The Chocolate Box

Our Big Bags Sale starts this weekend. Pre-order online for our Monday start ..

2011-06-04T17:00:00.000+10:00

Hello there chocolate lovers (you know who you are!),

Our biggest sale of the year starts on Monday 6th June (2011). You can find all of your favourite 1kg size bags at our store or online, for $10 off each bag. This year we are including our 1kg Dark Couverture and 1kg Chocolate Rocks, in addition to some of your other favourites including Milk, Dark and White Chocolate Raspberry Jellies, Chocolate Coated Fruit and Nut Mixture, Cocoa Dusted Macadamias, Chocolate Coated Toffee Coated Macadamias, Chocolate Coated Licorice, Chocolate Coated Raspberry Licorice... and just a few more.

We have also included a few more savings on our licorice bags, chocolate gift cards and Belgian La Boite Assortment.

Best wishes,
The Chocolate Box

Willies Venezuelan72

2011-06-04T01:00:00.001+10:00

Willie's Wonky Chocolate Factory screens on ABC TV1 at 11.00 am Saturday 4 June. Watch the show, then have a look at the chocolate, here.

Nut Free Flat Bunnies for Easter (Sunday April 4)

2010-03-22T12:38:00.002+11:00

If you are a food watcher looking for a chocolate product this Easter, have a look at our flat rabbit twin pack. It is cholesterol free, nut free, dairy free, gluten free and has no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. It comes wrapped in a clear bag with ribbon and a swingtag.

Ingredients: Raw Cane sugar, Cocoa Butter (21%), Soy Flour (20%), Cocoa Mass (11%), Inulin (from Chicory), Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, E476), Natural Vanilla Flavour. May contain traces of nuts.

Christmas Cranberries and Chocolate Coated Nuts

2009-12-09T10:53:00.001+11:00

Cranberries and Christmas go together like Rudolf and his his red nose, Santa and his sack, Bing Crosby and a White Christmas.

The cranberries here are real dried fruit, packed with delicious cranberry flavour, and enrobed in super fine dark chocolate.

We think it's an irresistible combination. Check it out on our website, here.

If you like our Chocolate Cranberries, you might also like these products:
Chocolate Almonds, Vienna Almonds, Cinnamon Almonds
Chocolate Hazelnuts
Chocolate Sultanas
Chocolate Fruit & Nut
Chocolate Ginger
Chocolate Orange Straws

Christmas Plum Pudding

2009-11-18T10:52:00.005+11:00

Christmas Plum pudding is a delightful dark dessert made of dried fruit and other ingredients and soaked in brandy, and cooked. Since our puddings come pre-cooked, they just need to be warmed up - and here is how.

First, the calico covering of the pudding needs to be removed and the Plum Pudding in it's pouch can either be simmered in a saucepan of water for one hour or placed, with pouch, in a microwave (1000W), for 2 minutes on high, rested for 2 minutes, then cooked for a further 2 minutes. (Yes, only 6 minutes altogether!) Be careful when opening the pouch from the microwave, a jet of steam might come out.

Traditionally, people might choose to decorate their pudding with a sprig of holly, or douse it with brandy and (well, I could tell you, but check out these ideas instead).

Here are some fun serving suggestions for your Plum Puddings:

1. Slice the serves of plum pudding thinly. Drizzle over some warmed maple or golden syrup (only a bit) and then finish with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!

2. Thinly slice your plum pudding and pour steaming warm custard over the top. Decorate with a dollop of whipped cream.

3. Drizzle the plum pudding with warm (Chocolate Box) Raspberry Framboise Fruit sauce. (If you remove the metal lid, the fruit sauce jar can be microwaved for a very short while to make it warm). Finish with warm custard and or vanilla ice cream.

The Chocolate Box Christmas Plum Pudding (400g)
The Chocolate Box Raspberry Framboise Fruit Sauce (250ml)

RECIPE BLOG! Hot Chocolate

2009-09-10T14:46:00.004+10:00

THREE NEW HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES
Your last chance to make hot chocolate before the warmer weather finally Springs into action!

CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE
Stir 12 milk chocolate pastilles* into hot milk. Add marshmallows and sprinkle
with cocoa powder for decoration. (Chocolate and marshmallows are available from The Chocolate Box).

HOT CHOCOLATE SNOWSTORM!
For the adventurous! Stir 12 white chocolate pastilles* into hot milk. Add a splash of Baileys, or brandy liqueur.

