It’s quite common for readers to get in touch and suggest we review specific chocolates, but when two readers separately suggest the same chocolate with 24 hours of each other, then it’s probably time to give it a try.
So at Emma and Vanessa’s suggestion, I went out and bought this Chilli chocolate bar from my local Thorntons.
This is an 80g square bar, in the same format as Thornton’s Balsamic, Orange & Cardamom and Toffee bars.
Of course, the best way to eat a bar like this is to break off a small chunk and let it melt slowly in your mouth. Unfortunately, the shape of the squares don’t make that particularly easy, but it can be made to break into nice bite-sized chunks with a little persuasion from a heavy blunt object.
This is a 66% dark chocolate from Mexico. The box describes the flavours as “complex”, but the first thing you notice is… well, not much at all. As it melts, the sweetness and fruitiness become more noticeable, but they’re still not particularly strong.
The chilli flavour is also quite subtle and takes a while to come through. When it does, you get more of a gentle warmth than a ‘kick’, and it’s actually quite pleasant. As a result, after initially finding this bar a bit bland, I started to find it more and more…. moreish… the more I had.
So, Emma and Vanessa, I’d recommend giving this one a go. There are certainly more creative – and hotter – spicy chocolates out there, but this is definitely worth giving a go. For chilli chocolate virgins, it’s a pleasant introduction that won’t blow your head off.
Time and time again I’ve walked by this range, but I finally picked up their 72% bar.
Not only is it 100% ethically traded, but 10% of the profits go to “help support species, habitat, and humanity.” The outer cover folds out to some info on this bar’s particular animal, the chimpanzee, and the technique used to grow their cacao. They grow it in forests (mainly Peru), saving them from being cut down. Plus, it’s also vegan chocolate.
The ingredients are also interesting: cocoa mass, beet sugar, soy lecithin, and vanilla.
The fifteen smooth squares have a beautiful shine and a healthy snap. Initially, you get dark cocoa flavors in a texture not exactly grainy, but more “dusty” because it’s still of a fine consistency. Then I got worried.
The flavor played on the hinges of boring blackness for a second. It was also much sweeter than I’d expected. Its melting pace is very nice, though. Neither fast nor slow, but just right. Perfect for chewing a little and letting the pieces sit in different place of your mouth, unleashing a bolder flavor. This is where I started to really enjoy it. Is it a red flavor? No, not exactly. Berry? No. Is that the beet sugar? No, that can’t be it, though it is tied in with the sweetness.
The more you eat, the better this chocolate tastes. It’s a cross between a munchy chocolate and a fine chocolate. Which makes it a good bridge as well as a good cause. Also not too expensive for having all those good causes, being 85 grams.
When I tried the Healtheries Atomic Cherry Bar, I said I loved my local Foodland. Here is another reason why. I was wandering around and found “Holex Dark Chocolate”. Now apart from falling into one, I wouldn’t know a Holex if it hit me. But who cares, it’s another Dark Chap to try, and what could be better?
The Holex is made in Germany. I have no idea if its sold there under that name. The taste is very similar to the Schwarze Herren. Whilst it’s only 50% – light really for a dark – there is something in the flavour which is quite appealing. I think it’s the use of quite a lot of vanilla, but I’m not completely sure.
Like so many chocolates, it’s touting something special or healthy – in this case “sweetened with fructose”. OK. Fine. And the importer is “EatRite Australasia”. Hmm. (Again). But I don’t care in this case. They can write what they like, and besides, I’m just being really picky. The Lady of the House is off watching Doctor Who, and I’m eating this Holex chocolate. I think I know who is getting the better deal.
In appearance, there is nothing special – nothing really, good, nothing really bad. This is just a plain value inoffensive medium to dark chocolate. It’s really nice, has a very satisfying “snap” when you break a piece off, and the flavour is quite different from (say) a Lindt 70% or a Cadbury Old Gold (to pick two reference points where it is hard to go wrong).
Actually, I really like this one. I can’t see the pack lasting long. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to munch on a couple more rows and then go hide this from the kids.
I picked this bar up in M&S Simply Food in Marylebone Station without even looking at what it was. I was in a rush and could tell from the colour of the wrapper it was something I hadn’t reviewed before. It was only when I looked at it on the train that I saw the word “Marzipan” in big letters.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not that much of a fan of marzipan. I think it belongs on Christmas cake and should stay there, rather than inside my chocolate!
The dark chocolate here is 50% cocoa solids, and although it’s quite sweet it’s really quite pleasant… not that there’s much of it.
20% of the contents of this bar is almonds, and that’s just nuts (hahaha!)
The texture of the marzipan is very similar to the Niederegger Marzipan bar I reviewed last year. It’s quite dry and crumbly with a slightly grainy texture.
Luckily, it’s also quite light and not too sweet, and that makes this quite a pleasant little snack.
This is still the kind of bar that’s going to appeal to marzipan fans (marzifans?) rather than chocolate purists, but I enjoyed munching on this with a nice cup of tea this more than I expected to. I’m no marzipan convert, but I quite liked this.
