Tasting Notes
On the whole, I was highly impressed with the quality of the chocolate and the variety of flavors. Among my favorites:
- Sur de Lago: This was my favorite flavor, by far. It is described as “a kiss of extra-bitter chocolate on a disk of Sur de Lago chocolate.” It is enrobed in bittersweet chocolate and topped with crushed cacao nibs. The ganache was smooth, fruity, and creamy, with a mouthfeel that can only be described as refreshing. The cacao nibs on top added a great texture contrast and a hint of woodsy dark flavor to offset the ganache.
- Burnt Caramel: This is Recchiuti’s signature flavor. A smoky caramel flavor is blended with chocolate ganache and enrobed in bittersweet chocolate. The filling itself is a ganache, not a caramel, and the taste is actually more subtle and delicate than the description would lead you to believe. When I first tasted it, I made a note that read, “Could eat a whole box of these.” After tasting the rest of the box, I think I might want to add a little more variety, but the original sentiment still stands: this is a great confection.
- Tarragon Grapefruit: This ganache square is infused with tarragon (an herb common to French cooking, with notes of cinnamon and licorice), enrobed in bittersweet chocolate, and topped with a sliver of candied grapefruit peel. The combination of tarragon, chocolate, and grapefruit was unexpected but delightful, and the contrast of the chewy peel and the silky ganache further heightened the experience.
- Pâtes de Fruits: The four pâtes de fruits flavors in the Valentine’s Box are passion fruit, blueberry, pear-lime, and morello cherry. Each square was distinctive and bursting with fruit flavor. None were too sweet, and all nicely balanced tart and sweet notes. The texture was superb: not too chewy or rubbery, but not so soft as to give immediately to the teeth. If you are looking to give non-chocolate candy as a gift, an assortment of Recchiuti’s pâtes de fruits would be a great idea.
- Pearl Mint Tea: There were a number of tea-infused confections in the box, but for me, the Pearl Mint Tea was the most successful. Spearmint, peppermint, and green tea combine in a dark chocolate ganache, covered with dark chocolate and accented with a milk chocolate button. The chocolate was cooling and invigorating, and left me wanting more when it was finished.
There were, of course, a few flavors that didn’t work as well for my tastes. Among them:
- Honeycomb Malt: Described as “barley malt folded into Venezuelan white chocolate ganache,” this confection was topped with crushed honeycomb and covered with milk chocolate. It felt as if all of the flavors were competing for attention: malt, white chocolate, honeycomb, and milk chocolate made for a very busy candy. The texture was grainy, perhaps from the malt, and the crushed honeycomb didn’t add much to the experience.
- Ginger Heart: This was a disappointment. I love the combination of ginger and chocolate, and was especially excited about this candy, since it was beautifully presented, with the dark ginger-infused ganache cast in a white chocolate heart and flecked with gold leaf. However, I found the ginger taste overpowering. As described in the accompanying guide, the candy is infused in an extra-bitter dark ganache, but I didn’t get much chocolate taste, just fiery ginger. This would be a good choice if you were looking for a sharp ginger candy, but if you prefer a mellow ginger taste or a candy that balances ginger and chocolate, this is not for you.
- Sesame Nougat: Although it was described as a “crunchy nougat disk of toasted sesame seeds topped with chocolate ganache,” I found the texture and flavor of this candy to be a bit flat. It was too sweet for my taste, and although I appreciated what it was trying to do, ultimately the chocolate/sesame combination didn’t work for me.
