the secret of black Garlic and dessert

Chocolate and black garlic might seem like an unlikely pairing, yet their flavors combine to create a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and umami notes that delight the palate. This guide explores the transformative processes, such as the Maillard reaction in black garlic, that make this combination so unique, offering insights and inspiration for chefs and chocolate makers alike.

Chocolate and black garlic might seem like an unlikely pairing, yet their flavors combine to create a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and umami notes that delight the palate. Both chocolate and black garlic undergo the Maillard reaction during their production, which produces a complex array of roasted and caramelized compounds. This shared process results in overlapping flavor molecules, creating a natural synergy.

The tangy balsamic and molasses-like qualities of black garlic provide a counterpoint to chocolate’s polyphenolic bitterness, while its earthy richness amplifies chocolate’s nutty and caramelized notes. Together, these elements create a flavor profile that transcends the individual components, offering a truly unique sensory experience.

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Black garlic’s volatile aromatic compounds, many of which are fat-soluble, integrate smoothly into chocolate’s cocoa butter matrix. This interaction ensures a harmonious fusion of flavors, where black garlic’s subtle tang and umami depth complement chocolate’s inherent sweetness and complexity. Similar to how a pinch of sea salt elevates chocolate, black garlic enhances and rounds out its flavors, resulting in a remarkable and unforgettable combination.

Black Garlic Cherry Gin Ice Pop

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The Synergy of Pairing and Over-Toning

When it is slow cooked for several weeks garlic goes through the Maillard Reaction.

Black garlic’s sweet-savory, umami-rich flavor can round out the bitterness of dark chocolate, leading to a more balanced overall taste. Balancing bitterness is crucial because excessive bitterness can overwhelm other flavors, while a balanced profile enhances sweetness and umami, creating a dessert that is more universally appealing and enjoyable to a wider audience.
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Not Only Black Garlic But Raw, Roasted, and Pickled Garlic

 

It’s not just about black garlic. Chefs and chocolate makers at Toronto Garlic Festival have created many delicious dessert treats using raw, roasted, and pickled garlic. Roasted garlic, with its caramelized sweetness and mellow nutty flavor,  complements desserts like garlic-infused bread puddings or roasted garlic and honey ice cream. Pickled garlic’s tanginess can add an unexpected zest to sweet treats like tarts or cheesecakes, while raw garlic—used sparingly— introduces a bold, spicy contrast in confections like spiced chocolate truffles. These diverse garlic preparations, when paired thoughtfully with dessert ingredients, open up new frontiers for creativity and innovation in the culinary arts.

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Garlic-Infused Creations at Toronto Garlic Festival

Since 2011, chefs and chocolate makers have featured garlic-inspired desserts at Toronto Garlic Festival, using Ontario grown garlic. A few examples are highlighted below:

 
  • César Aguilar, Cacaitos: Cacao bars made with two ingredients, cacao and Ontario black garlic.
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  • Laura Slack – The “Lestat” Truffle: A dark chocolate skull filled with black garlic–infused salted caramel. Referred by Toronto Life as “her most famous treat…”
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  • My Crème Caramel, Chantal Véchambre:  Crème Brule with roasted garlic.
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  • CXBO  Chef Brandon Olsen – Coffee, Black Garlic, and Passion Fruit Truffle: Combining coffee, black garlic, and passion fruit, offering a complex flavor profile that intrigued festival attendees.
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  • ONYX Chocolate, Gabe Toth – Dulcey Black Garlic Ganache: A white miso caramel layered atop a Dulcey black garlic ganache, all encased in Valrhona Satilia dark chocolate, reported by Toronto Star’s Karon Liu, “originally made for last year’s Toronto Garlic Festival, combines the sweet flavour of caramelized garlic and the fermented saltiness of miso that adds more depth than the usual flavour combo of sea salt and chocolate.”
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  • —Chef Matthew Sanchez, The Spice Chef:  Salted caramel roasted garlic infused truffles
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    • Chef Anne Sorrenti – G-Dot Doughnut: Dark chocolate, red wine, and black garlic ganache coating on a pillowy yeast doughnut filled with roasted garlic vanilla custard.

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    • Chef Ron Raymer – Butter Tarts with Chocolate Roasted Black Garlic Praline: Traditional butter tarts enhanced with a chocolate roasted black garlic praline, providing a novel twist on a Canadian favorite.

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    • Le Dolci – Garlic-Infused Macarons: Blending the delicate sweetness of the French confection with a subtle garlic essence, featured on the Global Morning Show with host Carolyn Mackenzie.

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    • Roots of Health – Roasted Garlic Almond Brittle: Combining the crunch of almonds with the savory-sweet notes of roasted garlic.

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    • Death in Venice Gelato – Black Garlic and Toasted Fennel Gelato: Black garlic and toasted fennel gelato, as well as a roasted garlic, sea salt, and chocolate gelato, highlighting the versatility of garlic in frozen desserts.

    Practical Applications for Dessert Chefs and Chocolate Makers

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    Experimenting can lead to a perfect harmony of flavors and textures. The key is balance: start with small amounts of garlic and gradually adjust to achieve the desired depth without overpowering the chocolate. When incorporating black garlic into chocolate recipes, a little goes a long way. Gradually increase the amount to avoid overpowering the dish. Dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) is often more compatible with black garlic’s earthy and umami qualities than milk chocolate, though the latter can still work with proper balance. Nuts like hazelnuts or almonds add warmth, while a small pinch of salt can enhance the interplay of sweet and savory. Adding bright accents such as citrus zest or dried fruit can further complement the roasted notes of both black garlic and chocolate.

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    Farmer and Food Vendor Application to The Black Garlic & Chocolate Affair: Click here__
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    Louise Maillard

    In 1912 French physician Louise Maillard observed the "Maillard reaction", the chemical reaction by which amino acids and sugars react in foods via contact with fats, giving a browned, umami flavour to many foods including bread, seared steaks, toasted marshmallows, and black garlic. Image courtesy of Grow Magazine

    References

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      • “There’s a science to food pairing, and you can learn it here.” Peter Coucquyt, Bernard Lahousse, and Johan Langenbick.  Oct 22, 2020. Popular Science.