It would appear that every visit to my doctor results in some kind of chocolate inspiration thanks to the magazines she keeps in the waiting room. I’d like to think that she is specially picking them out for me, but it might just be a coincidence. Anyway, this last time it was an article in Consumer Reports (the North American version of Which?) where they had a list of the best boxed chocolates in America. There were plenty of familiar names, but among the new ones was Woodhouse Chocolates.
Based in California in the middle of wine country, Woodhouse Chocolates is a family-run business that involves three generations. Tracy and John Anderson founded the company back in 2002 and in that time have managed to catch the eye of many celebrities such as Steven Spielberg, suggesting I might be a little late to the party. Nevertheless it was a party which I wanted to be part of so after a few emails, a box arrived with all kinds of goodies inside although I thought I should start with their signature box of chocolates.
First up, this is a really lovely looking collection. From the stylish blue box to the impressive selection of different chocolates nestled away inside, this is the kind of gift I’d love to receive because of the way it looks. There are a lot of chocolates packed into the relatively compact box – it is about 7 inches in diameter – meaning that the 24 chocolates inside aren’t huge; bite-sized I’d say but definitely in a good way. Very elegant.
After working my way through a few, it became really obvious that Woodhouse’s preference for fresh ingredients had a huge impact on how the chocolates taste. That was particularly true in those with a cream centre because they were some of the lightest and creamiest I have ever tasted. And, for the most part, the centres are definitely the stars of the show meaning that the chocolate plays more of a supporting role, albeit an important one from time to time.
Here’s are some of the highlights from the box:
Raspberry Chambord – A very light and fluffy whipped cream centre which comes with a double hit of raspberry via Chambord liqueur and some raspberry puree. This one just melts away with no effort at all. Really lovely.
Fiori di Sicilia – With both orange-scented marzipan and Fiori di Sicilia infused cream, this one was good on paper and even better in practice. A really rich citrus flavour with some almondy undertones and lots of cream. Yum.
Pecan Caramel – A wonderful gooey, sugary, nutty bite thanks to a candied pecan and some very sweet caramel. It might be pretty close to being too sweet for some, but it worked exceptionally well for me.
Fresh Mint – Really nice minty flavour thanks to the fresh mint infusion through the ganache. More like a peppermint tea than your usual run of the mill mint chocolate.
Wild Cherry – Dark chocolate ganache with bits of wild cherry mixed through and half a wild cherry sitting on top. I also tasted some alcohol right at the end, making me think there was a shot of Kirsch in there too.
Pistachio – Apparently the thing that every other pistachio chocolate in the world is lacking is almonds. They stop the combination of pistachio cream and pistachio gianduja from being too one-dimensional and give the chocolate some marzipan-like undertones. Every pistachio chocolate I consume from this point on needs some almonds.
Gianduja – Like a chocolate Christmas tree with a candied hazelnut on top, this is a spectacular looking chocolate. It thankfully also tastes as good as it looks – smooth and creamy hazelnut paste that benefits from a thin disc of dark chocolate at its base
Heart Of Darkness – Dark Columbian chocolate ganache with a bunch of nibs thrown in for an additional kick. Strong flavours, especially when compared to some of the delicate, creamy chocolates that Woodhouse are very fond of.
There were a few weaker moments in the box, such as the Bananas Foster which was a little light on the bananas and a Brown Butter Ganache which was rather ordinary, but for the most part it was a collection which tasted just as good as it looked. Very impressive indeed, and I hope the rest of the things they sent are equally tasty.
Well here’s an interesting one. Last year, Simon reviewed a very similar fleur de sel & pistachio bar from Beschle. At first glance, you might even think they’re the same, but there are some subtle differences that make this one worth looking at separately.
Looking at the packaging, the obvious differences are that this bar states the origin of the bean (Madagascar, still my favourite!), and that it has very slightly less cocoa solids (down to 64% from 65%). The box also tells us that this is a 72 hour conche.
Open the box, and you’ll notice that rather than a single, thick bar of chocolate, this time we have very thin 50g bars, individually wrapped in gold foil. I prefer this format as it makes it easier to share (if you’re that way inclined), as well as being easier to break off smaller chunks. Smaller pieces have a higher surface area and melt on the tongue more quickly.
Like the other Beschle bars, these are divided into ten large squares, each with a simple but attractive cocoa pod design embossed on them.
The pistachio & fleur de sel pieces are contained within the chocolate this time, rather than being scattered on the bottom as they used to be. That means it takes a while for their flavours to be released, but when they are, they’re good. Very good.
The chocolate itself is smooth and glossy. That 72 hour conche and lots of cocoa butter are obviously at work her. There’s no in-your-face fruitiness that you often get from Madagascan beans though, and most of the flavour comes from the small pieces pistachio and fleur de sel.
