James Chocolate Chocolate Selection Reviewed
It has been far too long since we reviewed something from James Chocolates. In fact, my boss still remembers the chilli honeycomb slathered in chocolate he tried from the last selection of James’ chocolate so anything that makes that big of an impression you know has got to be good.
I have been told I never bring in any “good” chocolate to work to share in reference to that chilli honeycomb in fact. So James and his amazing chocolates have certainly left their impression on my work mates and boss. So this time we seem to have some even more amazing chocolates including a Christmas pudding, sea salt caramel honeycomb, interesting chocolate sardines and a new flavour of chocolate coffee bean.
Christmas Pudding Discs – these are MILK chocolate blended with festive spices like nutmeg and cinnamon then decorated with fruits and crunchy caramelised pecans. Those who know me, know I don’t like fruit in my chocolate but these aren’t bad at all. I don’t mind the raisins and sultanas and the cranberries are fun. The slight citrusy tang to these seems to be coming from some orange oil making them fruity all the way through. Also the fact they are all different and I can leave stuff on or pick the sultanas off 😉 means I can have them just the way I like them! The chocolate isn’t over spiced but still cuts through the flavour so it is powerful and the milk chocolate isn’t too sweet.
Raspberry & Chilli Chocolate Beans – these are a white chocolate bean shape with ground freeze-dried raspberry pieces and spiced with a kick of chilli. The chilli is quite a drive by spicing here – you get the sweet of the white chocolate and slightly tart of the raspberry then the hit of chilli warming your mouth and then it dissipates. The more you eat, the longer the hit of chilli lasts. These are going to be a firm favourite!
Moroccan Chilli Chocolate Sardines – dark chocolate sardine shapes (not real fish!) infused with fragrant Moroccan spices and oils like cinnamon, cumin, rose oil, and sesame seeds (and more). James Chocolates wanted to bring a new twist to the old chilli chocolate combination. I have to be honest, despite the novelty and my enjoyment of the spicier side of life, these weren’t my favourites but they are unique. I think the mix of spices gives these a really herbaceous earthy flavour with the orange and rose oils adding a depth that makes you think you could be in Morocco. Top points for creating something so totally evocative of somewhere exotic but even the chocoholics in my office had trouble eating them! I can’t imagine how long it took to get the recipe just right so the flavours mixed and balanced as they do with no one overwhelming the others and still bring to mind that dusty, heady environment of Morocco. Amazing but unless you’re a hard-core curry fan they might be too hard to take!
Salted Caramel Honeycomb – chunks of honeycomb, thick caramel milk chocolate and sea salt. These are chunks of James’ amazing honeycomb slathered in a thick layer of chocolate then lovely caramel milk chocolate flakes and sea salt are added in a thick layer around the deliciousness. These are absolutely amazing. Yes they are sweet but the sea salt comes through to calm that down. Because it is scattered sometimes you can actually taste the salt but not too much. The whole thing balances out into something quite special. It is messy, moreish, magnificent and MMMMMMMy – all the best “m” words. Of all the things I was sent by James, this tops my list of favourite things. I’m glad I made a mess on the office floor and not my own carpet though 😉
James Chocolates are all make in Somerset so this year, suppose local British chocolatiers and buy something local. You’ll be glad you did! You can get James Chocolates at John Lewis or through his ONLINE SHOP
