L'Artisan du Chocolat - Liquid Salted Caramel
Price: $10 for 10
Comparative Price: Unknown
Rating: 4 stars
Buy again: Probably, quite a unique product
Strangely enough on this site I have oft asserted my aversion to caramel coupled with chocolate, but then I notice it keeps cropping up in my reviews. Something tells me I want to like it, and occasionally I dare say I even love it - but most of the time I am left wanting and disappointed.
But I am realistic enough to know that caramel, chocolate and salt are a great combination so when ordering some goodies via mail order I couldn't help but be intrigued by these little morsels.
L'Artisan du Chocolat (who are in spite of their very French name are a very British company) describe them as:
Our original sea salted caramels invented in 2003 by Gerard Coleman for Gordon Ramsay’s menu at Claridges: a sweet liquid caramel with a pinch of Noirmoutier island’s grey salt, captured in a cocoa dusted shell of intense dark chocolate.
Who could resist...?
Sight
They aren't cheap at $1 each and probably the diameter of a 5c piece but obviously spherical. They actually look like wee truffles - perfect little round orbs covered in cocoa powder.
They look nice, but make me curious more than anything else, so time to get tasting.
Smell
The aroma is again likened to truffles, the cocoa powder permeates my nostrils offering few other notes.
Taste & Texture
I popped this into my mouth and have the same problem I have with many truffles - bitter cocoa powder that tastes of nothing else. I don't mind a good bitter chocolate as it brings other flavours to the palate, but cocoa powder is just bitter to me.
I resisted the urge and curiosity to bite and happily the cocoa powder soon dissipates and other flavours have a chance to come forward although that bitterness does hang about.
The chocolate itself is pleasant, it seems to have lightness to it and is smooth and eventually the liquid breaks through and you can't help but bite at this point allowing the rest of the liquid to burst forth. It is immensely strong and sweet and whilst it isn't naturally a taste I seek out - that sweet caramel sickliness - it excites my palate in this instance, maybe it is the surprise explosion. The caramel dominates but kindly leaves in time for me to finish on the chocolate flavour. The chocolate itself is pleasant but difficult to get a full grasp on but is nice
This is an exciting flash of caramel and this saves it from being overly sickly but makes it an exciting adventure instead, wondering when that burst is going to come, resisting the urge to bring it on prematurely.
Summary
It has to be said this is very sweet but well balanced; the sweetness doesn't consume you. It is an exciting way to eat a chocolate, even after eating several of these I still got a little thrill each time the caramel burst forth - so it is fun.
The chocolate is okay but I guess you're not eating it for the chocolate. I would like to have wihtout the cocoa powder to give me more time to taste the chocolate.
I would rate this as 4 out of 5. It wins points for fun, innovation and finding a way to enjoyably eat such a sweet caramel. It looses points for the unnecessary bitter cocoa powder and lack of chocolate taste.
Would I buy them again? Possibly. I wouldn't go out of my way, and they are pricey, but they're fun as well. L'Artisan du Chocolat themselves sell them in rather attractive gift boxes but I am not sure if these are available from Monty's, although Steve at Monty's in incredibly helpful so if you're curious give him a shout. (I should also note that MOnty's ship interstate, which is how I got my goodies, so isn't just restricted to Brisbanites which is great as they sell a great range of chocolates, some of which aren't available elsewhere in Australia and includes brands such as Pralus, Coppenuer and many others.)
Reviewer: Shari
5th October 2009
Shari
I have purchased these again on a recent trip to Brisbane and whilst I don't think they are the best chocolates in the world, I do think they are good and more importantly awfully fun. That shock of the chocolate breaking and the caramel bursting forth is still full of anticipation and dare I say a wee bit of excitement!
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