Honey for your chocolate
Try Raw Buckwheat Honey and Raw Orange Blossom Honey, or the Pure Raw Honey Sampler for a tasting. Save with a 3 jar or 6 jar pack of any honey, and orders over $50 ship free. Visit our shop.
Sources
Outside health sources we used for this article. They open in a new tab.
- Do cocoa flavanols protect the heart? · Center for Science in the Public Interest
- Honey: nutrient profile · USDA FoodData Central
- Added Sugar in the Diet · Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Frequently asked questions
- Does honey go with dark chocolate?
- Yes. Honey softens bitterness and adds floral or malty notes.
- Which honey is best with very dark chocolate?
- Buckwheat honey matches 76 percent and darker.
- Why did my chocolate seize when I added honey?
- Honey contains water. Stir it in off the heat or mix it with warm cream first.
- How do I make honey ganache?
- Stir honey into hot cream, pour over chopped chocolate and stir until glossy.
- Is honey and dark chocolate healthy?
- Enjoy it as a dessert. Research on cocoa and heart health is mixed.
- Can I bake brownies with honey?
- Yes. Use about three quarters as much honey as sugar and lower the oven 25°F.
- How long does honey chocolate bark keep?
- Up to two weeks in the fridge.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Talk to your doctor about any health concern. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
