Cocopia Salted Caramel Truffles

Posted by in Chocolate Reviews on March 31 2008 | Leave A Comment
Cocopia Salted Caramel Truffles

As we’re probably all aware, the major supermarkets have been quick to spot the rise in popularity of good quality chocolate and have been busily creating their own premium chocolate. Well, whereas many of the majors have produced premium ‘own branded’ chocs, Tescos have engaged the services of a (or started their own) different company – Cocopia.

As well as producing various sized boxes of assorted ‘themed’ chocolates, they’ve also cunningly decided to make a range of taster boxes and slabs available. Obviously, not all of the chocolates available in the bigger boxes can be bought in a ‘six-pack’, but it’s a good way of trying out a few items to see how they shape up.

Salted caramel isn’t a new concept. As our readers know, both Green & Black’s and Hotel Chocolat have been adding sea salt to caramel to take the sweet edge off and add a more sophisticated twist to a traditional flavour, so the real question being asked here was whether or not Cocopia had managed to produce a top class version of something others have already achieved.

The shells of these truffles are 70% cocoa dark chocolate – VERY thick dark chocolate.

Cocopia Salted Caramel Truffles

The chocolate itself is a lovely dark, bittersweet blend with a very pleasant citrus topnote which is tempered beautifully by the salt/sweet hit of the caramel interior. The shells are so substantial that they outlast the caramel by a long way. I found my tongue seeking out the last of the caramel from the hollow in the shell before the rest of the shell melted away.

I can see why Tesco might want to give their posh chocs a new brand name. The Cocopia brand and packaging immediately put them on the ‘top shelf’ in the eye of the consumer, and the chocolates themselves are definitely worthy of ‘poshness’. They are, naturally, a little pricier than your everyday chocs, but not as expensive as other well known premuim brand chocolates. I doubt they’d sell half as well if they came in a blue and white box with the Tesco branding on them! Clever marketing on the part of Tesco, excellent product from their chocolatiers. Keep and eye out for Cocopia and treat yourself sometime.

Information

You might also like...

Comments On This Post

  1. Honestly, do you think these are a top brand? I consider the best kind of brand to be an artisanal confectioner, which every major city usually has several of (at least here in the US – perhaps you have even more!) As you mentioned, the shells on these caramel/truffles are so thick, they really overwhelm the caramel. And just based on your pictures (I couldn’t get much info from their website) the packaging really doesn’t impress me either: plastic candy tray inside a clear plastic lid just doesn’t say top shelf to me.

    Thoughts?

  2. Simon

    I’d say that for an ‘own brand’ Tesco have done pretty well here. The thickness of the shells is very Hotel Chocolat in style, and I found the quality of the chocolate itself to be pretty good, and provided yo udon’t chomp all of the chooclate at once, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the filling for what it is.
    Of course they can never beat artisanal chocolate products, because they’re never going to be in the same league, but in a UK supermarket environment these would stand out as being a cut above the usual offerings.
    As for the packaging, well I’ve seen much more expensive products packaged in similar ways – indeed, some of the more expensive European bars come in nothing more complex than a cardboard sleeve. Bear in mind that these are taster boxes – the ‘real’ selections come in much fancier packaging, which is reflected in the higher price one pays for the bigger boxes. I think simplifying the packaging to keep the price down (and show the customer what they’re getting) is a fairly shrewd move on Tesco’s part.

  3. Mmmm, chocolate caramel bars, it doesn’t get much better than that. Thankfully these sound better than those fairly awful Cadbury caramel eggs!

    The Peanut Butter Boy

  4. Kat

    Having tried these, I have to agree. The raspberry and caramel ones are very good too.

  5. Lillian

    I love these ones and bought them regularly from my local Tesco store in Oxford. To my great disappointment, Tesco in Oxford is no longer stocking these and I wonder if it is possible to order them online?

  6. These will be coming out again after July.

  7. Lillian

    Hurray!!!
    I hope they will be stocked in my Oxford Tesco store – I’m ready to purchase…

  8. Cocopia_Man

    Look out for the new lemon Torte flavour too. Replacing the Pistachio Mousse and Black Forest.

Leave a comment




Chocablog: Chocolate Blog