Dark chocolate with Guérande salt by Dolfin. Breton sea salt in 70 percent cocoa.
Dark chocolate with Guérande salt is the bitter variety among Dolfin's summer bars, the Vintage Summer Collection. The 70-g bar contains at least 70 percent cocoa. It is seasoned with 0.5 percent salt from the salt marshes of Guérande in Brittany. The salt is mixed into the chocolate, not sprinkled on the surface.
A wooden motorboat leaves a white wake across the blue wrapper, viewed from above like an old travel poster. Below it reads "70 % & sel de Guérande". The bar contains no fillings or pieces. In addition to cocoa mass, sugar, and cocoa butter, it contains only soy lecithin, salt, and natural vanilla flavoring.
Cocoa first, then a delicate salt note
With the first bite, the cocoa dominates: bitter, dark, and with slightly roasted notes. The sweetness remains restrained, as expected with 70 percent cocoa.
After a few seconds, the salt reveals itself. It is finely distributed and creates small, individual accents on the tongue. This makes the bitterness rounder and allows the fruity notes of the cocoa to stand out more clearly.
Anyone looking for a mild, sweet chocolate will find this bar too intense. A gentler choice from the same range is the milk chocolate with caramelized macadamia nuts. According to the manufacturer, the bar may contain traces of milk, nuts, gluten, sesame, and egg. It is therefore not suitable for anyone with a corresponding allergy.
What makes Guérande salt special
Guérande is located on the Atlantic coast of southern Brittany. There, seawater evaporates in shallow basins through the sun and wind. Salt farmers, known as paludiers, harvest the salt by hand with wooden rakes.
The top, particularly fine layer is called Fleur de Sel. Guérande salt is considered mild and slightly mineral. It has been protected by a geographical indication since 2012.
In chocolate, salt acts as an enhancer. It tempers the bitterness of the cocoa and makes other aromas appear clearer. Just 0.2 percent is enough to achieve this without making the bar taste salty.
The salt marshes of Guérande have been cultivated since the Middle Ages. The harvest takes place only in summer, when the sun and wind evaporate enough water. This suits the character of this summer bar.
How to enjoy the bar
At the end of a meal, serve a piece with an espresso or ristretto. The cocoa also pairs well with a glass of red wine with mature tannins, such as a Merlot or Zinfandel.
In summer, the bar is a good accompaniment to fresh strawberries or cherries. The acidity of the fruit contrasts with the bitter cocoa, while the salt brings them together. Chopped, it is suitable for cookies, which get a slight kick from the salt.
The bar also works well with cheese. A mature Comté or an aged Gouda with salt crystals complements the bitter chocolate and sea salt.
Good to know: At temperatures above 25 °C, chocolate quickly softens. In summer, it belongs in a cool place, such as the cellar or pantry. The refrigerator is only a last resort, as condensation can form there.
Stirred with 100 ml of hot cream, the bar becomes a smooth ganache. Poured over vanilla ice cream, it becomes a dessert with a subtle salt note in five minutes.
Dolfin's summer range
The Vintage Summer Collection includes bars with motifs of the coast, mountain lake, and beach. The range also includes the dark chocolate with orange, the white chocolate with raspberries, and two varieties of milk chocolate.
In winter, Dolfin offers a similar bar with Himalayan salt, the dark chocolate with Himalayan salt. Anyone who wants to compare both salts can try the bars side by side.
The bar is produced in Belgium, and cocoa butter is the only fat used. The Cocoa Act 4 logo on the wrapper represents the sustainability program that the company has been working with since 2021. More varieties are shown on our Dolfin page.
A bitter summer bar, where a pinch of Breton salt makes the cocoa shine.
