Venchi 75% Chilli Chocolate

Somewhere in Scotland?

Before we get down to the delicious subject that is chocolate, I wanted to talk a little about politics. It struck me recently that both Scotland and Ukraine are fighting to remove a government that they despise, albeit in totally different ways, to stand alone. Why is it that the UK government is acting like particularly difficult parents who will not allow their errant tenagers to expand their boundaries. As Scottish Independence looms, both George Osborne and the EU pile on their 'school boy' bullying tactics. If they will not let Scotland share their currencies what options are there for Alex Salmond? Perhaps, they'd prefer the 'renminbi' currency of The Peoples Republic of China. They could probably buy Scotland! How would you like that George? Let the Scotts rule and stand alone from what is fast becoming the United States of Europe.......obviously George isn't aware that curling is taking over the world, they'll be no stopping them now. 

As I taste chocolate the other half is scraping and scratching her way through the downstairs cloakroom as the decorating season begins in earnest once again. I say, "DIY" but, I will supply encouragement and coffee from the sidelines. Anyway grouting is hard work and bad for a man's knees. In fact, I have outsourced all DIY to the other half without having to go through an expensive re-tendering process. A masterstroke which I'm sure I will regret in years to come!

£3.50 for a 45g bar

Venchi - in the 1800's Silviano Venchi, based in Turin, brought his passion for fine chocolate to fruition. From the ripe old age of 16 he was engrossed in the making of chocolate and in 1878 he opened his first shop. His forte was dark chocolate with chopped, and caramelised hazelnuts that eventually became known as nougatine. Venchi chocolate is Gluten Free.

Today, Venchi is a gourmet chocolatier producing over 350 different chocolates exporting them across the world. 

Venchi are also into artisan Gelato and you can find their shop in London's Covent Garden where the gelato is made on the premises everyday. Many of their products can be purchased online from Amazon.

Break off a little Venchi square and pop it into you mouth. Don't chomp it! 

A chocolate with a 75% cocoa content takes a while to melt but eventually the warmth of your mouth melts the chocolate releasing the chilli heat which builds in intensity. 

The subtle burn gradually moves from the tongue and roof of the mouth to the back of the throat leaving your tongue slightly numb.

Overall not a bad experience as chilli chocolate goes and I'd probably only have a couple of squares and then squirrel the remainder away until later.

Venchi use a chilli powder to produce this bar and the heat factor is not overbearing in any way, but the dryness of the mouthfeel is not to my liking. 6/10. 

Dark Chocolate with Chilli - Marks & Spencer

It's been a bit of a blogging vacuum this past few weeks as chocolate production has just got in the way.  A recent trip to Excel proved to be a good distraction for a few hours. I'd forgotten how huge Excel actually was and how much the area had developed since I last visited over a year ago. There were several events taking place including Hotelympia (kitchen equipment), a Zumba fitness contest, a baby show and a Superman/X-Men comic strip convention. What a mix!  I've never seen so many bumps, push chairs and scary coloured outfits!  Sorry, but Zumba people you might be fit but you've got no idea how to mix colours or have I missed the point?  Hotelympia proved to be successful and we ended up speaking to Willie Harcourt Couze for a while and tasting some of his 100% dark chocolate which was an experience.  

As I mentioned before the area around Excel is gradually being developed and improved and there are some interesting abandoned buildings to view. The Spillers Millennium Mills is one such building, apparently the largest mill to be built in London. Once the docks started to decline after the 1980's these buildings were left with no choice but to close. Now ram-shackled and broken they still look impressive but how long before the bulldozers move in?  Apparently this area is going to be developed into London's Pleasure Gardens but, I'm doubtful that this great building will remain. An interesting walk though. Ok, let's talk chocolate......

The Chocolate:  Marks & Spencer have chosen a 72% dark chocolate from Ecuador to make their new chilli bar. Dark with an excellent 'snap'! Aroma is good with hints of tobacco and forest floor. The chilli comes through almost immediately and goes directly to the back of your throat setting off a 'fizz' or tingling feeling that builds and builds as the rich, slightly sweet, dark chocolate melts. The heat from the chilli is not overpowering and is relatively mild in comparison to some other bars. The chocolate retains a really good liquid mouth feel all the way through but flavour is fairly short lived with some fruity acidity that cuts through the chilli. Having just consumed four chunks in a row my mouth is now starting to warm up!

Overall this bar of chocoalte works well with the chilli and at £1.69 for a 100g it is a sensible entry level if you like your chocolate hot but want to build up to the scorchers!  You might even consider putting a few chunks in your Chilli con Carne tonight! Score 6/10.

3 Bee Bar Set - Rococo

Well we have a hot little threesome to review today from Rococo. Included in the Rococo Bee Bar range is an Organic Dark Chilli Pepper, Organic Milk 37% Cocoa and Organic Dark Earl Grey Tea.


