International Chocolates

Heilemann Confiserie Chocolate “Sea Salt” was one more unique chocolate experience in my life. Chocolate with salt. Is that acceptable? Well, at first it’s something new. I have never seen or tasted salted chocolate before. Many people are bored about usual chocolate creations, and they are searching for something new. Sea Salt Chocolate could be something interesting for those kind of people.

The chocolate itself is very fine and tender. It goes smoothly down the throat. The content of cocoa amounts 32 percent. So this is quite a good quality. There is not doubt about that.

The first impression is the fine chocolate flavour from Heilemann confiserie. Heilemann chocolate factory is famous for its good chocolate productions. Some seconds later the first taste of salt is noticable. After more and more melted chocolate, the salty taste becomes stronger and stronger. Sometimes it’s possible to taste a real big grain of salt. Then the salt taste is really extremely strong.

Well, I think that kind of salted chocolate is quite funny to taste for the first time. But for a second or third time? I don’t think I am going to buy another bar. Salt and chocolate does not really fit together. It’s a funny experience to taste it one time, but that was it.

But deep respect to the Heilemann company. They made out of such a weird combination, salt and chocolate, a truely acceptable candy.  I mean, the final result does not taste horrible … just “funny”.

Novi – Il Grande Cioccolato Italiano. Nocciolato Gianduja. Cioccolato Passione dal 1903.

Novi Chocolate from the Italian province of Piedmont is something very special and unique. This kind of chocolate is not like all the others. There are special ingredients and fabrication techniques which cause a huge difference between chocolate from Novi, and a chocolate from another manufacturer.

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Novi Chocolate is made of Gianduja. Gianduja is a mixture of chocolate and finely grounded Piedmont hazelnuts. The filling consists of whole Piedmont hazelnuts. Such kind of hazelnuts are not something usual. They only grow in the province of Piedmont.

Novi takes only the best of those Piedmont hazelnuts for their chocolate. Before the hazelnuts are allowed to serve as Novi chocolate filling,  they became well roasted. Piedmonts hazelnuts are known to be one of the most delicious hazelnuts in the world.

Those hazelnuts delight the sense of taste by a fine flavour and uncomparable aroma.

Novi Chocolate means pure chocolate. Only cocoa butter is used for the manufacture. No oil and no fat is used.

So how does this special chocolate with "Gianduja" taste? My first impression was a very sapful experience. Later a cosy chocolate feeling coursed through. Indeed pure chocolate. The cocoa content amounts 31 percent.

Also the big and whole Piedmont hazelnuts are a sensation for itself. Very crunchy and tasteful. Novi Chocolate is a true enjoyment of sapful and pure chocolate from the special kind.

Novi Chocolate exists since 1903.

Little chocolate pieces coated with sugar glaze was an invention during the Spanish civil war in the 30’s of the last century. Soldiers were able to enjoy chocolates without the danger of melting. An American traveller in Spain during the war, found this special kind of chocolates by accident, and brought the idea to the USA.

1941 was the time when the M&M’s conquered the American candy market. The chocolates were manufactured by the Mars company. The two ‘m’ mean Mars & Murrie’s. Mars was the manufacturer, and Murry his business partner.

The layer of the sugar glaze is quite strong and crispy. The chocolate box is full of colourful chocolate pieces.

The chocolate inside the coating is nothing special. Not disgusting and not exciting. Medium milk chocolate I would say.

Eating 200g of those chocolates is quite much. I just did that and know I feel sick.

Thorntons Turkish Delight Bar is described as “indulgent milk chocolate finished with milk chocolate” with rose and lemon flavoured Turkish delight centre. Well, I have never heard about “Turkish delight” before. I thought it’s some kind of jelly.

The product is made in Derbyshire/England. The milk chocolate contains 30% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids.

I am not so exicited about the chocolate covering. I would describe this chooclate as dull and boring. The jelly is quite fruity and tastes rather refreshing.

