3 Magical Pairings of Award Winning Cognacs and Chocolate Desserts
Although our cocktail repertoire would suffer without cognac (who could possibly say goodbye forever to the citrus-y sugar-rimmed sidecar?), the simple pleasure of a glass of the fine French stuff on a chilly winter night is hard to beat. Cognac continues to grow in popularity stateside—according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, cognac sales grew 17% since 2017, and luxury brands continue to trend upwards. With these spirited truths in mind, we set out to pair the rich, complex spirit with our favorite chocolate treats.
We asked Kellie Thorn, an Atlanta-based Beverage Consultant & BNIC Certified Cognac Educator, for her thoughts on putting cognac and chocolate together, and she heartily approved. “For me pairing Cognac and confections, especially chocolate, is an obvious choice. By law Cognac is aged in barrels, lending the spirit notes of vanilla and spice,and even creme brulee or toasted sugar, and because Cognac is made from white wine, there are naturally a good deal of fruit and floral components as well. Over time, those components combined with the oak components deepen into dried fruit and nutty characteristics, and eventually evolve into complex and deep flavors and aromas of incense, tobacco, and even dark chocolate.”
Next, we had to choose which cognacs would match up with our roster of chocolaty treats without overpowering their individual charms or overwhelming their flavors and aromas. Said Thorn, “age is the biggest factor when deciding which chocolate treats I would pair with a Cognac, but ultimately, I think the thing to remember is to have fun and experiment!”
Deep Dark Chocolate Layer Cake & Bisquit & Dubouché X.O.
The bitterness of dark chocolate lightens and mellows when baked into a buttery cake, or whipped into a fudgy frosting. The carefully crafted X.O. (extra old) cognacs are blended from eaux-de-vie that, by law, can each be no less than 10 years old and are often much more aged, creating deeply layered flavors of spice, toffee, and beyond. Brownies, truffles, gourmet and single origin chocolate bars–anything cacao forward–would shine when paired with a profound XO, forging a combination greater than the sum of its delicious parts. The 2022 NY International Spirits Competition Gold winning Bisquit & Dubouché XO brings baking spices and a rich extended finish to the dessert party.
Says Thorn, “for dark chocolate truffles, dark chocolate cake, or even something like a dark chocolate and caramel turtle, I would go with an XO. The more complex flavors found in the spirit will complement the deep cocoa notes.”
Kit Kats, Chunky, Snickers, Three Musketeers & Drouet VSOP
Drug store milk chocolate candy bars can be cloyingly sweet, but they often feature layers of crispy, crunchy, sticky, chewy, gooey components that add to the fun. A more serious chocolate expression like an artisanal bon bon or an upscale candy bar would still work well with the restrained sophistication of a fine VSOP. 2022 NY International Spirits Competition Gold winner Drouet VSOP’s classic vanilla notes would match with all kinds of candy selections.
Thorn agrees. “Candy bars that have components such as nuts or nougat a VSOP would be a fun choice because there are typically flavors and aromas of nuts and dried fruits present in that range. Chunky and VSOP, yes please.”
Hot Fudge Salted Peanut Sundae & Honor VS Cognac
An oversized American ice cream sundae introduces all kinds of contrasts: warm sauce vs. icy cold custard, sweet syrup vs. salty nuts, slick sauce vs. crunchy topping, creamy ice cream vs. sticky chocolate. A sip of an approachable VS cognac offers a wonderful contrast as well, its boozy punch will cut through the rich dessert and assert its own fruity nutty nature on the situation. Honor VS, a 2022 NY International Spirits Competition Gold winning cognac is a bright expression from Cognac Birkedal Hartmann, exemplifies the playful side of dessert and spirit pairings.
Thorn adds, “I am a big fan of keeping a bottle of VS Cognac in the freezer. The texture becomes silky and the vibrant fruit characteristics are elevated. It's a fun pairing with crunchy creamy desserts with a pop of salinity like a milk chocolate covered pretzel or even Oreo cookies!”
Now that you see how Cognac can elevate even the most everyday chocolate indulgence, read more about the soothing power of cognac.