6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
#WorldChocolateDay: Paan, chilli, chai: Desi flavours meet decadent chocolates
Forget the usual salted caramel or white chocolate. A new wave of Indian chocolatiers and pastry chefs is infusing flavours like paan, kaapi, gulkand, and even imli into European-style bonbons, truffles, and ganaches.
The result? Artisanal chocolates that surprise, comfort, and stir a deep sense of nostalgia. This Chocolate Day, we explore some bold desi flavours redefining the cocoa experience.
Smriti Bhatia, chocolatier, says, 'Our choco-paan wraps, chocolate chutney tadka and kabuli chana chocolates are absolute bestsellers. These flavours may sound experimental, but they're deeply familiar to Indian palate.'
Ananya Deshpande, chocolatier, adds, 'Indian flavours like cardamom and masala chai work beautifully with chocolate - they add warmth, depth, and a familiar comfort that people instantly connect with.'
Flavours that are getting a gourmet spin:
Paan:
Betel leaf, gulkand, and fennel in dark ganache
Filter coffee:
South Indian kaapi reduction in milk chocolate
Kesar-pista:
Saffron-pistachio pralines in white chocolate shells
Jamun:
Tart fruit purée folded into ruby chocolate
Nolen gur:
Bengal's winter jaggery in caramel truffles
Masala chai:
Black tea and spice blend in semi-sweet ganache
Kaala namak & imli:
Tangy bonbons with tamarind caramel
Occasion meets flavour:
Meetha paan:
After-dinner mini indulgence or mehendi favour
Masala chai:
Rainy-day indulgence, festive boxes
Nolen gur:
Winter gifting, corporate hampers
Kesar-pista
: Bridal showers, Rakhi treats
Kaapi:
Wedding return gifts, festive trays
