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Notes on chocolate: gluten-free treats that make the heart sing

When I decided to investigate gluten-free chocolate, who better, I thought, to test gluten-free chocolates, than one of the best opera singers in the world: Dame Sarah Connolly, who I knew was also a coeliac? A lot of chocolate is naturally gluten-free if it doesn’t contain obvious stuff like bread or biscuits, but care is needed if it’s made in a gluten-tainted environment.

A lot of chocolate is naturally gluten-free, but care is needed if it’s made in a gluten-tainted environment

These were Sarah’s top picks: please note that not all are from a guaranteed gluten-free environment, but they were OK for her. Sarah gave 11/10 to William Curley’s salted maple caramels, £25, and dark chocolate maple truffles, £16, declaring his chocolates ‘a revelation. I can’t praise these highly enough, sensational’.

NearyNógs Togo 58%, £9.25, was ‘silky smooth’ and its honeycomb rocks were ‘amazing’, £5.95. All of the Firetree bars in its Tasting Bar Box, £19 save for the 100% (an acquired taste), got 10/10. She raved about these and almost broke into song.

ME chocolate milk with cacao nibs was a big hit (it is in this house, too) £4.20, plus the dark milk, £4.20. Misco’s cake balls, from £2, much written about by me in the past, were really loved – they are amazing. Almost every centre in Misco’s box of mixed chocolates, from £13, were so popular that almost every centre scored top marks.

Summerdown peppermint thins, £7, were much commented on, and Luisa’s box of chocolates, from £11.50, scored highly, with the salted caramel and the honeycomb getting a 10/10.

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