The square of dark chocolate filled with mint has its devotees; Menthe Chocolat Fondante Bio offers a version to infuse, with no added sugar. It is crushed cacao beans from Peru, rather than a sweet powder, that carry the indulgence here.

Cacao is the seed of Theobroma cacao, a small tree of the tropical forests of the Americas; once crushed, its beans keep their noble bitterness and their roasted aroma. They are joined by Turkish apple, turmeric from Madagascar and India, sticks of cinnamon, mint and peppermint, liquorice root, chicory root and a cacao extract. The whole is organic.

On opening, one might think of stepping into a chocolate shop where someone has just picked fresh mint. The liquor, a mahogany brown, first reveals roasted cacao, deep, with notes of brownie; the mint chill runs through it at once, clean and refreshing. The liquorice adds a natural sweetness, the cinnamon a rounded warmth, and the turmeric and chicory an earthy depth on the finish.

Caffeine-free, it suits every hour of the day. Allow 3 to 4 g per cup, or about 15 to 20 g for one litre; the water is at 100 °C, and the infusion takes seven to ten minutes. Those who enjoy milky drinks may lengthen it with a little hot milk, in the manner of a light hot chocolate.

It accompanies a chocolate mousse, truffles, a Belle-Hélène pear, or serves as a dessert in itself. Kept in an airtight tin, away from damp, it retains its roasted aroma.