Despite what you may think, not all salts are created equal. Many people, even experienced cooks tend to believe that salt is salt and that’s that. But that’s not true at all. Everything about this essential seasoning makes a difference in the final disposition of the dish you’re creating. The origin, size, shape, flavor, and texture all matter. This couldn’t be more true than when considering the world of finishing salts. These salts in particular really stand out because they don’t melt before someone eats them. They’re full intact and present in all their salty glory for the diner to savor all their attributes.

But what makes a salt really special? After all, it’s just salt right? That’s where the Pyramid Salt really shines. Our brilliant Pyramid Salt is truly a work of art in and of itself. A true Mediterranean delight, it hails from Cyprus Greece. Officially called the Republic of Cyprus, it is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean. The third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus is a beautiful place, and the art of making salt there dates back centuries. Early Cypriots would use the newly formed sea salt to preserve various meats, fish, and even vegetables. One popular dish from the area involves cooking a whole fish – packed entirely in the famous local salt. The unique pyramid shape of the Pyramid Salt is created through the process of solar evaporation of sea water where the water is channeled into a chain of shallow ponds or lagoons and then into large pans where the water is gradually heated, forming the pyramid shapes of the salt. The process continues until the salt reaches 3% humidity, and can take up to two years to complete.

The Pyramid Salt makes an incredible accompaniment to rich chocolate desserts. Whether it’s gooey chocolate chip cookies, a rich chocolate ice cream, or a comforting bowl of chocolate pudding, the combination of the crunchy flaky salt and tantalizing chocolate is really a thing to behold. We recently used the Pyramid Salt to finish a dessert of Dark Chocolate Pudding with Stone Fruit and Almond. The pudding recipe is simple, but made special with the addition of fresh ripe stone fruit and the exquisite salt.

Here's the recipe:

¾ cup chilled heavy cream, divided

4 large egg yolks
¼ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee, room temperature

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar, divided

6 ounces semisweet chocolate (60–72% cacao), chopped

2 large egg whites

Preparation:

Beat ½ cup cream in a small bowl to stiff peaks; cover and chill. Combine egg yolks, espresso, salt, and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is lighter in color and almost doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160°, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and mixture is smooth. Let sit, whisking occasionally, until room temperature. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl on medium speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions; fold reserved whipped cream into mixture just to blend. Divide mousse among 6 teacups or 4-oz. ramekins. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, whisk remaining 1/4 cup cream in a small bowl to soft peaks; top each cup of mousse with a dollop of cream and a sprinkle of Pyramid Salt.

This incredibly delicious chocolate pudding or mousse can be made as a simple as just a bowl with a little whipped cream and a sprinkle of Pyramid Salt, or a decadent fancy dessert with sliced fresh fruit and mint, a cookie crumble, and toasted nuts. Where you take it is totally up to you! What you’re going to instantly fall in love with is the decadent combination of rich dark chocolate and flaky pyramid salt. It’s a match made in heaven, and now, your very own kitchen!