I went to Gail’s bakery across the street from Paul A Young and bought myself some of the brownie iterations on offer there. I thought that I’d give them a try. The newest Gail’s bakery is in Soho right across from Paul A Young and so as I was in the neighbourhood buying some choccies I thought I’d try the rival from across the street. Should Paul be worried? Should this new addition using more than one kind of chocolate worry him?

The staff at Gail’s are great. They are full of fun and seem quite enthusiastic. The gentleman who served me spoke about how the chef wanted to change the brownie recipe and he simply would not let him. But that visit is not what I’m writing about. I’m writing about the brownies and flourless chocolate cake Gail’s kindly sent me for review after I contacted them about the brownies I bought.

The four Valentines brownies in a box, each with a single letter was the first thing I tried.  This is a fudgy chocolate brownie with a proper brownie top. These brownies have a moist consistency and are quite nice. The chocolate has a distinctive taste and anyone familiar with the various couvertures will recognise the distinctive flavour notes. The brownies are also quite large – around the size of a BlueBasil brownie – and so it did take me a long time to finish one

The smaller pistachio brownie bites had a completely different consistency. They are more chewy than fudgy and have a much stiffer consistency. The chocolate flavour is quite dark and when shared with the office they were not as decimated as the LOVE brownies were so the office absolutely liked the fudgy brownies more.

The final baked good was an extremely chocolaty flourless chocolate cake. It was HUGE and this was absolutely perfect for the office. The moist centre with a firm outer crust and lack of wheat was perfect for me and I took such a big slice I couldn’t finish it all! The cocoa dusting was the perfect finishing touch for the cake. It didn’t taste particularly nutty and so was the perfect chocolate cake.

All in all these were really lovely baked goods. If I was off to a party I’d definitely buy the flourless chocolate cake as not only was it absolutely massive, it was delicious and so I’d know it would both be a big it and still have enough left over for the hosts.

One of the chocolatiers I love is Pierre Marcolini. Before I had ever met him, his chocolates changed my life. I remember the exact moment. It was on my first official chocolate tour of London the first or second year of the London Chocolate Week that I went to the London location of Pierre Marcolini. He wasn’t there but we were given a talk about chocolate making and given some of his chocolates to try.

I suppose you always have a special place in your heart for your first love.  For me it was single origin Indonesian ganache chocolates and a freshly dipped truffle. His chocolates had me right there and I’ve loved his chocolate ever since. I was then really thrilled to be given the chance to visit the factory and I watched each stage of the chocolate making process from start to finish and I know that he uses the chocolate he makes in his ganaches. Yes, I know some people say otherwise but I’ve watch it happen and smelt the same the same notes in the raw beans as in the finished ganache and I trust what I saw and my nose (as well as my palette).

So it was with some joy that I got back from a trip to the US for work to find a gift of a two-tiered box of chocolates waiting for me from Pierre Marcolini. Now, I had lusted after one of these for awhile but I always have so much chocolate I could never justify buying one for myself. I saw it when it first launched with the flat egg which used a heck of a lot of the high quality chocolate to create an Easter egg safe for transport but you can just get ganaches and it comes in one, two or three tiers.

One of my tiers was a solid chocolate slab of deliciousness and wow – I needed to draft in help but the other layer – the other layer was all mine…

There are too many different flavours for me to describe them all but I can say that a similar selection was enjoyed by a number of us chocolate folk and it was absolutely enjoyed and we all fell a little more in love with Pierre Marcolini that evening after Salon du Chocolat and that selection has lost none of its allure.

If you want to get something special for someone you love, check out Pierre Marcolini’s mail order shop.  Not only can you build the perfect box which will arrive in perfect condition with cure drawers with ribbon pulls but you can be assured of some of the best chocolates on the planet.

Go on – why not discover a bit about why I fell in love with Pierre Marcolini chocolates and why each time I have some I fall in love all over again…

That’s right – I’ve teased you with my reviews of it and now it’s here for you to order in time for delivery on Valentines day.  This delightful selection must be the best yet from Matcha Chocolat, combining Japanese inspired flavours with matcha tea and delightful jasmine.  This will absolutely make the perfect gift and with two of each chocolate, it’s a gift that you can be sure will be shared.

The Valentines selection needs to be bought now and will be shipped on February 9th so go and ORDER NOW or take a chance on winning a box – check the bottom of this post for details.  The flavours are perfect and I’ve seen a sneek peek of the next 2 selections and they are very different so grab this selection now.

