Bettys Bakery Christmas Holiday Selections
It isn’t often that I get an invitation from a seemingly large company that is actually personal and lovely and making things that are awesome. Yep – I was fooled too and thought Betty’s was just a large corporation, one of whose shops I visited while I was in York when in fact they seem to be a pretty close, passionate company with noble ideals and using some of the best ingredients.
They originally caught my attention by offering me the ability to review anything from their range including a box of Cru Sauvage Truffles which they described as being Bolivian. Now, I know of only one company offering wild Alto Beni Bolivian coverture and when I identified it to them and they confirmed its use, I had to try the chocolates. I then chose Speculoos as cookies of the season and they sent me a chocolate bauble.
Christmas Bauble – this was just so cute. The ribbon is perfect for tying to the tree and the bauble itself is milk chocolate. This is a delicate item but was perfectly preserved during shipping that actually damaged the shipping box quite badly. Awesome stuff! The milk chocolate was sweet but nice at the end of a rough day. I guess that means the perfect snowflake won’t be on my tree… on.. nomnomnom… dear…
Speculoos Cookies/Biscuits – I am sooo picky about my speculoos. I have a particular balance of spices I like. I was, frankly, ready to politely describe them and rather clinically offer up the kind of flavour profile they were for someone else besides me who might like them. Forget it. I’m buying up all the stock and you can go somewhere else to buy your cookies from because these speculoos are all MINE! The cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg were just the way I like them and I was half way through the packet before I realised! These are light, delicious and perfect. I need to buy some more before the holidays.
Cru Sauvage Truffles – Now, these were a small but significant box of loveliness. There are 12 of these truffles and each one is made with rare wild cocoa from the Bolivian Amazon. I know the quality of the base coverture and it is some brilliant stuff. These beans are collected by the adults only and directly from the rain forest. With a smooth chocolate ganache center, and a crisp shell dusted in cocoa, the flavour is deep and wonderfully complex, with hints of warm spice, berries and citrus fruits. These truffles are really terrific. If you were thinking that the only good truffles are made in London, think again!
The shell is thick on the bottom which was slightly surprising so be careful if you take a bite and aren’t just cutting your way through. The ganache is smooth and it is delicious. It has a subtle flavour though and it took me two truffles to find it. Getting that chocolate flavour to coat the inside of my mouth and tasting through every sense that chocolatyness… I suggest hoarding/keeping at least two for yourself too.
All in all I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. When Bettys opened its doors for the first time in 1919 it was just as our founder, Frederick Belmont, had visualised – customers were greeted by a tempting array of delicious Yorkshire and Continental confections in the shop, and an elegant Café Tea Room served teas and meals in the traditional English style. It was an immediate success. That desire to give customers the very best has continued until today where we find one of the rarest chocolate covertures being used to make a delicious truffle. A little bit of Christmas magic from Betty’s. You can get some yourself in their online shop!