The balance of sweet chocolate, pistachio and salt is spot on. Occasionally you’ll end up with a larger salt crystal or chunk of pistachio in your mouth when the chocolate has melted, but that just makes the experience of devouring this bar more fun. It’s one of those bars that’s very difficult to stop eating once you unwrap it.
It’s no surprise that this won a Gold in this year’s Academy of Chocolate Awards (though not the prestigious ‘Golden Bean Award’, as incorrectly stated on Beschle’s website). Highly recommended.
Last week I was invited to a little soiree to launch Baruzzo Chocolate’s Summer collection – a set of four new chocolates to usher in the warm afternoons and balmy nights (we hope!). Raffaella Baruzzo kindly allowed me to make off with a sample box so I could share the experience with you, lovely reader.
First up, we have a fresh Basil Ganache. I was a little apprehensive about this one. Basil can easily overpower other flavours, and Baruzzo’s chocolate has a delicate, fairly complex flavour to it, making me wonder what the ganache would have in store for me.
I really needn’t have worried. I recently saw basil ice cream mentioned somewhere, and the centre of this chocolate is how I would imagine it would taste. The ganache is light and creamy, with the crushed basil balanced beautifully to allow every other flavour a chance to play. I really liked this one.
After the light herb-and-cream experience of the Basil Ganache, we were invited to taste the Mint & Lemon. Baruzzo use mint from Veneto which packs a slightly herby, more refined taste than one might expect. The lemon is of course vibrant, zesty and immediately invokes visions of warm Italian summer days. Baruzzo describes the taste as ‘The Italian Mojito’, but I think it’s a fresher, zingier taste experience. The dark chocolate works well with the mint and the lemon cuts everything for a real taste of summer.
The Strawberry and Balsamic wasn’t my first encounter with this particular flavour combination (see Galler’s Kaori Box for more information) but I had a feeling this was going to be fresher and more lively. The balsamic vinegar mingles with melting dark chocolate, adding earthy, rich fruit and acidity and then the strawberry starts to make itself known, lingering through to the finish. Being a fresh ganache, this chocolate packs a lot of flavour, and those strawberries definitely say it’s summer.
The final piece is Baruzzo’s Pink Peppercorn Ganache, and it’s quite a refined version, playing down the spice in favour of more aromatic, woody set of flavours paired with dark, rich chocolate ganache. The pairing is described as ‘masculine’ (but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say that it evokes ‘an old Italian gentleman!) and I suppose the rich depth of chocolate coupled with the aromatic warmth of the pink peppercorns could be described thus. It’s certainly the joker in the pack, having none of the floral, citrus or herb flavours of its companions.
These four chocolates are excellent additions to Baruzzo’s already quite impressive range of chocolates. I found them all very palatable, but personally I’d go for the basil ganache, just because it has redefined my perceptions of basil in chocolate.
My favourite shop has expanded. This means more of the best from my local butcher, and of course a greater range of strange imported chocolatey things. Yes, that’s right, the Vietnamese butcher has moved to new premises – bigger, better, shinier, and more chocolate than ever before.
Todays selection leapt out just because it is a little unusual: Hamlet “Chocola’s” looked a lot like chocolate Pringles. Something unusual – reason enough to give it a try.
The back of the pack is labelled in 23 languages. For a change, I am not exaggerating – this Belgian company is selling these all around the world. You should be able to find them in a sweet shop in Uzbekistan.
First point about these is that unlike so many products, the picture on the packet has not been doctored to brighten up the colour. What it shows is what you get: brown chocolate wafer things with lumps. OK, that does not sound very appealing, it’s a lot better than that: the wafers do have a cute sort of shape, and the lumps are some kind of biscuit which gives a crunchy texture. Checking the packet, the lumpy biscuity pieces seem to be puffed rice: so cocoa pops for grown-ups.
Opening the pack immediately releases a pretty powerful whiff of strong earthy chocolate aroma, so there is promise. From there, it’s all sort of a bit ordinary though. The chocolate is pleasant enough, and the crunch is pleasant as well. Letting the chocolate linger on the tongue to melt releases a pleasant flavour as well. But there is no “wow” factor.
The rest of the family think so too: The Lady Of The House says they are OK but nothing to cross the road for. Oldest son (aka “The Vulture” because he eats vast amounts of anything) agrees.
Don’t get me wrong – these are a perfectly acceptable product. If you put them on a plate on the table after a dinner party (does anybody even do dinner parties any more?) then they would get polished off without a single complaint. But you wouldn’t come away saying “Wow I have to track me down some of those critters.”