The Limited Edition Valentine’s Day Selection includes the following 8 varieties:
Chestnut & Japanese Whisky (2) – Dark chocolate blended with chestnut puree and Yamazaki 10 yr single malt whisky. I really loved this one. The whisky comes through in the middle of the melt with a bit of a punch. Delicious and delightful without smkacking you in the face with a wet fish of alcohol.
Matcha & Pistachio Truffle (2) – White chocolate blended with pistachio paste and matcha tea. Dipped in dark chocolate and covered in a sweet, matcha coating. OMG YUM! I loved these. I hae to admit the name worried me but the sweet exterior, high quality chocolate and delicate ganache won me over
Yuzu (2)- Dark Chocolate blended with yuzu puree (Japanese citrus fruit). This has been done without a jelly and it is brilliant. For the first time I was able to taste the yuzu without it being really clouded by the chocolate or separated off in a jelly. Difficult to do, that takes real skill and Katie has really pulled it off.
Ginger & Lemongrass (2) – Dark chocolate with an infusion of fresh ginger and lemongrass. Wow! The lemongrass is striking and the ginger more gentle and even after eating a whole one the ginger was still only gently warming and not too overpowering at all. You could eat both of these and they won’t be overpowering but just remind you of something delightfully Thai.
House Dark Chocolate Truffle (2) – A dark chocolate truffle made with single origin chocolate from the Villa Grancinda plantation in Sao Tome. AWESOME! I really enjoyed this plain truffle and if the flavours get to be to much, pop half of one of these in your mouth and let it melt – delicious!
Jasmine Pearls (2) – Dark chocolate ganache infused with jasmine pearls tea. Dipped in dark chocolate and decorated with a white swirl motif. I LOVE this chocolate! It is absolutely delightful and I have to admit that I’m addicted. The jasmine is floral without being perfumy and is not synthetic. Just magical and tasty!
Vietnamese Cinnamon (2) – Dark chocolate ganache and the finest Vietnamese cinnamon. As I mentioned in my last review I was surprised that the cinnamon here is so different than what I used to get back in Toronto until I realised it is different cinnamon. Well, this is just delightful capturing the taste of cinnamon without being overpowering. It captures the flavour without being too woody.
Cardamom & Banana (2) – A sweet and spicy blend of banana puree, cardamom and dark chocolate. As you know from my sneak preview, this is a great flavour combination. For me, the banana and cardamom balance perfectly with each other and create this brilliant new flavour that I cannot believe no one ever did before. I just cannot get over how brilliant this flavour is!

As with all of Katie’s chocolates, these fresh chocolates have a shelf life of two weeks and so when you order, you’ll have to do so before February 9 as otherwise you’ll miss the chance. These are limited edition so grab them now because the next two selections are different!

To win a box of these amazing chocolates, follow both @mostlyaboutchoc and @matcha_chocolat and tweet exactly I’ve entered to win a limited edition @matcha_chocolat Valentines selection with @mostlyaboutchoc http://bit.ly/zMCPDy  and the winner will be contacted in the evening of February 8th and needs to get in touch promptly so they can get their chocolates!

And to the rules:

1.Only one entry per method per household.
2.The competition closes on 8th February 2012 at 8pm UK time.
3.Only open to those 18 or over on 5th February 2012.
4.I’ll choose 1 winner randomly from genuine tweets – any which look to be the result of a bot or automation system will be excluded.
5.Only available to UK addresses.
6.No cash alternative available.
7.Your details won’t be passed onto anyone else except to Katie from Matcha Chocolat who will be sending you the prize!

The Chocolate Shop Chocolate Wine image from the Chocolate Shop website http://www.chocolateshopwine.com/

Now, I love chocolate as much as, if not more than, most people and yet even I balked at the idea of chocolate wine. I mean, surely wine is fine on its own and I can choose the chocolate I feel best matches that wine without someone coming along and doing something to the wine for me. Hpwever, sceptical as I was, I still wanted to try it.

A bit about the wine itself though. I’ve gone to the website for Chocolate Shop Wine and they say: “Inviting aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate entwine and continue on the palate surrounded by hints of cocoa powder. Nuances of red wine and residual sugar linger on the smooth finish.” Of the process they go through to actually make the wine, they are a little more secretive:  “Sweetening the tongues for centuries, chocolate and red wine has been the most reliable pairing in history. Chocolate Shop takes this pairing to the next level, marrying chocolate flavor with red wine to create a sumptuous drink. We start with a proprietary red blend of the finest vinifera varietals, add a touch of oak and a kiss of sweetness to create the perfect fruit-driven foil for the rich dark chocolate which unfolds in silken layers across the palate.”

