Notes on chocolate: the strange allure of caramelised whites

I’m starting to think I have a bit of a problem with caramelised whites. Following on from last week’s white chocolate testing, this week I happened upon Asda’s Extra Special Blonde Chocolate, £2/150g, which I really expected to have a fleeting relationship with.

But I did not. For one, the pieces are wonderfully thick – one of my first columns as Chocolate Correspondent was talking about how I do love a chunky bar. Each piece of this is like a mini bar in its own right; the issue is that one piece isn’t quite enough, and two is a bit too much. Anyway, the chocolate is really good, by virtue of the fact it’s made by a really good chocolate maker, but I can’t tell you who or else…

Also this week, I had Sur Chocolates’ new Truffles Imaginmate, £14.90/165g. Sur Chocolates make wonderful alfajores (think of them as Argentinian Wagon Wheels) and if you do go for an alfajores, they are all wonderful, but my favourite will always be the original, the delicious Alfajor Negro 70%, £3.85.

But these new truffles are filled with dulce de leche and gin, coated in white chocolate (sorry I really didn’t expect more white chocolate) and rolled in yerba mate (a plant that can also be made into a tea). They’re a bittersweet truffle with a real kick (the gin!), which took me by spluttering, throat-warming surprise. Something different if your palate needs a jolt. You can also get them wrapped in a gorgeous cotton handkerchief for an extra £5.

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