CONTINENTAL HOT CHOCOLATE!
Stir 12 dark chocolate pastilles* into a mug of hot milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or Cointreau liqueur. (As an alternative, you could also use The Chocolate Box's Cointreau chocolate sauce).

*For an equivalent of chocolate pastilles, you can also try breaking 2 pieces from your 50g chocolate block, or 4 pieces from the 100g chocolate blocks into your hot milk. It varies to taste.

Enjoy!

Masterchef Wraps with Chocolate

2009-07-21T10:54:00.005+10:00

Sunday was the final for Masterchef Australia, and what was the final, make-or-break challenge to test those terrific amateur chefs? ... Chocolate! In one memorable moment Poh put her tempered chocolate baton in the refrigerator to cool, and in hundreds of living rooms around Australia, a collective "Noooooo!"rang out from every employee of The Chocolate Box, every chocolate manufacturer, and every professional pastry chef or amateur cook who has ever worked with couverture chocolate.
Some don'ts about tempering coverture chocolate:
1. Don't put it in the fridge, and
2. Don't get water in it
Remember chocolate is very sensitive to changes in temperature and if it changes too quickly, it will become dry tasting and develop a white powdery bloom after it has time to settle.

You can find the tempering guide for our chocolate pastilles here.

You have probably seen commercial chocolate bars advertised as suitable for keeping in the fridge - but what you need to know is that those bars are made of compounded chocolate. Couverture chocolate, the chocolate lover's chocolate, is a trickier substance to temper, but worth it for serious chocolate afficianados. If you would like to know more about the differences between couverture and compound chocolate read about it here.

RECIPE BLOG! Chocolate Mousse

2009-06-29T12:31:00.002+10:00

(Serves 4-6)

INGREDIENTS:
120g of The Chocolate Box's Milk (or Dark) Chocolate
4 Separated Eggs
15g butter
Rum to taste
Whipping cream for decoration.

METHOD:
Break the chocolate into smaller pieces (or you can use chocolate pastilles) so they will melt more easily. Grate a portion of the chocolate and put aside for sprinkling. Place chocolate pieces in a bowl with butter. Cook on "high" in your microwave for 1-2 mins, or over a saucepan of boiled water (use two saucepans and dip the second into the boiled water, making sure no water gets into the chocolate mixure) and stir once, half-way through cooking. Whilst chocolate is still melted stir in egg yolks and rum, whisk egg whites until stiff, and fold into the mixture. Pour mixture into 4-6 individual dishes and chill until set. If you wish to decorate it with whipped cream, buy some whipping cream and whip it until it becomes stiff. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles to serve.

RECIPE BLOG! Chocolate Thickshake

2009-06-18T16:39:00.004+10:00

The Chocolate Box's Chocolate Thickshake (Easy Recipe)
(Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS
200g Vanilla Ice Cream
4 tbsp of The Chocolate Box's Chocolate Fudge Sauce
125ml Milk

METHOD
Mix ice-cream, chocolate sauce and milk in a blender and stir until mixture is smooth. To decorate, drizzle a small amount of chocolate sauce onto the edges of a clear tall milk shake glass in a spiral pattern. Pour mixture into glass. Serve.

For more Chocolate Box recipes, click here.

RECIPE BLOG! The Chocolate Box's Banana Split

2009-06-17T12:35:00.003+10:00

The Chocolate Box Banana Split (Easy Recipe)
(Serves 1)

INGREDIENTS
1 Banana
2 Scoops of Ice-cream
3 Tbsp The Chocolate Box Chocolate Sauce
6 Pecans or almonds

METHOD
Peel banana and cut length-ways. Chop nuts. Place banana in dish, top with ice-cream, drizzle with the chocolate sauce of your choice, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Try our Chocolate Cointreau or Chocolate Fudge chocolate sauce.
Serve.

What's in a Box? Chocolate Assortments Part II

2009-06-15T11:38:00.006+10:00

What's in an chocolate box? Is a creme by any other name just as creamy? Here's the lowdown on what's inside some of our most popular chocolate assortments. (Part 1)

Named after the owners of The Chocolate Box, the Adlers’ Assortment is one of The Chocolate Box’s original and most popular of assortments. This selection of individually wrapped milk and dark chocolate coated truffles has a soft whipped fruit or chocolate filling in a variety of popular flavours. Varieties include: Mango, Orange, Strawberry, Rum, Apricot, Hazelnut, Chocolate, Peppermint, Ginger & Raspberry. Our Adlers Assortment are all loose chocolates, so there are no moulded trays, just chocolates in a box! The Adlers assortment is now more colourful than ever, with a selection of wonderfully eyecatching colourful twistwraps.