So how did it taste? Well, we taste with our noses and so that first smell was a bit weird I have to admit. It was a distinct chocolate plus wine scent without any balance or combining. That made me worry about what kind of flavour warfare would happen in my mouth as I drank it. I could tell the wine was going to be a deep ruby red with some tannins but hopefully not much and the chocolate was rounded but not burnt however that’s about as far as my nose could take me.

Once I took a sip – well, that was a different matter entirely. I took a sip assuming that I would have it and throw the rest away and I have to admit I LIKED it. Unlike the nose which was a battlefield upon which the war raged on, the flavour in your mouth was balanced and weirdly delicious. It was nothing like a sugary chocolate added to a cheap wine but rather a complex wine which had notes of chocolate already which had been accentuated through the process. There was nothing artificial or synthetic about this wine and nothing particularly jarring either. It was simply a very nice red, complex, with some edges of dark fruitiness, where the natural chocolate flavour had simply been brought out with a delightfully well-rounded chocolate, roasted to perfection and without any bitterness or rough edges. The chocolate flavour, I should point out, does not dominate but is distinct. That is, you absolutely know both by the extremely dark colour and the flavour that this is an altered wine – and altered by the addition of quality cocoa powder.

I have to admit I was sceptical before trying this wine. I thought it was simply a gimmick that would last a short while and then fade away. What I didn’t expect was a delicious, robust, complex wine whose balanced flavour profile included chocolate notes which had been further enhanced naturally. You are, of course, only going to enjoy this wine if you already like a darker red which is only slightly fruity but as it isn’t too full of tannins (or maybe that’s just my impression) not only is it a pleasure to drink, it will likely have wide appeal.

So it is a chocolate wine. The nose may be a battleground yet to be won but the wine itself is a glorious harmony with two prominent sections, orchestrated perfectly by the company who makes it.

It is now only two short weeks until Valentine’s Day and I know husband will buy me some supermarket roses if I’m lucky. I, on the other hand, will agonise from now until the day itself to find the perfect way to tell my husband of 15 years in a new way that I love him more than life itself.

Of the many things on offer this Valentines, some of you may be lucky enough to get a packet of these beautiful bites of alcoholic loveliness. While they may just be sponge cakes soaked in liqueur with a chocolate filling, they are still delicious and perfect for one or to share.  The smell through the packet of alcohol tells you that these are going to be strong but that strong scent is not actually offensive – just strong.

Coated in quite coarse sugar, they have a crunchy outer shell from that sugar and the pink colour is from the liquor which is soaked half way through the cake. The chocolate filling is quite solid without being hard so it is easy to cut but also easy to eat. The cake does not particularly stand out as something extreme but that makes it even more appealing. It means that these will be easier for more people to love (except those who don’t like liquor as I found out at the office – who doesn’t like liquor-soaked cake? Weird!) and hopefully make it a tipsy affair.

These are delicious and quite addictive and at less tha a fiver a really good deal. Anyone who gets a packet will be loathe to share!

I know from chatting with people that some would love to know more about chocolate and chocolate tasting but it isn’t easy to find places to learn.  Tasting anything professionally takes training and most just want to understand chocolate better.

Seventy Percent has been doing a lot of work over the last decade to elevate the awareness in people of fine chocolate and they have taken this a step further and created an evening chocolate tasting session that is specifically dedicated to people new to tasting chocolate – or indeed any food.

I attended the forest fruits edition which was a great introduction.  We learned about slow and fast chocolate tasting and were educated about trusting our palette. We tasted all sorts of raw flavours before trying ever more chocolate and then tried all sorts of chocolate. We got to try plain bars, filled chocolates and Martin made us all a ganache while we watched.

As a beginner introduction to how to taste and enjoy chocolate or any food really, I think this is a great course and if you can you should take the opportunity to book yourself on one of the courses. Educational and informative, you also get to try some amazing cocktails and maybe even a boozy hot chocolate!

Next up is tropical then spice and then citrus so there is something for everyone.  To book a place or give one as a gift, please visit the Chocolate Flavours site

In the world of judging, there is always controversy. As a judge myself, my decisions have constantly been called into question. Whether it is for chocolate (taste is a very personal thing and as it is with wine, each person likes something different), affiliate programs or search awards, judging takes time, effort and is controversial.

