My Cholives arrived!
January 27, 2009
I love getting post, do you? I especially love getting post when it’s a box with chocolate in it 
And that’s exactly what greeted me in the shop this morning. A box all the way from Milwaukee, USA!
Last week, I wrote a post about a new chic chocolate product called the Cholive. And I was promised a sample in the post that I could try and write a review on. So here goes (sigh, what a difficult job this is…).
I received the tin pictured here. So the first thing that catches my attention is the packaging. Now I know that people don’t always agree with me, but I really do favour simple, classy, modern designs when it comes to chocolate packaging. And this tin fits the bill – it’s the kind of thing that would definitely draw my attention if I saw it displayed in a shop. It’s simple, and I like (and I know that our customers like) the fact that you can see what’s inside. In our shop, the boxes where you can see the chocolates inside far outsell the boxes where you can’t see inside.
Before openng it, I looked at all the ingredients and nutritional information that is clearly displayed on the bottom of the tin (Fortunately, I am very blessed in that I can always do with actually gaining a few lbs, so looking at nutritional facts never puts me off!). There are 35 calories per serving, for those of you that are interested. The chocolate is described at 55% premium dark chocolate, and the filling is a Vermont whole cream ganache.
I also received a little booklet which includes tasteful product photos, descriptions, and some ideas on what to drink with the Cholive! There is also a recipe for a “Chocolate Malt Martini” which, unfortunately, I can’t really try out here at work. I may just have to make do with an Irish Coffee (without the Irish).
Now for the good bit! On opening the tin, I was looking down at 13 dark olive shaped chocolates, all neatly standing to attention, and saying “Eat me!” The smell of chocolate that hit me was strong, sweet and delicious.
I carefully picked my victim, and speared it with one of the little Cholive skewers that also came in my box. There is even detailed information on how do do this correctly (see here!). This is clearly very serious business!
My chosen Cholive was easily speared, and…. I bit into a shell of chocolate that was just thick enough (not so thin it crumbles all over the place, and not so thick that you have to bite really hard, and don’t get to taste the filling), just dark enough (not so dark that the flavour overpowers the other tastes, and not so milky that it is just sweet).
The ganache inside is smooth, creamy, and a perfect match for the dark chocolate shell. I had meant to take a bite, write a bit, and then eat the rest, but the second bite quickly followed the first, and that was the end of my first Cholive experience. Definitely over too quickly, and I am exercising great self-control before diving into the tin again.
Yes, this is my kind of chocolate, and one I would heartily recommend to all of you. I can’t vouch, as yet, for the combination of the Cholive and a Martini, but let me know if you have tried it! I am off to eat another Cholive….
Oh, and do you know what is the best bit?!??! There was another little box in my brown box from Milwaukee containing the newly launched Chruffles…. so that will be the subject of my next post!!!! I can’t wait!!
What is a Truffle anyway?
September 9, 2008
“What exactly is a truffle?”
I guess one of two images could come to your mind – either some sort of black expensive stuff that you send pigs out to find in the forest.. or a delicious soft centred chocolate. Needless to say, we only sell the soft chocolatey type here in Chocolate Heaven. But next time you get a box of chocolates containing truffles and pralines and things, this little mini-guide might give you a bit more of an idea of what exactly it is you are eating!
I found the information below very interesting, and a lot more involved than I first thought!
So what is a truffle?
Well, it depends – but the word “truffle” should, strictly speaking, only be used to describe a chocolate with a soft centred ganache (made from chocolate, cream, and butter) that is usually round and coated with a hard chocolate shell, or rolled in cocoa or some other ingredient. It can also be flavoured with champagne, nuts, etc. Today, however, the term is often used to describe any filled chocolate.
The truffle was created first in France, and was a rich ganache rolled into the shape of a ball and rolled in cocoa. It was called a truffle because it resembled the black truffle fungus. Enrobing the ganache filling in a hard chocolate shell started in Belgium in the early 1900s.
And how about a Praline?
The short version is that a Praline is usually a hard shelled chocolate filled with a praline paste-a soft paste made from ground nuts and sugar.
Originally, pralines were whole almonds caramelized in sugar, but the usage of the word has changed a lot since then, and depends on where you live!
A Hazelnut Praline made from roasted and finely ground hazelnuts, chocolate and sugar is called Gianduja.
Or a Ganache?
A ganache is a smooth mix of chocolate, cream and butter. It can be rolled into balls and coated with different things to make truffles, or used as a centre for hard-shelled chocolates. It can be flavoured with anything that inspires the chocolatier.
What is Nougat made from?
This chewy sweet is made from whipped egg whites, honey and sugar, to which nuts and sometimes candied fruit is added.
And Marzipan?
Marzipan is made from finely ground almonds and melted sugar. It can be coated in chocolate (usually dark chocolate), or formed into shapes – for instance into marzipan fruits.
Or Turkish Delight?
Turkish Delight (sometimes called lokum), is a jelly-like sweet made from sugar, cream of tartar and starch and can be flavoured with many different things – most commonly rose water and lemon. Fruit or nuts can be added to it, and it can be dusted with icing sugar, or coated in chocolate.
Please feel free to leave a comment if there is another definition you would like to see added here!
(for a more extensive glossary of chocolate terms, and more in depth explanations, this is a great site!)