I’m always on the lookout for interesting ingredients that pair well with chocolate. Whenever I travel, I pick up local specialties and set to work figuring out what I can make with them. Sometimes I get an idea in my head for a new flavor and the first version turns out exactly how I imagined. Other times, after too many unsuccessful attempts at crafting the right combination of ingredients, that flavor ends up on the proverbial cutting room floor.

Most of the time, though, after multiple tries I succeed in creating a new flavor that’s complex, perfectly balanced, and irresistibly delicious.

My newest flavor—Hojicha Latte—was inspired by the homemade iced hojicha tea my friend Yoko (founder of Hungry Ninja) sold at the Newton farmer’s market. Hojicha is a roasted Japanese tea that has a slightly nutty, toasted flavor that I thought would pair nicely with chocolate. When developing a new flavor, some of the questions I typically consider are:

• Will it taste best with white, milk, or dark chocolate…or a combination?
• How will I infuse the flavor into the chocolate?
• Are there other ingredients I should include?
• What are the right proportions for the various ingredients?
• What is the best shape and design for final product?

I tested various combinations of ingredients, with four different types of milk and dark chocolates, each topped with a thin layer of white chocolate. After eliminating the ones that didn’t work, I came up with a milk chocolate and a dark chocolate version I really liked. I shared these with Yoko and a few others to see which version they preferred. And although I almost always prefer dark chocolate, we all agreed that the milk chocolate one felt more harmonious and a little less bitter, yet not too sweet.

But I couldn’t quite give up on combining hojicha with dark chocolate. So I wondered, could I make a dark chocolate bar with hojicha tea? Was there a way to incorporate the tea into the chocolate with a smooth texture? And how subtle or strong should the flavor be?

My first experiment was soooo close! And the next Hojicha Bar I made was spot on. I opted for strong vs. subtle…because I really wanted the unique taste of Hojicha to come through. If you have a chance to try my Hojicha Latte bonbon or the bar, I’d love to hear what you think.