The crème de la crème of the truffles range, our fresh cream truffles are made of soft truffle filling lightly accented with honey or liqueur. The handmade truffles are then dipped in fine milk, dark & white chocolate. Due to the fresh nature of the chocolates, Luxury Truffles have a typical life of six months and the flavours in this assortment include: Blanc de Blanc, White Honey, Rum Truffle, Champagne Truffle, Dark Cointreau, Tia Maria and Grand Marnier.

Our delicious flaky truffles are created with fine whipped chocolate centres, enrobed in fine milk, dark or white chocolate rolled in flakes of mouthwatering Belgian chocolate. It's a simple and lovely assortment in a gold box, and very popular for it's triple chocolate concentration (it is all chocolate inside and out).

End of Financial Year Specials

2009-06-05T14:42:00.010+10:00

Custom printed chocolate wraparounds are now available for promotions, parties, hospitality, weddings and large functions at a 15% discount when ordered and paid for before the end of the financial year (30 June 2009 - Australia delivery only). You can print logos or full colour photo images. Minimum quantities start from 500. If you would like a quote for your own design wrapped chocolates click here for our electronic quote form, or downloadable order form.

Below is a sample of our custom printed chocolate squares with our "The Chocolate Box" logo printed on the wrapper. These are also available for purchase at a special "End of Financial Year" discount. Click here.

We also have a special on bags of chocolate coins for corporate customers. Our chocolate coins are delicious nut free milk chocolate wrapped in gold foil to resemble Australian mixed decimal and pre-decimal (pennies) currency. There are 22 mixed sized chocolates in each mesh bag.

Special Offer 1:
Order 100 bags for $250 (AUD) until June 30th 2009. Usually our chocolate coin bags retail at $2.95 per bag. Click here for our special offer.

Special Offer 2:
Order 5 or more Pails of chocolate coins and receive a 10% discount if you quote the following code when ordering from our website: COINBOX10DISC. Discount does not include postage. Not to be used with other discounts or coupons.

Assortments R Us

2009-05-04T15:28:00.008+10:00

What's in an chocolate box? Is a creme by any other name just as creamy? Wouldn't mum love a chocolate selection for Mother's Day?

I have put together a little guide to separate the pralines from the truffles... (Part 1)

In the early days of The Chocolate Box’s history, chocolates were made at the back of the Camberwell (Melbourne) shop, hand filled, piped, and decorated. The Chocolate Box co-owner Marion recalls working in the store at age 13, mixing the fondants, pouring them into the chocolate bases, and piping the chocolates with a decorative initial. The chocolates were then laid out on trays behind the glass counter. These were chocolate coated creams, nut clusters, hard toffees and hand-dipped jellies and fruit, in the days before European style chocolates and pralines became dominant.

If you like chocolates with nut clusters, hard caramels, chocolate coated jelly, coconut roughs, marzipans, and the type of sweet soft creams (or cremes) that run (like egg yolks in a soft boiled egg) when you bite into them, you will love our 50th Anniversary Assortment. (If you are a fan of the hard centres, we have Hard Centre only versions of our 50th Anniversary assortment in all milk and all dark chocolate.)

In Europe, the Swiss and Belgian manufacturers had been dominant for many years, but it wasn't until their chocolates were imported to Australia, that Australians got a taste of the very elegant, stylised, and refined European-style chocolate assortments. Characteristically quite beautiful and individual to look at, European assortments often feature pralines (with whipped chocolate centres mixed with finely ground nuts, often hazelnuts or almonds), marzipans (an almond and sugar confection), and truffle centres (made with cream, chocolate and liqueur or other flavours).

If you like chocolates with soft centres, nut pralines, liqueur or coffee flavoured chocolates, and decorative chocolates that frequently have more than one combination of flavours, you will love our La Boite (Belgian box) assortment.

If you would prefer to try an Australian made version of European style chocolates, we have our Classic assortment of chocolates: these include a variety of European style pralines, marzipan chocolates, liqueur flavoured chocolates, creams, buttercreams and chocolate and nut combinations.

