International Chocolates

Guylian chocolate sea shells are known as the worlds favourite Belgian chocolates.

The success story of the Guylian Chocolate Sea Shells started in 1960. A Belgian couple was making chocolates in the kitchen, and sold their sweet products to local chocolate shops. After a while the business went better and better, and the couple was able to open their own chocolate shop.

In 1988 the success was so huge that the little company was able to build a real chocolate factory. Making chocolates in a little kitchen was history.

The chocolate makers are living close to the sea. This was the reason why they have started to create chocolates in form of sea shells. The chocolate sea shells consist of milk chocolate with a cocoa content of 34 percent,  and white chocolate with a cocoa content of 25 percent.

The first experience was a full taste of the finest nut nougat cream filling. This filling is covered by an excellent chocolate mix with milk and white chocolate.

Guylian Chocolate is the pure enjoyment. The world wide success is no surprise to me.

The Original Baileys Chocolate Irish Cream Truffle Bar is manufactured in the Irish town of Navan.

Navan is located in the east of Ireland, and has 25.000 inhabitants. The name of the chocolate factory is Lir Chocolates Ltd.

The Original Baileys Chocolate Irish Cream Truffle is made by hand and has a cocoa content of 35 percent. The package is divided in two 50g wrapped bars.

Baileys Chocolate is a quite new chocolate. The chocolate factory who produces the Irish speciality was founded in 2003.

My first impression of the Irish chocolate was a slight sourish and sharp flavour of the Whiskey cream. The milk chocolate has a very fine character and delights with a delicious experience.

The filling consists of Irish Cream Truffle with a cosy creamy taste.

I have to say that this kind of fancy chocolate is a fabulous treat for the very special moments in life. The chocolate melts smoothly and gentle down the throat, and leaves a wonderful memory of this special day.

Another exotic chocolate from Iceland: Sirius Rjomasukkuladi med hnetum.

The chocolate is manufactured in Icelandics capital Reykjavik (Hesthalsi 2-4). The name of the chocolate factory is “NOI SIRIUS”.

The first impression of Sirius is an experience of light chocolate with a lot of big hazelnuts.

I think this is one of my lightest chocolate in life, althought the content of cocoa amounts 33 percent. I have never experienced such a light taste of chocolate before.

There is also a slight taste of milk and vanilla. Sirius Chocolate is an exotic chocolate from the Norhern Atlantic.

I would say Sirius has a very unique taste. The strong and full taste is missing. Maybe I am not used to such a flavour, but I would not rate it as a bad chocolate. Let’s put it in those words: Sirius was a very interesting chocolate experience from Iceland.

NewTree Chocolate comes from Belgium. The chocolate factory of “NewTree” is located in Belgians capital Brussels, in the street called “Boulevard du Souverain 207″.

Chocolate was always a very important item in Belgium. The chocolate manufacture has a long history there. New Tree wants to keep this tradition, as it is a quite new company. The company was founded in 2001.

The meaning of the companies name is the information on the natural ingredients for the chocolates. Natural plants and ingredients are used for New Tree chocolate bars.

At NewTree, Research and Development is of primary importance: an in-house team of expert chocolate makers, nutritionists and biochemists are constantly at work, creating delicious, new original chocolate recipes using healthful, beneficial ingredients.

NewTree chocolates have a natural source of vitamins and minerals. All ingredients are entirely natural. NewTree products contain no preservatives, colorants or genetically modified organisms.

All NewTree chocolates have a high cocoa content ensuring an intense tasting experience (73% cocoa in black chocolates, and 33% cocoa in milk chocolates).

The NewTree chocolate I was allowed to taste was the “CHOCOLAT NOIR VIVACITY CAFE”. A chocolate with a very bitter character. My impression was I might be eating a cooking chocolate. The cacao content amounts 73%, so I was not surprised. The bitterness of the chocolate was already on the border of tasting good. For me it was already a bit too bitter.

The positive nature of the NewTree Chocolate Noir Vivacity Cafe was the strong taste of coffee. I really liked that. Without that, the chocolate would just taste only bitter and very poor. So this excellent taste of coffee saved the chocolate bar and made it to a quite good product.

Amicelli is a sophisticated chocolate creation, and manufactured in the little town of Breitenbrunn, which is located in the north of Austrias Eastern province Burgenland.

The candy factory is a part of Masterfoods. Amicelli seems to be also availbable in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Poland.

Amicelli is a chocolate stick which is coated with the finest milk chocolate. Under the chocolate you can find waffle rolls which are filled with hazelnuts cream.

The product is a tender dream of nuts, waffles and chocolate. This combination is just perfect to enjoy. The chocolate sticks are so thin, you can break it with the tongue. After that Amicelli developes its full flavour.

