It’s a no-brainer that chocolate and blue cheese make a great combination—the saltiness of the aged style practically begs for a sweet accompaniment. But cheesemakers in Australia have gone a few steps further in combining the two flavors.
Meet Choco 21, Melbourne-based retailer Curds & Whey’s sweetest wheel in the case. Mashable reports that the treat is made by ripening the cheese in a chocolate liqueur, rubbing the rind with cocoa, and then adorning the top with even more chocolate. The finished result gives the cheese a chocolatey and almost cake-like appearance on the outside. Once cut, you can see where the liqueur has seeped into the veins, creating streaks alongside the blue mold.
“The blue itself is quite mild, and the liqueur adds the chocolate flavor without being sweet,” Curds & Whey owner Anna Burley told Mashable. Cheese aged in liquor usually yields full-bodied wheels that take on flavors like whiskey—so why not chocolate liqueur?
The cheese has inspired mixed reactions, but according to the shop’s Instagram, Choco 21 has sold out at their stall in the Queen Victoria Market. They anticipate having more wheels in the next few weeks, but no word is yet available on whether or not Choco 21 or a similar wheel will be available elsewhere in the world.
If you don’t happen to be in Melbourne a few weeks from now, you can always satisfy your chocolate and cheese pairing craving with some of our sweet recipes—these dark chocolate and blue cheese truffles are super easy to whip up.
Photo Credit: “Chocolate Curls” by Moya | Flickr cc
Casey Walker
Casey Walker is a Boston-based writer, constantly scoping out new recipes and restaurants.