The List:
50th Anniversary Assortment
Classic Assortment
La Boite Assortment

The Easter List

2009-04-02T11:14:00.017+11:00

Every season I put together a list of some of the most interesting and delicious new things available in our stores. Easter is a pretty big deal for us, so perhaps this list is a little longer than usual, but if you haven't visited our stores or website lately, you might be a little surprised at some of the things on show! (If you are viewing this list through Blogger, click on the image link, and you'll be taken to the product on our website!)

	DARK CHOCOLATE HALF EGG This is the gift for lovers of dark chocolate. The solid mini eggs within are created from The Chocolate Box's fine dark chocolate and the cocoa solid content is 50% minimum!
	GINGERBREAD BUNNIES Here is non-chocolate alternative to Easter gift giving. It's a nice medium-large gingerbread bunny with a bit of icing for decoration. It's a great treat for children who have eaten a little too much chocolate on Easter Sunday. (We even think that it looks like an Australian Bilby - our indigenous Easter bunny!)
	ENZA'S EASTER EGG BOX Simplicity itself, I love this Easter Box. Who wouldn't be happy with this large Easter egg (available in Milk or Dark chocolate) and this cute tall soft plush bunny. Happy Easter indeed. There is also a variation of this Enza's box, with a bottle of wine, a smaller egg, and the long tall bunny.
	EASTER CARD "You're a Good Egg". Dress up your Easter gift giving with this cute little Easter card, complete with a solid milk-chocolate solid egg half, revealed by the egg-shaped cutout.
	ASSORTED EGGS This is a lovely assortment of filled eggs from France. What is so lovely about it, are the mini egg fillings: a combination of Dark Truffle, enrobed in dark chocolate, and Hazelnut Praline filled mini eggs.
	FRECKLE HALF EGG I love this one. A delicious milk chocolate half-egg case filled with lovely large chocolate Freckles (marvellous milk chocolate disks covered in Hundreds and Thousands).
	GOLDEN BUNNY Every Easter needs a bunny, and this is my choice for the cutest. This golden foiled icon of Easter is a sweet milk chocolate delight.
	190G EASTER EGG Our Easter eggs are thicker than most, and this is the first time that we have included the 190g Milk or Dark chocolate foiled egg in our online Easter Collection. Created with fine couverture chocolate and approximately 14cms tall, these eggs are made from real chocolate. The dark chocolate variety can boast 50% cocoa solids minimum!
	WOODEN EGGS These highly collectable wooden eggs are delightful. In many countries wooden eggs are given as Christmas gifts, and their history even dates before Christ. We have a small selection of very beautiful eggs, and very simple eggs on our website.
	PRALINE FILLED REAL EGGSHELLS One of the more unusual and delightful products are these gianduja filled eggshells. They are actually made from real eggshells with the contents removed, and refilled with delightful gianduja (created with hazelnut) chocolate. We still have the plain colour eggs available on our website, and these can be customised further... Write the recipients name on with a fridge marker or metallic pen! Like actual shells, you need to crack them to get to the contents underneath.

The G20 is talking about it!

2009-04-02T10:10:00.008+11:00

Finance! Most of the world's currencies are down but The Chocolate Box's chocolate coins are holding firm! (And they are also available Nut Free!)

We're in the fourth quarter of the financial year. Time enough to get the promotional edge on your financial competitors with a memorable (and tasty) promotion. Our chocolate coins are a fine milk chocolate, available in mesh bags of approx. 22 chocolates in variously sized mixed currencies, or clear pails.

Additional customisation options may be possible for larger corporate orders.
Please enquire.

If you require Australian currency, please enquire for availability.

Nut Free Flat bunnies

2009-04-02T09:51:00.013+11:00

Cupid Strikes Again

2009-01-30T16:26:00.029+11:00

It's getting close to Valentine's Day (February 14th), and once again it's time to keep a lookout for chubby flying babies hefting medieval weaponry. Yes, it is that special day in the calendar year when Sweethearts are encouraged to commemorate their relationships with a sweepingly romantic gesture - such as a presentation of sweepingly romantic boxed chocolates, for instance, with a lovely heart gift card, and your own poem. We can help! (Except with the poem. You're on your own there.)

