One of the things I like most about this job is when a company whose products you’ve written about sees what you’ve written and decides to send you a big box of chocolate. It’s not just the free chocolate (no, really!), it’s the feeling that somebody somewhere is reading what you write, and that what you have to say is finding its way back to the chocolate maker.
And so it was I took delivery of a nice box of Vivani goodies from Germany, which I’ll be sampling over the coming days / weeks / months.
This first bar is a 60% dark chocolate, divided into fondant-filled chunks. The format is quite similar to the Lindt bars, with the soft centres encased in domed ‘capsules’ on a flat base, and I really like the way it looks.
The filling is a soft, almost liquid fondant, flavoured with blackcurrant. I don’t believe there’s any real cassis in there, but there is blackcurrant concentrate and alcohol. Break a chunk, and the filling slowly flows out – which is probably a good indication that you shouldn’t be breaking the chunks. Not unless you’re an expert, like me.
As you can see, it doesn’t look particularly blackcurranty, but trust me it tastes fruity – although there is a bit of an artificial quality to it. If Ribena made chocolates, this is what they would (or should) taste like.
The chocolate is not particularly stunning, and as you might expect, takes a back seat to the filling. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The slight bitterness works well with the very sweet blackcurrant and the overall effect is quite pleasant.
However. This is only going to appeal to you if you’re into that sweet blackcurrant flavour. This isn’t a fine chocolate, but it is a step up from your average fruity confectionery. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I’d certainly consider buying a bar with my own money in future.
The other day, I found myself in Fortnum & Mason wondering around the chocolate section (what else), looking for something interesting to buy. Being a poor blogger meant I could only afford a single item from Fortnum’s, so I wanted to make it a little bit different.
But the moment I left the shop with this bar, I had a nagging doubt. A feeling that despite never having reviewed any chocolate from Fortnum & Mason, we’d already seen this spicy little Mexican number.
A glance at the ingredients, and I was sure of it. This seems to be exactly the same bar as the Artisan du Chocolat Mole Poblano that Simon reviewed last year.
But given that I hadn’t tried that bar myself, and that most people won’t be aware of the link, I decided to review it anyway. The fact that I’d spent £5 on a 70g bar of chocolate may also have been a contributing factor!
I decided not to read back Simon’s review until after I’d tried the chocolate and come to my own conclusions.
So how is it? Well the chocolate has a nice look to it (not that apparent from the photo above, which was taken after I’d been carrying the bar around for a while). It’s not overly glossy, but has a nice clear snap and looks like a quality chocolate.
It has the subtle aroma of warm spices, but the chocolate is still evident. That sums up the flavour too. There’s more spice than chocolate, but it’s never overpowering. Although there’s chile in the bar, this is much more about the flavours than the heat. It’s gently warming, but nothing more.
But after the chocolate had melted, I found myself a little disappointed. If you like the Mexican flavours, then it’s fine, but that flavour seems to have been introduced at the expense of the chocolate. It’s not a particularly challenging bar, but the chocolate is lost in all that spice, and ultimately left me unsatisfied.
It’s also worth noting that you’re paying a small premium for the Fortnum & Mason name. It’s not a vast difference, but it does work out more expensive than the smaller Artisan du Chocolat bar. If you don’t mind paying for the name and want to try something a little different, then give it a try. Personally, I’d rather have my £5 back.
Now that bean-to-bar makers are all the rage, it is reassuring to see that Canada isn’t getting left behind thanks to the likes of Gatineau’s Olivia Chocolat. They are another one of those companies who appear to take their chocolate making extremely seriously, espousing the merits of their philosophy and technique on the back of the box. It’s pretty convincing too, with all the talk of organic cocoa beans from Criollo and Trinitario but, of course, the real test is how it tastes.
The chocolate is nice and dark, although my bar had bloomed just a little but that didn’t appear to have any impact on how it tasted. It’s a hefty 76% yet manages avoid the usual bitterness that comes with the higher percentages. Instead, it has more of the leather and tobacco undertones that are a bit of an acquired taste; I like them.
There’s also some vanilla in there too, but it is completely overshadowed by the very Canadian addition of maple syrup. It is probably a good thing they stopped at just a touch of maple syrup because there is a huge maple flavour which is almost perfectly balanced by the depth of the chocolate. The maple isn’t shy about hanging around afterwards either, almost coating your mouth with the intense, earthy sweetness.
The downside of the bar is that it is hard to eat much in one sitting – everything about it is rich and distinctive, and a little goes a long way. And that is meant in the nicest way possible. It won’t be for everyone, but those looking for a touch of sweetness with their dark, dark chocolate will enjoy this rather unique bar.
We’re definitely in a brownie kind of mood lately, and this particular box of brownies was un unexpected gift at the end of our little afternoon tea at Tea Party in Finchley.
Brownie Points is a London-based brownie maker with a wonderful name and equally wonderful brownies. They don’t have an extensive range – in fact, they only produce a single variety of brownie. But that’s part of their charm. They make a single product and do it very well.
As you can see, the packaging is simple but elegant. A card box tied with ribbon and the brownies carefully wrapped in cloth. Everything about it is just right. It’s the perfect balance of professional and stylish while retaining a home-made feel.
We’ve looked at our fair share of brownies over the years, and if one thing is clear it’s that the definition of what makes a brownie is open to interpretation. The basic recipe may be similar, but the final product can vary immensely.
These brownies are roughly 5cm x 5cm x 2.5cm with a slightly crispy top and a dense, moist centre. They’re made with 72% dark chocolate and have a wonderful flavour, but they also contain a lot of nuts. That not only gives them a distinctive flavour of their own, but also helps break up the texture and give the brownie a little crunch.
Of course when you’re talking about brownies, you inevitably end up comparing them to Paul A. Young’s monster masterpiece. Paul’s brownies are so large, dense and rich that legend has it that eating more than a single brownie in the space of a week will kill you.
Brownie Points brownies don’t have that problem. They may not be as out-and-out indulgent as Paul Young’s offering, but they do have the benefit that you don’t feel like you’re going to die if you eat more than one.
At £10.99 plus delivery for six, they’re not cheap. But they are good value and would make an awesome gift. And as it says on the box, it’s always good to get brownie points.