As a judge, when I hear that someone feels robbed or particularly upset at not winning, I do take it with a slight pinch of salt. I know that despite having been a part of extremely open and transparent judging process that the decisions were arrived at in as fair a manner as possible among those I was working with. Regardless, people who do not win may not understand the contortions we go through to judge.  However when I heard the situation under which Rude Health and Demarquette lost I have to admit I understood their feelings towards not having won.

Generally judging does not rest on a single person and a single judging. Even with chocolate, there are multiple rounds and multiple judges, and so it was, if I understood correctly, with Rude Health and their attempt to win the Golden Spurtle world porridge making championships. There was more than one round but it was the final round – the round involving the contribution of Demarquette – that I feel it is a true shame that Rude Health lost.

The entry that didn’t make it is probably the best porridge I have ever eaten but I assume that it was a combination of factors. It was an absolutely amazing porridge. I simply don’t understand how it didn’t win. The porridge, after the groat mixture had been soaked overnight, was cooked without milk to perfection and allowed to cool only slightly. Then it was placed in a solid chocolate cup and the most amazing sea salted caramel was poured on top of it.

Now, it may not seem like much but imagine warm caramel, warm porridge and a chocolate cup. The porridge is the best you’ve ever eaten, the sea salt caramel is delicious and the cup begins to melt. Oh my – it was awesome. I never knew porridge could be that good. And to think that there was something BETTER than that?!?! Holy cow!

I have trouble imagining something better than this but I wasn’t judging. I hope Rude Health go back and do this again because I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t win!

I live not too far from some of the most beautiful locations. Where I live isn’t so great but everywhere else is, and that is true of the Matcha Chocolat production kitchen. The production kitchen at Matcha is set within some beautiful grounds in a lovely town. I was lucky enough to be invited over to try some chocolates.

Katie who runs Matcha Chocolat has been making chocolates for almost two years now. She started out combining some of the most delightful teas with chocolate and made some perfectly awesome chocolates. In fact, her plain matcha chocolate stays with me always. It was like milky sweet green tea I think… at least that was my lasting impression. I also fell in love with her jasmine which is not at all synthetic but delightfully floral. Not only that, but the earl grey was subtle and perfect. Not like an over-brewed cup of builders tea (I make my cup with 2 tea bags) but a delightfully light and perfectly citrus earl grey. But I digress.

I visited Katie and got to try some of her new creations which were delicious. I especially liked the Vietnamese cinnamon. For some reason the cinnamon here in the UK is nothing like what I used to get in Toronto and I finally realised why when I visited Matcha Chocolat – the cinnamon used here in the UK is from a different country and is just not as good. Katie uses a delicious cinnamon that is sweet and strong and delightful. If you’re a fan of real cinnamon then you’re going to want to buy yourself a tin of these. Katie says: Vietnamese Cinnamon – Single origin dark chocolate from Madagascar blended with Vietnamese cinnamon. Dipped in dark chocolate and decorated with a swirl patterned, textured motif. Great Taste Award winner 2011.

The jasmine… oh but the jasmine is divine. Whether encased in sweet white chocolate or enrobed in dark, the jasmine that Katie uses whether silver needles or jasmine from the Canton tea company is divine. I love Katie’s jasmine and her jasmine silver needle. I could live on her jasmine chocolate. It is absolute bliss. Katie says: Jasmine Pearls – Single origin dark chocolate blended with jasmine green tea. Dipped in dark chocolate and decorated with a white swirl motif. Great Taste Award winner 2011 and Academy of Chocolate Award winner 2011.  Note: This chocolate uses an exceptionally unique single origin dark chocolate made from cocoa that has been harvested from wild cacao trees deep in the Amazonian rainforests of Bolivia.

Chestnut & Japanese Whisky – Single origin chocolate from São Tomé blended with chestnut puree and Yamazaki 10 yr single malt whisky. Dipped in dark chocolate and topped with toasted sesame seeds. Wow! I loved this because the whisky wasn’t too strong and because it is more of a floral and sweet whisky, it is really nicely complimented by the chestnut and it is something like bliss in smoothness. I could have eaten more!

Matcha & Pistachio – White chocolate blended with pistachio paste and matcha green tea. Dipped in dark chocolate and covered in a dusting of vibrant green, sweetened matcha tea. An unexpected favourite! I loved the sweet crunchy matcha tea and  sugar light coating hiding excellent chocolate and lovely surprisingly delightful ganache within! I didn’t expect to like it and yet I could have eaten a box. Perfect balance of flavours, chocolate and sweetness.  More please!