The Packaging: As always their packaging never seems to date and is always simple but effective. The three bars have been enclosed in a clear plastic box and tied off with a blue ribbon which looks very twee and will make a fantastic present for someone.

The Chocolates: 
Organic Dark Earl Grey Tea - I'm not a tea drinker so this is going to be interesting. There is a fantastic aroma coming from this bar and if you shut your eyes you can almost see 'the ladies' drinking their tea from fine bone china cups. It is a heavenly smell even for a non-tea drinker. The name Earl Grey was given to teas that contained oil or bergamot which is a citrus fruit. I really thought this chocolate was going to be offensive but it's got a great flavour and the tea works really well with the chocolate.

Organic Dark - Early Grey Tea

Organic Dark Chilli Pepper - I'm not sure if this bar has been packaged properly as it is minus the foil? Each of the other bars have been wrapped in foil. This has given the chocolate a strange 'paper' flavour which you can taste right through to the end. When you first smell this bar you immediately get a rich aroma of tobacco. It's really startling! The chilli heat is not overpowering and it certainly has a little kick!

Organic Dark - Chilli Pepper

Organic Milk 37% Cocoa - The aroma is not particularly strong but this is a rich, sweet, creamy velvety smooth chocolate. I've already finished half of the bar and for me it's all over too quickly. This particular chocolate is a blend of beans from the Grococo farm in Grenada.

Organic Milk - 37% Cocoa

I purchased this little gift pack the Rococo shop in Marylebone High Street for £4.95 which is reasonable considering they've done all the hard work for you, all you have to do is wrap it! Alternatively you can buy each bar for £1.25.


Overall I give this mini selection or Organic bars 7/10 for a quirky mix of flavours, excellent presentation and just good chocolate. The finish is not excellent as there are a few holes in some of the bars and the paper flavour from the Chilli bar was just strange?


To buy this chocolate gift pack click here


You might also like to read this review  Cardamom on Dark 

Dark Chocolate With Chilli Mexico 66% Cocoa

The last of the Thorntons blocks for the time being. Have I left the best to last? Well this particular block is from Mexico and in terms of chocolate this is a new country for me having never tasted chocolate from hear before.


To quote from The Chocolate Connoisseur by Chloe Doutre-Roussel, "Mexico: The birthplace of manufactured cocoa, Mexico now producers mainly lower-quality cocoa. Interestingly, a few rare, fragrant Criollo trees grow wild in the jungle of Chiapas in the south. Attempts are underway to revive this precious species." 


So for Thorntons to introduce a chocolate from Mexico is pretty adventurous of them.


The Packaging: Well the packaging had to bright red, it couldn't have been anything else! Unlike the other blocks Thorntons have placed the words 'the art of the Chocolatier' under their logo which suggests the chief has had a hand in it's production.

The Chocolate: You have to be careful when making chilli chocolate to ensure you don't blow peoples heads off. Well, Thorntons this is a good bar of chilli chocolate. I tested it on a couple of people who enjoy chilli chocolate and they said that it needed a bit more fire and wasn't for them! For me it was spot on as it had just enough heat without being over the top. The chocolate is bright and has a great snap. On the mouth the chocolate melts fairly quickly and is moist throughout. The chilli leaves a delicate warmth on the tongue and at the back of the throat. Actually I've just found a bit of chilli and my eyes and nose are running! That will teach me...There is a slight taste of sweetness which comes from the honey and added sugar. 

Overall I give this bar 6/10 for good taste and 'value for money' three bars for £5.00 as part of their promotion. Each bar weighs 80g. I will certainly be back for more.


This post was written by Richard.

Enjoy a Very Hot Valentines Day!

I just wanted to let you know that I've been busy making some very hot chocolate truffle this afternoon! 

Well I went for broke and used the 'Worlds Hottest Chilli' according to the South Devon Chilli Farm label. To be precise I used a variety known as Bhut Jolokia from North-East India.

I didn't need to use very much and in fact only one small chilli was required. In the past I've had to chop and crush the dried chillies and almost pound them to pieces. Well this chilli is totally different, it maybe small but it packs a huge punch! I gently split the chilli apart and left the seeds whole and immersed in double cream for half an hour. I then strained the mixture through a sieve without crushing the seeds. The cream was then mixed with dark chocolate from Venezuela to produce a fantastic hot chilli truffle!

When you eat the truffle the cool dark chocolate is the first sense followed soon after by a slight tickle at the back of the throat that gradually rises in intensity! Wow! I'm so pleased with the result I just hope I can repeat it in the future.

Thank you SDCF for a great chilli! 

Christine  


Visit the South Devon Chilli Farm by clicking this link....www.southdevonchillifarm.co.uk