The chocolate experience is quite a new one. Chocolate covered around jelly is not so common in my country. The taste of chocolate is not even boring.The taste is also in the background. The amount of jelly is very strong and massive.

The chocolate around the jelly is bit creamy. To find at least one positive thing about it.

In general I would consider Thorntons Turkish Delight Bar as quite interesting experience. Not more. I would not pay money for Thornton Turkish Delight Bar a second time.

Thorntons is a traditonal English chocolate manufacturer and exist since 1911. The chocolate was invented in the Central English city of Sheffield. Todays headquaters can be found in the 22.000 inhabitant town of Alfreton in Derbyshire.

I have received the red chocolate bar as a gift from an England traveller. The certain bar is labeled as “Thorntons Dark Chocolate With Balsamic”. Thortons touts with the slogan “the Art of the Chocolatier”.

On the backside of the cardboard wrapping are much more things to read. Such things as “exquisite dark, chocolate laced, with the finest balsamic vinegar.”

The chocolatiers of Thortons know how well balsamic vinegar would complement this mildy intense, exotic dark chocolate. Its subtle, slightly floral flavour comes only from Tanzania cocoa beans, making it the ultimate gourmet bar. There are no artificial colours and no artificial flavours.

Thorntons Chocolate is also known to come from a chocolate recipe with a unique blend of the finest ingredients with no added vegetable fats and just 100 percent cocoa butter.

Alright, enough of seductive words on the wrapping box. Let’s try a piece of Thorntons Chocolate …

… the first impression is a very fruity flavour escorted by a solid taste of dark chocolate. The first bite does not open a new flavour feeling. The taste stays the same. Noble and solid.

The fruity flavour, I suppose its the balsamic, is very dominating. Maybe a bit too much dominating. Don’t get me wrong. The chocolate is excellent, but without the balsamic it would be even better. At the end of the chocolate piece I am able to experience the wonderful wonder of the perfect cocoa bean flavour. Such a wonderful feeling on the tounge and in my chocolate soul.

I must confess that this kind of Thorntons Chocolate is a fabulous example of British quality chocolate. Well done!

On a sunny Sunday at the end of August like today, I thought its time for a very special chocolate creation.

I have found my delight in an organge chocolate box with the title “Sissikugeln”. Sissi Kugeln were tradionally manufactured by the Viennese chocolate maker “Hofbauer”, but as the company was sold to “Lindt & Sprüngli, the delicious chocolates are now produced in the chocolate factoy of Gloggnitz, which can be found in the Eastern part of Lower Austria.

Sissi Kugeln are part of Viennas wonderful chocolate history. Those delicious chocolate piece are named according to Austrias queen “Elisabeth of Austria”, who lived from 1837 to 1898. She was also called the worlds most beautiful queen in history.

Sissikugeln chocolates consist of an apricot marzipan and nougat filling, covered by a mixture of the finest bitter and milk chocolate.

Sissi Chocolates are available on the market since 1998. This certain year was the time of the Sissi anniversary. As the chocolates celebrated an unbelievable success in sales, the product is still available since that time.

When I took my first try, I have experienced a full, intensive, and magnificent taste of apricot.  This is the apricot marzipan. An unique creation of confiserie skills, only made for the Sissi chocolate. It’s the first impression of this special and impressive candy delicacy.

At the end of the whole enjoyment comes the wonderful taste of the chocolate coating to its full expansion. I have tasted a tenter chocolate taste, not too sweet, not too bitter, melting on my tongue. Sissi Kugeln chocolates are a wonderful seducement for special and unique moments. My opinion: very good!

Manner Mozartwürfel Chocolate Cubes are manufactured by one of Austrias most traditional chocolate manufacturers.

The chocolate factory is located in the centre of Vienna, and known as “Manner”. Manner was the surname of Josef Manner. A highly gifted chocolate maker with a certain vision. His dream was to offer chocolate delicacies for everyone. At the beginning of the 20th century, chocolates were a luxury item. It was impossible for an average worker to buy chocolates. It was too expensive. Josef Manner, the founder of the chocolate factory, wanted to change that. Chocolate should be affordable for everyone. This was his vision.