Cardamom & Banana – A sweet and spicy blend of banana puree, cardamom and dark chocolate. Great Taste Award Winner. Now, I expected to have to be polite with this one and leave part behind. Really I did. I mean, how crazy are these flavours but by all that everyone believes in I swear that this is a delicious flavour combination! Why the heck no one has done this before is beyond be. The cardamom and the banana don’t war with each other and yet are distinct while still combining to create something delightful. You MUST TRY THIS NOW!

Yuzu – Single origin dark chocolate from Madagascar blended with yuzu puree. Dipped in dark chocolate and decorated with a floral patterned, textured motif. This is probably the first chocolate ganache which I have felt really captures that yuzu flavour. All too often chocolates fall short and yet here comes Katie and she absolutely aces it. I don’t know how she does it but this is a triumph and I hope it gets entered into competitions for awards!

All in all I had the most amazing visit and the best part is I’m going back again tomorrow to try some more!

I was lucky enough to be part of the Haagen Dazs tasting club. Not only does this mean I can pop in to the Leicester Square location and get the VIP treatment (one free ice cream per day) but it also means I get some sweet treats sent to me.  This time, it was some new Haagen Dazs ice creams and shockingly I liked the non-chocolate one better.  I know – SACRILIDGE!

According to the PR bumf, Häagen-Dazs just got a little bit saucier, launching its new Secret Sensations range with two truly indulgent flavours: Chocolat Fondant and Crème Brûlēe. Now, I don’t know if they will do more but it is definitely an interesting move. Husband is still waiting for them to release coffee here too…

Secret Sensations is, apparently, the ultimate indulgence. Inspired by two of the world’s most decadent desserts, they combine delicious, creamy ice cream with a ‘heart’ of rich sauce. I actually had trouble finding a specific ‘heart’ of gooey sauce in the chocolate but there was a lot of chocolate inclusions. The sauce hidden within all Häagen-Dazs Secret Sensations mini cups, has apparently been created using patented technology and they say that this represents a true innovation in the luxury ice cream market. As a girl who has had central shafts of gooey liquid sauce before, I’m not sure…

They think that chocoholics will adore Chocolat Fondant, a blend of delicious chocolate ice cream with soft brownie pieces, surrounding a rich chocolate sauce centre and it was yummy.  The brownie pieces were not too large and really given my experience I didn’t expect to like the Crème Brûlēe and assumed I’d dislike it do didn’t take pictures.  I was wrong.

The  Crème Brûlēe Secret Sensations combines smooth ice cream with small, crunchy caramel biscuits pieces and a smooth caramel sauce centre.  This was awesomeness. I just loved it and could have eaten another one but husband had already eaten the other one of the box

All in all, shockingly I liked the Crème Brûlēe best but the chocolate was really lovely as well. I’ve been waiting for them to come in to my local Sainsbury’s so I can get more!

Mast Brothers in Brooklyn New York are one of a few new craft or artisan chocolate makers who are emerging in the US and trying to help pull the US palette out from the Hershey’s gutter to new heights of refinement.  From the country which has brought us some of the most sought after 90-point wines, it is amazing that it has taken them so long to catch up with Europe but with Amano, Askinosie, Dick Taylor and others, Mast Brothers are among esteemed artisan colleagues.

I don’t know what I expected when I bought this Mast Brothers bar but it was probably not what I got. I had just tried some smoked chocolate and knew I didn’t want that but maple seemed more along my speed.  I thought it might be sweet and probably well rounded but still lovely. What I didn’t expect was this bar…

The smell has a volatile top note that reminds me of the smell I smelt on the porcelana raw beans I smelt at Pierre Marcolini’s factory. That was am amazing visit and to smell that unique scent in his ganache meant I knew that he was not using anything but his own chocolate in his ganaches.

But Mast Brothers… It has a volatile top note that speaks of pure beans and it is a dark smell too and so I should have been prepared for what came next – but I wasn’t.  The initial dark smoky chocolate almost tastes burnt but it isn’t – it is simply an extremely dark chocolate profile. With a strong smoky flavour from the bean, dark acidity and woody notes, this isn’t my choice for a chocolate I would keep in my handbag and eat as I might some Willies Cacao or Askinosie or even Soma.

I don’t really get the maple until very close to the end. No sweet bar, this. This is an aggressive full frontal assault on your taste buds. I’m not a fan and while I can appreciate the intense flavours and the quality chocolate, it isn’t one I’d buy again however you can buy one if this is your cup of tea ta Paul A Young and try it for yourself!