I confess that until I found this, I had no idea Valrhona made hot chocolate in cartons. But having seen it at the Southbank Chocolate Festival and being something of a hot chocolate fiend, I had to buy some to see how it stands up against some of the more traditional hot chocolates on the market.
It’s probably the easiest hot chocolate you’ll ever make. Open the one litre carton, pour into a mug and give it a quick blast in the microwave. No messing with saucepans (you can if you want, but it won’t improve the flavour), no hot milk and no trying to get those last few clumps of chocolate to melt properly.
The chocolate is quite thick when poured from the carton. That’s because in addition to chocolate semi-skimmed milk and water, it contains the thickening agent carrageenan.
Carrageenan is made from seaweed, so it’s completely vegan, and seems to do the job admirably, although it is a little strange to see on the label if you’re used to making hot chocolate with just chocolate and milk.
When heated, the drink loses a little of that thickness, but retains a rich, smooth consistency. That’s reflected in the flavour too. It’s creamier and a little sweeter than the hot chocolates I’m used to. I tried adding a couple of marshmallows to mine, but that just made it too sweet for me.
On its own though, it’s a very comforting hot chocolate. I like the completely smooth consistency, as well as minimal washing up. Not cheap at nearly £10 per litre, but still very nice.
Like many (though certainly not all) of the Chocolate Salon participants, Gateau et Ganache is based out of California. Creator Annie Golding makes a variety of confections, specifically handmade marshmallows and truffles. As I mentioned, I found theirs among the top displays at the salon.
I chose four truffles to take home, which were wrapped up for me in a wine-colored box complete with a ribbon box. I love that the colors used are feminine in a style that is elegant and not girly. All of the chocolates, as well, are shiny are beautiful.
La Canelle (Organic Cinnamon) – A dark chocolate with drizzles of milk chocolate, smelling wonderfully of cinnamon. The inside is very smooth. This one really hits the spot for me: chocolate and milk and cinnamon with a hint of caramel make it a pure indulgence.
La Caramel Doux (Soft Caramel with a Hint of Cinnamon) – This is the one with the heart design on its face. The caramel is semi-liquid, though still with some thickness. It has the taste of when caramel isn’t just a sweet goo, but a delicate flavor. There is quite a bit of it, too, as the chocolate shell is relatively thin.
Le Gingembre (Ginger) – A sleeker look this one has, topped with a tiny piece of ginger. This I like: the ganache has an intensity of ginger, but it manages still to not be strong. The tanginess is like citrus and cinnamon, with the chocolate feeling wonderfully rich.
Vin et Epices (Spiced Red Wine Ganache) – An orange-spotted chocolate, I would not have guessed it to contain wine or even alcohol. It tastes more citrusy (unless I’m just using that description too much); some warm spices, though, I do taste. Overall, I would call it a truffle with low-key richness. It’s cool and warm at once – something you can sit enjoying for a while even if some of the more intense truffles don’t appeal to you.
The distinct air of Gateau et Ganache almost reminds me of Original Beans, though definitely with more of a confection-mindset. Hint, hint, some of these truffles would make great Christmas gifts. Beautiful and guaranteed enjoyable.
After a break from the norm with Matcha’s Chocolate Shards, tea-chocolatier-extrordinaire Katie Christoffers is back with another selection box – this time with a winter theme.
The packaging remains unchanged from Matcha’s other selection boxes, which is fine by me, although it does mean my box photos are pretty much interchangeable. But why change a winning formula?
There are five different flavours to choose from, and they are:
Jasmine Pearls
White chocolate centre + jasmine pearl tea + white chocolate shell.
Starting with my least favourite – and that has nothing to do with the chocolate, but is purely down to the fact that I just don’t get on with Jasmine. Luckily for me, the jasmine is subtle, and doesn’t overwhelm the other flavours. It’s quite creamy, yet refreshing and never too sweet even with that white chocolate. It turns out that I actually like my least favourite chocolate here…
Mint & Green Tea
Milk chocolate centre + mint and green tea + milk chocolate shell.
I wish all mint chocolates were like this. Bite into the shell and the chocolate immediately releases the perfect amount of fresh mint flavour. After that gentle burst of mint, all the other flavours come through – from the rich milk chocolate to the cream and even the tea. This may well qualify as my favourite mint chocolate of all time.
Earl Grey
Dark chocolate centre + earl grey tea + dark chocolate shell.
I’m not the world’s biggest fan of Earl Grey, but I like this chocolate. That distinctive bergamot orange flavour breaks through the dark chocolate ganache, then fades away, revealing more rich, chocolatey flavour.
Matcha
Milk chocolate centre + Japanese green tea + square milk chocolate shell.
The tea is very subtle in this one, and mainly serves to lift the favour of the chocolate. It’s soft and a little fudgy, both in texture and flavour, but it’s neither too sweet or too rich.
Masala Chai Caramel Hearts
Masala chai caramel centre + milk chocolate shell.
I know several people who regard these as the best of the best of Matcha’s offerings. They’re gooey caramels that are sweet with a slight burnt toffee edge, countered by the refreshing, flowery masala chai. Wrap that in a a dark chocolate shell to counter some of the sweetness, and you have a unique and extraordinary caramel. Salted caramels are so five years ago. Masala chai caramels are where it’s at.
I’ve said before that I didn’t know how Matcha could keep the tea-themed chocolate concept going. Katie is clearly branching out and trying new things, but she’s also managed to improve each new iteration of these selection boxes with subtle refinements and attention to detail. Not only are the flavours expertly chosen and balanced, but the chocolates are exquisitely made and presented.
If I were to receive just one box of chocolates in my Christmas stocking this year, I think it would be this one.
I remember reading something a couple of years ago that pear was going to be everywhere very soon. The only reason I really remembered was because not long after I was given a box of rather splendid chocolates that had a lovely pear truffle in it. And then Lindt introduced their Intense Pear bar which I’d see from time to time but it never really got to the ubiquitous level that I was promised in that article. So while I wasn’t really expected to cross paths with a pear bar during my last visit to my local store, I did.
Flagrant Desirs is a company whose path I had crossed one time before – an 85% bar that packed a bit of a punch and took me quite a while to work my way through. Their Noir Poire bar is a more subtle 72% although you actually wouldn’t know, but more about that later. The most obvious thing on unwrapping the bar is the really strong pear aroma which is a good sign in a pear bar, and the chocolate itself looks mottled with little bits of pear.
A closer examination of the ingredients isn’t quite so optimistic though – it mentions “Pear Nuggets” which are made from sugar, pear mush, apple, dextrose, pineapple fibres and a few other things. Those chewy nuggets are really sweet too, tasting almost like a candied pear and that’s why the 72% chocolate almost doesn’t feel dark enough anymore. The sweetness of the pear completely dominates in the battle against the chocolate and this becomes a very fruity bar of chocolate which does admittedly taste of juicy, ripe pear. Just like the box says it will.
So really, the success of Flagrants Desirs Noir Poire is dependent on how sweet you like your chocolate and how much you like pear. If you can answer yes to both questions then this could be the answer to all your prayers. As for me, initially I quite enjoyed it, but then it all got too much for me and I needed a break. Later, I repeated the same thing again, and so on – I’m persistant, if nothing else.