Mozartwürfel are on of many delicious chocolate items from Manner. Those chocolates are coated in dark chocolate. The filling consists of marzipan and nougat. The form of the delicacy is a cube.

The dark chocolate is very tasty. A clear enjoyment with full flavour. Also the filling has a brillant character: fresh and fruity. Yes, Mozartwurfel Chocolate Cubes are really something nice to increase its mood. Especially if you are a fan of dark chocolate, nougat and marzipan, Mozartwurfel could be something for you.

A look inside the Manner Mozartwurfel: wonderful nougat and brillant marzipan coated with exquisite dark chocolate. A true enjoyment the Viennese way.

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Merci Chocolate is manufactured by the German candy producer Storck in Germans capital of Berlin.

Storck was founded in 1903. The chocolate factory survived two world wars, and invented its popular Merci chocolates in 1965.

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Merci chocolates are little chocolate sticks, with different fillings, made of milk chocolate. You can find chocolate sticks with following flavours: finest cream, almonds and nuts, nougat and milk cream. In bigger boxes are even much more different kinds of Merci chocolates. Like marzipan or dark chocolate.

Merci Chocolate is a popular gift for special moments, like birthdays, mother’s days, or just to say “thank you” for something.

The chocolate is something special indeed. You can taste the finest flavour of milk chocolate in combination with one of those certain flavours.

I chose the hazelnuts and almonds chocolate stick first. The chocolate was a true pleasure. The cocoa content of chocolate has a percentage of 32. The little almond and hazelnut pieces in the chocolate are crunchy and digestible.

Merci is a fantastic chocolate, and sold in more than 70 countries worldwide. The success is no surprise to me. The chocolate is a masterpiece of chocolate making.

Berger is a chocolate maker from Salzburg, who has also a chocolate shop in Vienna (Wollzeile). I found this shop in Vienna by accident, and thought to buy a little bar.

Berger Chocolate is something very fancy, and the prices are quite elevated. I suppose a chocolate for the special moments in life. Not for everyday life. Something to enjoy and make other people happy. This is Berger Chocolate for me.

There were different types of chocolates. Some of them had also funny forms and characters. I went for the cheapest and bought the little bar of 40g. My chocolate bar was named as “the harmonic one”.

The special character of this chocolate is its tartish flavour. The cocoa content amounts 33 percent. Chocolate maker Mr. Berger used cocoa beans from the African island of Madagascar for this product.

There is also a strong taste of milk noticeable, and a light flavour of caramel. I must confess that this one is really a top class chocolate. It’s okay to pay such a high price for that kind of flavour experience. I am in love with Berger Chocolate. Chocolate in paradise might taste like that.

- link: Berger Confiserie (Berger chocolate shop in Vienna)

Daim is a traditonal candy from Sweden. The inventor and manufacturer of this chocolate is the famous Swedish company called “Marabou”.

Daim came on the Swedish market under the name of “Dajm” in 1953. It took some more years when Daim found its way to the Central European market. 1978 Germany, 1983 Austria, and 1988 France and many other European countries. Since 1989 Daim is also sold in Japan. The furniture store of IKEA seems to be a very important factor for the distribution of the sweet delicacy outside of Sweden.

In Austria I am able to find Daim Chocolate only in IKEA shops.

Daim Chocolate is a hard and thin bar of chocolate. The coating consists of a delicious milk chocolate. This coating has a very full flavour, and is probably the best of the whole thing. The filling is a hard and crispy plate of cocoa butter, cocoa, butter, almonds, sugar and caramel.

As I already told the milk chocolate of Daim is quite enjoyable, but the hard filling a bit unusual and quite difficult for melting on the tongue. I suppose you have to bite this hard plate of almonds and caramel. I was not able to let it melt on my tongue. But biting this kind of thing is not such a delighting idea and not so nice for the teeth either.