Charbonnel et Walker - Plain Caramel Bar - 60%
Price: $9.95 for 75g
Comparative Price: $13.27 per 100g
Rating: 3 out of 5
Buy again: No. It was okay, but not really my thing.
I'm not normally much of a caramel fan, but wandering around the confectionary section of DJ’s food court I had a hankering for something different and something sweet but I didn’t want to reduce myself to milk chocolate, and so I found myself leaving with this little treat.
I know the brand from living in the UK but hadn’t experienced it much as back then I was reticent to cough up the cash for decent chocolate and I only got to experience this brand a few times thanks to someone I knew who knew someone who worked there. As for the spending, how things have changed...
But they have heritage if nothing else. Charbonnel et Walker have been around since 1875, self-proclaimed as one of Britain’s earliest chocolatiers. Not to mention a royal connection, they bear the crest and title of chocolate manufacturers to the Queen. So as a start I’m looking at good lineage if nothing else and their website promises ‘a luscious richness and unforgettable silky taste’ – so I’m eager to get started.
This is a little different to review as it isn't a block as such, but is described as a plain chocolate bar filled with a plain caramel truffle centre - remembering that for the Brits 'plain chocolate' refers to dark chocolate.
Sight
Where I was suprised at Prestat, what with their royal custom and self proclaimed high end clientele going with more garish packaging, Charbonnel et Walker have gone with what I would expect from them; solid colours but with a hint of luxury via the gold, the font type and of course the royal crest. Nothing exciting in this packaging, but maybe it will reflect their solid years of chocolate retail.
The bar itself is very attractive and a little more interesting. Made up of four large pieces with an woven type pattern on top. The chocolate is dark and a little glossy and I'm getting a little excited.
Sound
Given that this isn't a standard block - my snap test doesn't really apply.
Aroma
Again, a differnet beast to a block of chocolate, but it does have a rich, sweet smell as one would probably expect. The smell does seem to kick the taste buds into gear.
Taste and Texture
Let me tell you what I am expecting, a dark chocolate casing with a runny, sickly caramel centre. My need for sweet caramel had waned since my purchase so I'm not quite so confident I will enjoy this.
But what I get is very differnet. The texture is lovely, the chocolate on top is just the right thickness, I then bite into a truffle type centre which is a lovely firm but soft consistency and then, in a very satisfying manner, my teeth hit thicker chocolate at the bottom and I am forced to bite through this. Lovely texture.
Then there is taste. I've already worked out I was wrong on the sickly caramel filling which is great given I was over this. Instead I have a slightly caramel flavoured truffle type filling. I say slightly caramel flavoured as whilst it is sweet, and I would say with notes of coffee and caramel it doesn't really scream caramel at me, nor is it oversweet. Although I am surprised as looking at the ingredients it does have 32% caramel in it.
As for the chocolate itelf, it is a little difficult to discern amongst the caramel and the overriding taste is probably more sugar orientated. When I break off a bit of the chocolate itself, it is pretty good - mild, pleasant but not complex. But the combination is quite nice, even if a little sugar acrid at the end. But if you want a kick of something sweeter without going too sickly this could be okay. But on the down side, I don't like how it finishes and am not convinced I would want to pay $10 for it.
Summary
Its not too bad, and to be fair I am setting myself up for failure on this one as I am a purist and like straight up, plain blocks of chocolate, but I felt the need for something different. I think by its nature this moves a little away from the chocolate itself (the purist is talking again) and a little more towards the sugar/confectionary side of things. This isn't necessarily bad, as some people love such things, but for me it was nice, great texture, but finishes a little acrid and maybe doesn't deliver according to the price for a fussy, stubborn lover of straight up chocolate.
So not really for me, but I am sure some people out there will love it. Therefore, my rating - 3 out of 5. (I keep wanting to rate it just a little higher, the texture was lovely some of the flavour good and I really do want to like it, but at the end of the day I just can't get it that little bit highter.)
The bars also come in flavours such as Plain Champagne, Milk Praline, Pink Champagne and Rum and Raison.
5 August 2009
Reviewer: Shari
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