When chocolate was introduced to European aristocrats from the New World, it was consumed largely in the privacy of the bedroom. Finishing a chocolate drink with the fragrant crunchy spark of Taha’a vanilla salt would not have been a good idea in this setting—it would surely have escalated things to the point where the presence of the bed weighed too heavily on everyone’s minds, turning a purely social invitation into something rather more.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　2 cups milk

　　12 ounces dark chocolate (about 70 percent cacao), finely chopped

　　4 two-finger pinches Halen Môn Sea Salt with Taha’a Vanilla

　　

Step 1

Heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Stir in the chocolate and keep stirring until completely melted. Remove from the heat and let cool for 30 minutes. This step helps to thicken the chocolate.

　　

Step 2

Reheat over very low heat, stirring often, until steam rises from the surface. Stir in the salt and serve in warm cups.

　　Salted