Mahony

Posted by in Chocolate Reviews on April 7 2008 | Leave A Comment

After doing a radio spot about chocolate recently, the show’s producer took me aside and said, “Have you seen the new Mahony bar in your shop yet? I found some when I was up in Darwin and it’s cheaper and better than Toblerone. Try some!”

Cheaper and better than Toblerone? That’s a pretty big judgment call and one that I was dying to test out for myself. Sure enough, hidden more discreetly in the supermarket than even the shy M&Ms dark range, was a red slab of Mahony, hiding right at the bottom of the shelf next to Toblerone.

The box didn’t look too promising. Like a recently heart-broken lover, I’d seen too many red boxes of chocolate on discount tables and in ‘Crazy Dave’s Bargain’ stores to know that uninspiring red packaging often meant some truly dodgy substances made in Kazahkstan or Senegal with about as much resemblance to real chocolate as carob without the sugar and oil but with extra dirt.

It was distinctly cheaper than Toblerone, and at 400g looked like a plank of wood you could defend yourself with, if the eating of it wasn’t a possibility.

The ‘hill’ pattern on the block was similar to Toblerone, as was the taste. Cheeky. If blindfolded, I doubt that I would be able to detect the difference. They both taste delicious and Mahony was an equal match. This will be too sweet for the serious chocophiles who prefer Dark chocolate, but it should definitely be sought out and tried by those who love Toblerone or are in the mood for some good milk-chocolate that melts in the mouth and ends up with some lingering nougat to chew on.

Half a block later (200g mind you!), I ventured to Chocolat Frey’s website, which informed me that they’d been around in Switzerland since 1887 and held 38% of the Swiss domestic market, so they were not some Johnny-come-latelys flicking the bird to Toblerone. Or maybe they are and have only just released this version – I’d love to know.

The ingredients listed on the back of the box were pretty standard – 38% cocoa solids, sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, milk and nougat. Fat content 31.3 grams per 100 grams. Oh dear, that meant that I just inhaled 62.6 grams of fat. My eight year old daughter is right: She reckons that if she and I ever owned and ran our own chocolate shop (her current dream), we’d need to install a permanently running treadmill directly behind the counter that I’d need to stay on all during our work day.

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Comments On This Post

  1. Emm

    Mahony is not only better than Toblerone, it also melts beautifully. Try this recipe for s’mores: Lay two granita biscuits on a baking tray. Sprinkle some mini marshmallows on the first biscuit. On the other a piece of Mahony. Place under the grill. When the marshmallows have gently toasted to a dark brown (not black), remove and press together as a sandwich. Eat while warm.

  2. alan

    Where can I find Mahony in the USA. Ive checked tons of places and cant find it anywhere in the USA.

  3. Stefan

    I happen to live in austria, where we are able to purchase a lot of very good frey chocolates in the SPAR markets. I am a Chocolate Fanatic since I first tried it. My current favorites since about 12 years are for everyday use the mahony and or the milk chocolate by frey. In my opinion the milk one is the best one on this planet and tops the renowned lindt chocolates by far in the high end class of milk chocolates but also works just as good as an everyday chocolate as suchard is one (export or often under license produced ones may differ in taste) – i find suchard comparably to cadburrys but not the same. cadburry seems a lot more raw somewhat.
    So don’t miss out on the milk one if it’s possible to get that one in oz (where i currently am and tried out the export version of mahony – funny enough we just get a 100gr version of that chocolate in austria but with the same form!)
    To your Question: Frey had a Toblerone similar Chocolate on the Market since i can Remember, it was called Barnys Honey Chocolate or something like that but than they changed the image of that one a bit to make it look more like Toblerone, same ingredients though afaik. On Easter the swiss are very lucky to choose from a lot of different chocolate easter bunnys from frey (yuuuuummmm) including some with big pieces of almonds and… of course …. some with mahony chocolate.
    For me Mahony IS BETTER than toblerone as it is just a little less sweet and a bit hard, thus turning sucking on it into more of a process… i dont know how else to put it.
    Well, thats all from me!

  4. Hey Stefan
    Thanks for that info – I haven’t seen anything here in Australia other than the red Mahony but after your info I’ll cross my fingers and keep looking!
    kath

  5. Mandy

    I tried Mahony chocolate for the first time a couple of weeks ago. My partner got it with his xmas present but he can’t remember what present it was with and who from. I need to buy him another one because I’ve eaten almost all of his haha. Where did you all purchase your Mahony bar from?
    Oh, Im from Sydney, Australia.

  6. Stefan

    Hey Mandy,

    as far as i know the mum of my gf got it in coles, funny enough 🙂

    greets to sydney,
    ste

  7. lulu eugenio

    a friend from Australia gave me one bar of Mahony, thought it’s just the same as toblerone.. but to my surprise.. it is way better than toblerone.. the nougat’s perfect. the richness of the milk chocolate was superb.. I LOVE every bite of it 🙂

  8. Mandy

    Coles have it advertised in their current catalogue for $3.49 instead of $6.99. Today is the last day of the sale.

    Since Friday, I am just about to start my second bar.. So addictive.

  9. Maruca

    Hello

    I’m from Switzerland. Frey is the chocolate company working with the MIGROS-chain and I got a Mahony 400g bar from someone. I’ve never had it before and I think it’s very good, as good as Toblerone to me. I think Frey (I grew up in the city next to the village where it’s produced) have great products. When I was in 5th grade and had to do a presentation of chocolate they sent me all the ingredients in raw form (chocolate beans, butter etc.) which I remember to this day.

  10. It is sold at the Loblaws chain in Canada—repackaging the same bar from Migros (Switzerland)

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