NEW! The Grown Up Chocolate Company Chocolate Cups (Online)

For some people tea solves everything. For me it's chocolate. I can't go without my daily fix and have had the pleasure of discovering some utterly fabulous British chocolatiers since starting this blog. One such organisation is The Grown Up Chocolate company - the people behind the wickedly good White Chocolate Praline Wonder Bar and Fruit & Nut Hunky Dory. If you haven't had the pleasure of trying their chocolate, you're missing out. Their mission is to reinvent nostalgic chocolate bars, exaggerating their deliciousness by using luxury ingredients and adding extra indulgences. Unfortunately nowhere locally stocks their bars anymore, so you can just imagine my excitement when The Grown Up Chocolate  Company contacted me and asked  if I'd like to try some of their new products. Hell yes. Ahem. I mean yes please! The new range deviates from the chocolatier's usual bar format with a selection of different filled cups, and they all sounded delicious... 

Gorgeousely Gooey Caramel Truffle Cups

"Six chocolate cups filled with a mini caramel truffle and soft runny caramel in praline."

Two types of caramel in one chocolate? The Grown Up Chocolate Company know how to spoil us. Oof. It was an ingenious combination too- I mean just check out that inside shot...

The caramel was deliciously rich and silky, oozing out of its cup in an enticing fashion. The salt crystals on top heightened the taste sensation too, ramping up the flavours  by juxtaposition. I was tempted to eat all six in one go, but I also desperately want to eek out the pleasure of enjoying the cups. I'll be savouring these. My only complaint is that it wasn't easy to distinguish a flavour difference between the caramel truffle and runny caramel.

9/10

Heavenly Whole Hazelnut Praline Cups

Praline is difficult to beat. The combination of hazelnuts and chocolate is one of my absolute favourites and so I was looking forward to these cups. The only problem was that they each contained a whole hazelnut; and as I've mentioned before, I'm not a huge chunky nuts in chocolate fan. 

"Six deliciously smooth praline cups with whole hazelnut and crispy rice crunch."

Slicing the cup in half revealed the hazelnut as promised, surrounded by the praline layer, followed by the crispies, all  surrounded by chocolate. 

The quality was undeniable; the chocolate silky and praline rich. I wasn't particularly keen on the extra crunchiness from the rice crisps though, the praline was delicious by itself, and I thought the crips overcomplicated things slightly. I also thought that a white chocolate coating would have provided something a little different in this milk chocolate range. My complaints make it sound like I didn't like these cups, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I adored the flavours, it's just the texture that wasn't quite spot on for me. 

7/10

Spectacular Speculicious Praline Cups

How many times have I banged on about my love for the spiced biscuits recently? I must be boring you by now, but I hope that some of you share my love for all things Speculoos. Spiced chocolate is something of a rarity though and I was beside myself with excitement about the creation of something so utterly scrumptious sounding. 

"Six spectacular cups filled with sumptuous warm spice praline encased in creamy milk chocolate."

I had imagined that the praline would taste predominantly of cinnamon (like Biscoff spread or biscuits) when in actual fact it contained a combination of mixed spices including cinnamon, ginger and cloves - making the flavour more similar to what you might expect in mince pies or hot cross buns. At first this confused my tastebuds, but I soon started to appreciate the harmony of spices with the milk chocolate and the depth of flavour this provided. Again, I think white chocolate would've provided a more interesting palate but perhaps it would've made the cups too sickly. Either way, the speculicious cups are unusual, moreish, and a must try for spice lovers. 

8/10.

Perfectly Buttery Peanut Cups 

Jeez Louise. Just the idea of souped-up Reese's is enough to get me drooling. You guys know how much I love the American brand but I think we can all agree that their products are not exactly the best quality. Could the Grown Up Chocolate Company reinvent one of my all time favourite wheels?

"Building on our most popular bar the Superb Salted Peanut Caramel this pack has six perfect peanut praline and caramel cups decorated with sea salt, enrobed in rich milk chocolate."

I'm trying very hard not to swear here. Shall we say "sit the bed" instead? Honest to god, these were mouthfuls of heaven. Remember how much I enjoyed the Kingdom peanut butter bar and the Montezuma's Eggs? Well the praline was just as delicious in these Grown Up Chocolate's cups... but the inclusion of a separate layer of liquid treasure elevated them to the next level. Somehow the caramel didn't overtake the peanut butter (as is so often the case) but rather complimented it. The salt crystals on top were a wonderful addition, breaking through the sweetness in the most welcome of ways. Does chocolate get any better than this? 

10/10.

Thank you to The Grown Up Chocolate Company for the scrumdiddlyumptious samples. You can order their new cups directly from their website for £1.99 each, otherwise many of their products are available to buy from Ocado, Booths and selected BP garages. You can find your nearest stockist here. Review to follow of the salted peanut caramel bar.

NEW! OPPO Chocolate & Hazelnut (Waitrose)

There's a long awaited new flavour on the Oppo block! Chances are that if you're already a fan of the 'healthy ice cream' brand you'll be aware of it already, but in case you're not, I present to you: Oppo's Chocolate & Hazelnut.

