La Maison du Chocolat relaunches Bien Être wellness collection

Dark chocolate pieces are result of 18-month collaboration

A collaboration between La Maison du Chocolat’s masterchef Nicolas Cloiseau and Paris-based nutritionist Dr. Thierry Hanh has yielded the French luxury chocolatier’s first wellness collection – Bien Être.

Translating to “well-being,” Bien Être marks the liberation of chocolate from animal fats and proteins. Introduced in summer 2018, the collection of naturally sweetened, dairy-free and gluten-free fruit ganaches quickly sold out, but it’s being relaunched in U.S. markets with a new snack-sized edition that’s perfect for satisfying an on-the-go sweets craving.

The collection was the result of and 18-month collaboration between Hanh, whose work focused on the nutritional richness of fruits and vegetables, and Chef Cloiseau. Cloiseau faced a unique challenge in designing Bien Être: cream and butter keep ganache from crumbling, as well as contribute to its flavor. It took nine months to achieve the silky texture, and just as long to perfect the taste.

The secret is in the purées, fruit juices and nectars that give life to the chocolates. Honey and maple syrup are used as natural sweeteners; hazelnut oil contributes to their creaminess; and natural chicory fiber gives the pieces their substance.

The ingredients have dense nutritional values, boosting the antioxidants, polyphenolic compounds and vitamins already found in chocolate. Fruits make up between 25 and 74 percent of the ingredients, with mango, turmeric, aloe vera, propolis, squash seeds, and pomegranate as the key players. The fruits allow the intensity of the chocolate to be expressed more freely, unfettered from cream and butter. It has a more pristine expression to showcase the lovely finishes on the palate.

The final result is a chocolate revolution that packs all of the silky smoothness of traditional chocolate with a richer, bolder and more natural taste.

The 15-piece Wellness Gift Box, including five plant-based and dairy- and gluten-free ganaches, retails at $34. Flavors include:

Mango Turmeric: Dark chocolate ganache with mango and turmeric
Green Apple Aloe Vera: Dark chocolate ganache with green apple and aloe vera
Praliné Squash Seeds: Dark almond and squash seed praline with roasted squash seeds
Peach Propolis: Dark chocolate ganache with peach and propolis.
Pomegranate: Dark chocolate ganache with pomegranate, red fruit gelée with pomegranate, raspberry and chokeberry

Praliné Squash Seeds and Green Apple Aloe Vera are also available in snack size for $6.50

Alyse Thompson has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served as managing editor of Cannabis Products Magazine since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.