Lindt Excellence Chilli Dark

RATING: 5/5

The Lindt Excellence Chilli Dark is without doubt THE BEST CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD! In my world at any rate, and the only likely post on Chocolate and other sins to start with a rating, and a full one at that!

I had first read about this beastly combination of chillies and chocolate in the book, Chocolat by Joanne Harris. Protagonist Vianne Rocher sexily whips up cup after cup of hot chocolate and tops it with a dash of chilli powder for zing. I saw it for the first time when a local ice cream parlour near my then home in Pune held a chocolate ice cream festival. Among the many variants, I spotted some chilli chocolate ice cream, but was too chicken to try it. But my undying love for chilli chocolate started when I bought a couple of Lindt Chilli Dark packs from Dorabjee's, just because there was a 'buy 1, get 1 free' offer. Yeah, I am an Indian.

So, my love started with a love of all things free, but is now of the forever variety. And why not? Swiss chocolate makers Lindt & Sprüngli AG produce only the finest chocolates. Of the limited number of imported brands we get here in India, Lindt is one of the best and one that offers a wide variety.

The Lindt Chilli Dark is an exceptional taste experience with the perfect blend of smooth, rich dark chocolate and premium chilli spice. With 47% cocoa, the chocolate is just enough dark; more on the sweet side actually. The sweet-dark chocolate on your tongue serves as a foil for the delicious burn of the chilli that you feel at the back of your throat. Chilli blended with chocolate is actually an ancient Aztec/Mayan culinary tradition that helped bring out the flavour of the cocoa.

Over the years, I've found that this brand is sold at variable prices at retail stores and could cost you anywhere between Rs. 175 to Rs 300 for a 100 g bar. If you are shopping online, it gets worse, with them fleecing you with prices up to Rs. 600 a bar!! So, if you want to sample this piece of heaven, find a friendly neibourhood Gujju shop that stocks imported stuff, and ask for a bar of Lindt Chilli Dark chocolate at a discount. No, you won't find it easily, so happy hunting!