"...made from Stevia leaf, Colombian Cacao and fresh milk from meadow-grazed cows  free to roam and eat naturally, with 55% fewer calories and 67% less sugar than standard branded chocolate ice cream." 

The ice cream wasn't as dark in colour as I expected it to be, and although it scooped better than the first tub of mint Oppo I tried (which, it turns out, was part of a badly freezer-burnt batch and has since been replaced) it wasn't as soft as most standard ice creams. However, I could spot the miniature hazelnut nibs (3%) embedded within it, which was a welcome touch. 

Hmm. An odd one. I'd not long since finished the last of my chocolate flavoured Jude's tub and so at first the flavour shocked me in its contrast. The chocolate wasn't anywhere near as rich, and the stevia was immediately evident, hampering the aftertaste. 

Once I'd got used to the ice cream I started to enjoy it, especially when the hazelnut flavour started to come through. It adds a mild nuttiness, but it's pleasant, and a welcome point of difference to a plain chocolate flavour. 

I'm not bowled over by this new Oppo flavour, personally preferring their Salted Caramel. At 43 calories per scoop it's a good option for those cutting calories, but it is expensive - the RRP is £4.99 per 500ml tub. If you are an Oppo addict I recommend that you pop down to Waitrose post-haste, where you'll find the entire range (including this new flavour) is currently 25% off.

7/10

White Chocolate Cote d'Or Bouchées (Kingdom of Sweets)

I've been on the hunt for these little white elephants for an extraordinarily long time. It must be almost a year ago that I was told that Cote d'Or make my favourite chocolates in the entire world in a white version too. White chocolate covered Bouchées? You've got to be kidding me! Could I find them for love nor money though? You bet your bottom dollar I couldn't. Every family member travelling to Europe was sent on a mission to hunt for these Belgian chocolates, and every one came back fruitless (or chocolate-less I should say). I had just about given up hope when I spotted Kingdom Of Sweets on Oxford Street the week before Christmas, and begged my friends to let me go and ogle at the many different varieties of Oreos and Reese's products that I could see through the window. Inside the store was a veritable heaven for sugar addicts and chocoholics. Floor to ceiling was rammed full of every kind of sweet laden treat you could imagine and I started to expect that Willy Wonka himself was going pop out from the staff room. I wanted to move in.

"White chocolate with hazelnut cream filling"

It's not the cheapest store, but my scroogy student ways were almost completely forgotten the moment I spotted the Cote d'Or stand. There they were: individual white chocolate elephants or a pack or 8 for £6, next to the FudgeNuts that I reviewed a while back. I should explain for a second that they had a very short date on the Bouchées, my fridge at home was already full of chocolate, I was bound to receive some more Reese's treats in a week and I'd just been given a huge box of Thorntons from my colleagues -i.e, I didn't really need any more chocolate. But, I had been searching for so long, and I knew that Bert was unlikely to buy me food for Christmas, so I decided that he could treat me as part of my stocking -thanks Bert*! To the till I went with our joint account card and a pack of 8.

Each little truffle -which admittedly don't bear much resemblance to elephants- was individually wrapped. It's a good job really otherwise the temptation might be too much to bear! Peeling off the covering revealed the snow-white chocolate in all it's glory, and the excitement mounted. 

Biting into the bouchée was a celestial moment. The sheer joy of creamy sweetness against the nutty filling was true chocolate perfection. I pity those of you who have never tried Cote d'Or's Bouchées, they're simply wonderful. I didn't think they could improve on the original, but the white chocolate version is my new favourite.

The ratio of chocolate:praline is spot on and the quality is inarguable. I'm surprised they haven't been meddled with considering these are in fact made by Cadbury's wreckers Mondelēz, but it seems that the Bouchées are safe, for now. 

10/10

*I knew he wouldn't mind, and of course he didn't, the good egg.

White Chocolate Praline Wonder Bar (WHSmith)

The Grown Up Chocolate Company: a British chocolatier whose products I've been wanting to try for ages. The trouble is, living in rural Hereford presents a few issues when acquiring quality chocolate. There's not even a Hotel Chocolat. The closest we have is Thorntons, and I'm so unimpressed with their chocolate that I even gave away my Thorntons advent calendar last December. So, needless to say that when I spotted the White Chocolate Praline Wonder bar (reduced too might I add) in WHSmith, I quickly nabbed a couple of bars.

"Caramelised wafer enticingly slathered in sumptuous praline with a sprinkle of biscuit pearls encased in white chocolate. A true wonder bar."

For those of you who aren't au fait with The Grown Up Chocolate Company, they specialise in "the bars we ate as children, but reimagined for Grown Ups only." I'm not sure how grown up I am (seeing as yesterday saw the boobie bun review) neither do I remember consuming chocolate as a child that sounded even remotely as decadent as the White Chocolate Praline Bar. What I do know however, is that white chocolate, praline, and biscuits are a trio who live right up there amongst my favourite treats.

