Christmas Pudding Dark Chocolate by Rococo

Christmas Pudding

Once again, I've been taken by surprise. No, not in the way you're thinking.....naughty. 

Christmas, Black Friday, Cyber Monday or whatever we are calling it these days has arrived, landing on my doorstep, like an unannounced Jehovah witness telling me its time to find a friend in Jesus. That's it! I've had a Mellor moment a bit like a senior moment but with more alcohol. Absolutely, I'm definitely heading for some type of chocolate hell where all chocolate bars are just tantalisingly out of reach. Unbeknownst to me a 60 ft Christmas tree, maybe a slight exaggeration, has arrived in the garden even before November has scuttled off the calendar for another year. It's all too much! Bah humbug! Fortunately, chocolate is at hand to save us....well to save me really as it is one of my few remaining vices.

Dark Chocolate Christmas Bar

Rococo's founder and Creative Director, Chantal Coady, was inspired by Moroccan encaustic tiles which decorate the 'MaRococo' garden in their Belgravia store to create the covers. Apparently, you can visit the garden in the summer when it can be viewed at its best. Rococo has shops, sorry slip of the tongue, stores, in charming hamlets such as Mayfair, Belgravia, Marylebone and Chester the new home of football. I snipped open the silver foil packaging yesterday to get a sense of what this festive bar might have to offer. Wow! Talk about Christmas in a bar....a heady, heady aroma indeed.  Such is the strength of cloves and Cognac erupting from the packaging I wonder whimsically if I'm possibly too young to try this? Sadly, I'm not.

The Christmas Artisan selection of chocolate bars was created to celebrate 30 years changing the world of chocolate. There are three bars in the range including, Christmas Pudding, Morello Cherries and Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. 

This bar is well stacked, literally bursting with ingredients, including a number of truly festive favourites, Cognac soaked raisins, toasted almonds, cloves and cinnamon wrapped in 65% dark chocolate. The first section of dark chocolate I break off contains several whole plump raisins which don't burst as much as I had first imagined not even a dribble of Cognac.  

The dark chocolate is delicious but the 'clove hit' or should that be 'slap about the face' is a bit over the top which would be good if I had toothache. The dark chocolate is lost which is disappointing especially as it has such a good pedigree. Read about Grococo where Rococo's organic fine dark chocolate comes from.

The overall experience is not unpleasant and once the clove hit has gone you're left with cinnamon spice. The almonds provide great crunch and texture. Even after 5 minutes, if you shut your eyes tightly enough, you can imagine that you have indeed just eaten a delicious piece of spicy Christmas Pudding without the stodgy bits. Certainly an interesting bar of chocolate and I look forward to trying the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh bar. 

These festive bars are on sale now at £4.95/70g....click here to buy. 

I think the remainder of this bar is destined to be melted over my Christmas Pudding. Happy days. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Cardamom Dark - Rococo Organic Dark Chocolate Bar

This is the first bar from Rococo Chocolates to be featured on this blog and I for one am thankful for Chocolate Week for bringing them to my attention again. It's probably because they've been on the chocolate scene for so long. Having read about the 'Blindfolded Chocolate Tasting' that is taking place this Thursday at their new store in Marylebone High Street I thought I'd pay them a quick visit on my way home. 

The store is beautifully appointed and there is a chaotic jumble of chocolate in all shapes and sizes dotted about the shop. Unlike the clinical feel of Hotelchocolat shops this has a warm and nurturing feel to it. I almost expected Chantal Coady to pop up from behind the counter. The traditional blue and white packaging is everywhere and you need to spend a bit of time looking around the shop to take it all in. Fortunately, I was the only person in the shop and the lovely assistant behind the counter was totally engaging and a credit to the Rococo team. Sorry, I didn't notice your name! However, the lady was more than capable in answering my questions and allowed me to taste several small nibbles of chocolate until a decision was made.

The Packaging: The artisan bars are all beautifully decorated and this is a splendid example of what to expect if you pay them a visit. To quote the back of the packaging, "Chantal Coady, Rococo's founder and designer, has created this new look Artisan Bar collection to celebrate Rococo's 4th chocolate decade. The bars are inspired by her birth place Teheran and the Moorish tiles & plants in the secret Marococo garden, hidden behind the flagship store in London's Belgravia."

The Chocolate: Cardamom is not to everybody's taste so ask for a sample before you buy. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste with an intensely aromatic flavour and this is what engulfs you as you open the packaging. The chocolate is organic and from Valrhona with a percentage of ethical chocolate sourced from their own Grococo farm in Grenada. The chocolate itself is a glossy brown with a perfect snap. Unfortunately, for me the Cardamom takes a lot away from the chocolate and I'm going to have to try a plain bar to really obtain the true picture of this chocolate. 

It is a delicious bar of chocolate but I suggest you have a few small chunks at a time as the flavours are intense. Overall I give this bar 8/10 for it's unique flavours, outstanding presentation and ethical qualities. At £4.25 for a 70g bar this is expensive and I would recommend you visit one of their stores to sample before you buy. Alternatively spend an hour or so reading their website.

If you'd like to purchase this bark click on the link Cardamom Dark

Posted by Richard.

Chocolate Week - 11th to 17th October 2010

Chocolate Week is almost upon us and there are a number of very exciting events taking place all over the United Kingdom. Take a peak at the Chocolate Week website for further details of some of the brilliant events coming up over the next few days.


I've picked out some of the events that I think deserve a little mention.


Divine is sponsoring this celebration of chocolate for another year and has events going on throughout the week and across the United Kingdom. 


If you're in Brighton why not pop along to the Terre a Terre vegetarian restaurant on 13th October.


Rococo are putting on a blindfolded chocolate tasting which sounds amazing and difficult! To quote the website, "A higher level of chocolate tasting! By using only four senses you will be transported by smell, taste and your memories." This takes place on 14th October from 6pm, booking essential. I have to say that Rococo Chocolates are involved in loads of events going on, some from just £5.00!




In celebration of Chocolate Week, The Botanist on Sloane Square is offering a limited edition luxury Chocolate Afternoon Tea. There will be plenty of chocolate treats to choose from including homemade chocolate chip scones served with Devonshire clotted cream, chocolate lavender tart, chocolate cherry roulade, chocolate brownie, a peppermint slice and chocolate delice. If you have the space then there's a selection of Rocco chocolate truffles on offer. To wash all this down you can choose from a pot of Jing tea or the Botanist's acclaimed hot chocolate made with chocolate flakes and served with a Rococo chocolate stirring stick. At £17 per person this is pretty reasonable.

If you're in Chelsea next week pop into Demarquette Fine Chocolate where they are offering 'Buy One Get One Free' throughout chocolate week. Why not meet Marc Demarquette in the chocolate department at Fortnum and Mason on 14th October from 13:30 to 17:00 and sample some of his chocolates.


There are just too many events to mention but visit the Chocolate Week website and you can simply choose events in your area. Nothing in Essex though!


Whatever you do have a fantastic Chocolate Week!