Amicelli is known as the light enjoyment on the highest level. The coated chocolate is melting on the tongue, which symbolize the absolute crowning of the seductive treat.

Heilemann Confiserie Chocolate is manufactured in the south of Germany, close to the borders of Switzerland and Austria. The home of the chocolate is a little village called Woringen. Woringen has about 1.800 inhabitants.

Heilemann Confiserie Chocolate exists since more than 50 years. All chocolate bars are made by the hands of the chocolate master.

There is a special method in the manufacture to create a very easy and gentle melting chocolate. The type of Heilemann chocolate I was allowed to try was the “Noble Milk Chocolate” (Edelvollmilch Chocolade).

The chocolate bar has a tender character and tastes not too sweet. The cocoa content amounts 26 percent, which is quite okay for a milk chocolate. I have experience a quite a good flavour. If you like not too sweet milk chocolates, this might be one for you.

Zotter Chocolate is finest hand made Austrian chocolate from the federal state of Styria.

It is the confectioner Josef Zotter who puts the stamp on that chocolate. Zotter is already well known in Austria. His chocolates can be bought in many cake shops, coffee houses and confectionaries. But until now I haven’t found a Zotter Chocolate in a supermarket.

Josef Zotter collects the cocoa beans for his chocolates during his holidays in South America. Zotter chocolates have a cocoa content of 60 percent. This is the finest taste of bitter chocolate.

The chocolate bar from Zotter I was allowed to taste today was “fine bitter chocolate filled with grey poppy seeds and cherries”.

The filling was very sour. Maybe a bit too sour. But still a very special kind of chocolate, which made it to an interesting flavour experience. I don’t know why, but the chocolate was finished in a short time.

I am quite sure there are better chocolates from Zotter as “grey poppy seeds with cherries”, but still I liked it. It was a good contrast to “normal” chocolates.

Now I have found a chocolate from Hungary, which can be called a chocolated indeed.

It’s a bar of “Gerbeaud Budapest Anno 1858″. The wrapping looked very fancy, and also the content did not disappoint me.

The chocolate factory from Hungaries capital was established by a man called “Henrik Kugler” in 1858.

Gerbeaud Chocolate received its biggest fame at the end of the 19th century. The chocolate was known around the world. The chocolate bars of Gerbeaud are not industrial made. Every chocolate bar is made by hand.

Gerbeaud is still manufactured the same way as back in 1858.

My first experience with Hungarian chocolate was quite a disaster. But this time it was so different. Gerbeaud tastes milky and creamy. The chocolate has a very tender character. It is milk chocolate of the finest kind. Unfortunately the content of cocoa stays a secret, but this doesn’t matter. The enjoyment of Gerbeaud Chocolate was a true pleasure.

After that I know that also Hungarians are able to make very good chocolate.

Dolfin Chocolate is manufactured in the Belgian town of Wauthier-Braine, which has 9.500 inhabitants and can be found directly in the centre of Belgium.

“Dolfin Chocolat NOIR 70% DE CACAO AUX EXLATS DE FEVES DE CACAO” has a cocoa content of 70 percent and is filled with roasted cocoa bean pieces.

The chocolate is one of the best dark chocolate bars I have ever tasted in my life. I have no idea what could be better in this kind of chocolate creation.

Inside the wrapping I can read following words: “Harmoniously blending the strenth of a fine chocolate with the delicate flavours of of carefully selected spices or fruits, this is the philosophy that lies behind the Dolfin range.

The first impression was a rough bitter taste, but once in the mouth it melts down the throat in a very smooth and gentle way. Now it is the time when the wonderful aroma developes on the whole tongue. After a short while you already can taste the strong flavour of the roasted cocoa beans.

Dolfin Chocolate is chocolate art on its top. Every little piece of that creation is precious like a diamond ring on a womans finger.

Especially the combination of high quality premium chocolate and perfectly roasted cocoa beans is an excellent treat for the very special moments.

Gross Chocolate is manufactured in the German town of Peine, which is located close to the bigger cities Braunschweig and Hannover.

The item is a premium chocolate made of original trinitario from the best places of the plantations of the province Tocache in the Amazonas jungle.

This place has the perfect conditions for the ingredients of the chocolate. The cocoa content of 60% is another part which fits exactly in the whole picture of this chocolate delicacy.

I have experienced the Gross Chocolate as a wonderful treat with the right character. The German product is something for people who likes the chocolate not too sweet and not too bitter. Gross Chocolate has the perfect mixture. A wonderful enjoyment.

The tender character makes it possible to finish this chocolate in a very short time.