The White Chocolate Praline Wonderful actually comprised of two separate complete bars (total weight 65g). They looked rather sweet too with their biscuity topping, and the chocolate appeared adequately thick too (much needed after the appalling coating on the banana Jaffa cakes).

Slicing one bar in two revealed just how generous The Grown Up Chocolate Company had been with the white chocolate. The praline interior was the colour of milk chocolate, and I could spot a couple of biscuit 'pearls' poking out too... I couldn't wait to tuck in.

Crikey. I'd forgotten just how fantastic white chocolate could be. It was creamy, sweet, and melted in the mouth with an incredibly comforting flavour. Seriously yummy. The praline interior was also delicious, providing a juxtaposition against the velvety coating thanks to the crunchiness that came from the wafers embedded within. The biscuit pearls added an extra textural element, although they were less obvious due to the abundance of components within the bar. Although there was a lot going on, every element complimented each other perfectly, to provide a bar that really is quite wonderful.

I totally agree: the White Chocolate Praline Wonderful is definitely for Grown Ups only, and it's not for sharing either. Seriously scrumptious. I only wish I could buy more -the WHSmith is unsurprisingly out of stock again now! 

10/10

Hazelnut Praline Chocolate Bar (M&S)

Last week I reviewed the M&S Intense Cappuccino bar, and mentioned at the time that I'd made use of the current 2 for £1 deal. Today's review is of the other bar I bought: Hazelnut Praline. It was recommended to me months ago, but I'd since forgotten about its existence. That was until I was lured in by Marks & Sparks' tempting offer.

"Milk and dark chocolate bar with hazelnut praline centre (51%) and roasted almonds (4%)." 

I had been informed that it tasted like Nutella, but in all honesty I hoped it would taste slightly more grown up and less sweet than the chocolate hazelnut spread. The knobbly bar's appearance didn't give much away until I sliced it in two. M&S have a habit of layering the chocolate round the outside of their truffle style bars, and this one revealed the hazelnut centre enrobed in a layer of dark chocolate and covered by milk. Normally I think this is a bit of an odd choice, and that surely people prefer one or the other, but on this occasion it worked exceedingly well. The resulting flavour was rich without bordering on bitter, and served as the perfect backdrop for the sweet centre. I loved the addition of almonds too, which added crunch to the chocolate and made it far more texturally interesting. 

Now for the star of the show: the hazelnut praline. Did it taste like Nutella? Not to me. It was far better than that, probably due to the fact that hazelnuts rank second down the ingredients list, meaning that it's truly nutty -hurrah! In fact if I'd have closed my eyes, I'm sure I could be been convinced I was eating my absolute favourite (and hard to get hold of) chocolate: Côte D'Or's Bouchée. Wow! It was heavenly. I really didn't think I could find another truffle, or indeed bar that could taste anything like my treasured favourite, but it's been under my nose in good old M&S all this time. Silly me! 

10/10 

NEW! Banana Bread Selector (Hotel Chocolat)

That Nat (from a-lot-o-choc blog) is too kind for her own good. Not only did she send me the Cookie Dough Pie chocolate bar, but a few days later I received a parcel containing one of the new Autumn selectors from Hotel Chocolat AND the best protein bar in the world (Grenade White Chocolate Cookie Carb Killa FYI). 

"Banana flavoured praline with walnuts and dried banana flakes covered in milk chocolate."

The Hotel Chocolat selector excited me, not solely because my nearest branch is over an hour away, but because Nat had cleverly chosen the exact truffles that I would have. As I explained in my recent review of M&S' new banana & chocolate chip muffins, banana bread -or cake- is one of my absolute favourites. Banana and chocolate is always bound to cheer me up, so I saved these for a day when I was feeling particularly tired and grumpy. Last night, they beckoned me, calling my name from the fridge...

The truffles sliced cleanly, revealing a centre embedded with banana chips and walnut pieces.

The first flavour that hit me was the smooth, rich chocolate. The cocoa was punchy, with the characteristic Hotel Chocolat balance between sweet and bitter. The chocolate melted on my tongue almost instantly, tasting every bit as luxurious as you would expect. Next up, I was bowled over by the overwhelming taste of cinnamon. It was so very strong, in fact I felt it was too strong, overwhelming the banana flavour that lingered in the background. I love cinnamon (and bold flavours) but this was simply too much. The banana had a very natural flavour thanks to the banana flakes studding the praline, but I just wish it was given the opportunity to shine at the foreground.

Walnuts are a funny thing. I can enjoy them on their own, but really don't like their inclusion in cakes or ice cream (I'm one of those annoying people who pick them from the top of a coffee & walnut cake, and wouldn't even think about popping them into a banana cake mix). I wanted to explain this before moaning about them in the banana bread selector. Again I found that they detracted from my beloved banana, and put the flavour ratios out of sync. Gah.

I'm really sorry Nat, but I can't agree with your opinion on this one. They're a lovely idea, but for me Hotel Chocolat have failed to harness the true essence of banana bread this Autumn.

4/10