Notes on chocolate: we all have a favourite

I often get asked about my all-time favourite chocolates. In the early days, I kept a book of every single chocolate I tasted. But life gets in the way of lists and I now trust to memory to highlight the chocolate that stands the test of time. One of the first bars I tasted was François Pralus’s Barre Infernale Orange (£16.95, 160g), a brick of dark chocolate containing praline and candied orange – but no description can do it justice. It is, to quote Chandler in season 1, episode 7 of Friends, ‘Perfection!’ It is still the chocolate I recommend most when someone asks, ‘What shall I give as a present?’ because it’s different and, unless the recipient hates praline, it always, always goes down well.

When I went to Paris recently, I was super-tempted to try this again, but instead pushed myself to try something new in the Barre range and went for the coffee version instead. But, coming home, I still hankered after my first love. I couldn’t justify getting it just for myself but, as it’s been some years since I’d tried it, I decided to get it for my Chocolate Club and it was immediately, unanimously and with some excitement declared a 9.8 – the highest score so far. (If you’re interested, the highest scoring behind that is Bare Bones 68% Dominican Salted (£6.50, 70g).

On to something new. Solkiki’s plant-based 49% Macadamia Milk (£9.50, 56g) is rich in macademia nuts – they’re the number one ingredient – and uses the rare (and protected) chuao bean. It’s insanely creamy, but made in an extremely limited number, so if you fancy this don’t wait.

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