Upon the glittering lights of Covent Garden’s Christmas celebrations, Michelin star chef and award-winning restauranteur, Adam Handling’s new Chocolate Shop is busy tempering away for the festive season.
One cold and rainy night, The Chocolate Shop, threw open its doors for excited chocolate lovers, eager to sneak a taste of its new Christmas collection.
In partnership with the Academy of Chocolate, this sensory evening was presented by Head Chocolatier, Paul Stradling, who, in Adam’s own words is, “the future of chocolate.”
MAN ON A MISSION
British chocolate is envied and sought after. Adam wishes to give this reputation a twist: “People might think that chocolate tastes the same. That generic word, ‘chocolate.’ But those days are gone. My vision is to create sustainable chocolates that really showcase the purity of that fruit. The flavour of these chocolates is representative of the soil, the air and the hands that nurtured them.”
Adam’s mission is simple: Craft a small batch of chocolates which express the purest character of single-variety cacao and collaborate with chocolate makers who match his devotion to sustainability and careful craftmanship.
Just months after opening, The Chocolate Shop garnered thirty-two Great Taste stars, across twenty products, including a rare 3-star awards for their 70% Honduras Tela Mayan Red and 70% Nicaragua Chiltepe Tuma Yellow hot chocolate flakes. The judges described their award-winning treat as ‘delicious, soothing” and “total indulgence.”
UNWRAPPING THE SELECTION
Guests of The Academy of Chocolate were warmly welcomed in from the cold, with a glass of Adam Handling’s very own, English sparkling wine. Academy board member Perrie Lo launched the evening off with a tribute to Handling and Stradling, leaving chocolate lovers eager to taste the treats, like excited children on Christmas Eve.
Before tasting each chocolate, Paul Stradling guided us through their selection, revealing the meticulous craft that goes into each piece. Each chocolate shell is carefully hand-painted, akin to those unique toys in an antique toyshop. The name of each delicacy is printed underneath with a transfer sheet, in a mark of exceptional branding.
Like fine wines, we search for sensory notes in sight, smell and taste. Herbal, citrus notes are infused in each chocolate shell, along with dark tannins in certain chocolates.
THE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
The Christmas selection is a carousel of multicoloured domes, each bursting with its own fragrance and personality.
A few highlights from the festive assortment include:
Cornish Brown Butter
Woodruff Caramel
Hazelnut
Spiced Pear
Apple Crumble
Krug, Champagne
Mango & Passion
Sicilian Cherry & Pistachio
Caramelised Shortbread
Sea Buckthorn
Orange Marmalade
Lemon Tart
Mulled Wine
Gingerbread
Toasted Cinnamon
Christmas Pudding
Candy Cane
Madagascan Vanilla
Irish Cream
Mince Pie
A CHOCOLATE CAROL
These chocolates are creations born of alchemy, love and sensory experimentation, shaped from fruit, spice and imagination. They are meant to be savoured slowly, nibbled piece by piece, so each layer of flavour can bloom on the palate.
My personal recommendation would be the Christmas pudding chocolate, which carried a surprising taste of brandy butter. The brandy infused ganache, mixed with the buttery notes of the shell, floated me back to Christmas Days of yore, dishing out the puddings for my well-fed loved ones. In fact, you don’t even need a Christmas Pudding on your table. One bite of this creation and you and your guests’ festive cravings will be satisfied for the year.
Adam Handling’s Chocolate Shop is a special menagerie of goodies, which are more than just chocolate. Each confectionary is a sensory journey, which pulls you into past, present and future. Much like the Christmas Dickensian tale (which unfolded upon the very streets The Chocolate Shop is housed) every chocolate is a story and we must experience each one, chapter by chapter.
Perhaps like all aspects of popular culture, like music and movies alike, these chocolates unlock certain memories we’ve hidden away. In this season of remembrance and reflection, it’s just the treat we need.
Find out more about Adam Handling’s Chocolate Shop here.
Find out more about the Academy of Chocolate Events here.