Here is a selection of a few of the fancy new items from The Chocolate Box for this Valentines Day. If you especially like any of the presentations below, please try to order them early, since we only have a limited amount of Valentine's Day gifts, and once they're gone ...

The Love Trap
A deliriously delicious collection of sweet milk chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil, presented in an elegant silver heart cage.
This presentation contains 15 X 8g chocolate hearts.

Click here for more information

Heart Shaped Box
Fanning the flames of love, this fiery presentation of red and gold foiled milk hearts is a sure-fire hit. It contains about 220g or approximately 26 heart pieces.

Click here for more information

Joey Bear
Little Joey, a gorgeous russet bear wears his heart on his chest and is looking for hugs. Joey comes in medium and large sizes. From head to feet, Medium sized Joey (pictured) is about 39cm.

Click here for more information

Enza's Valentine's Day Bag
A premium selection of luxury chocolate cream truffles, with an Australian wine, and a cuddly bear that’s full of love. Enza's Valentine's Bag is sure to delight.
(If you prefer, the red wine may be substituted with white wine upon arrangement, just write a message to The Chocolate Box in the message field when ordering, or, if you forget, send an email immediately after placing your order with your new instructions.)

Click here for more information

The Kisses Box
Delicious milk chocolate kisses are a fun and cheeky way to show how much you care.

Click here for more information

Valentine's Day La Boite box
Special Edition packaging - first 20 customers - red jewellery heart bob decoration (pictured left).
For the lover of premium gourmet Belgian chocolates. Using fresh, natural ingredients including coffee, fruits, nuts and spices.

Click here for more information

For more of our Valentine's Range, click here.

SPECIAL OFFER for website customers. FREE "with love" chocolate heart card with every order from our Valentine's Day range over $20 (not including postage). To redeem quote this code when ordering: VGC020914.
Terms and Conditions: Not valid with any other offer, not reedemable for cash. Valid to 14th February 2009. Only valid for internet purchases using our web site (www.chocolatebox.com.au), offer not available in stores. Please note we only deliver within Australia.

The Heat is On - Sweets of Summer Part 2

2009-01-27T15:17:00.006+11:00

It looks like this week is shaping up to be the hottest week this year in Melbourne, with weather reports predicting temperatures of 40, 40, and 40 degrees Celcius for the next three days, so I thought it was an appropriate time to showcase Part 2 of the Sweets of Summer, which is a list of some of The Chocolate Box's more hardy confectionery products.

	VIENNA ALMONDS The subtle delicate flavours of traditional Vienna almonds are roasted and caramelised for that exquisite crunchy taste and texture. Click here to order Vienna Almonds
	PEPPERMINT HUMBUGS Sweet, longlasting, hard-boiled delights. Peppermint humbugs are refreshing and sweet. Available in bags or jars. Click here for Hard Boiled Sweets
	CHOCOLATE ROCKS These Chocolate Rocks come with their own weather protection in the form of their deliciously crisp candy shells. Weather warning: we wouldn't send this product out in extremes of heat without weather protection, but the chocolate should be hardy enough to keep in the fridge if you'd like to try them cool. Click here to order Chocolate Rocks
	CINNAMON ALMONDS These delicately roasted almonds are baked in a crunchy cinnamon flavoured shell. Click here to order Cinnamon Almonds

Sweets of Summer (Part 1)

2009-01-13T12:15:00.019+11:00

Welcome to the Sweets of Summer Part 1, a list of some of The Chocolate Box’s most delicious, and most weather-defying, products for those hot Summer days.

	FUDGES Fabulous fudge comes in four (count ‘em four!) varieties including Caramel, Chocolate, Irish Cream, & Russian Toffee. Click here to order fudges
	JELLIES & GUMMI BEARS There is nothing that says summer like fruity jellies -- and our classic fruity gummi bears are delicious too! Click here for Jellies Click here for gummies
	NOUGAT Whether crunchy or soft, fruitful or fruitless, with almonds or more almonds, we have a nougat for you! Click here to order
	CHOCOLATE SAUCES Quality chocolate sauces in three delightful varieties, Fudge Cointreau, or Irish Cream. Drizzle them over your ice-cream for a Summer delight! Click here to order

A Fruity, Nutty, Rummy Free Gift with Purchase

2009-01-08T14:05:00.003+11:00

A fruity, nutty hello to all our followers. As a special gift for this month, we are offering a free sample bag of 2 Fruity Nutty Rum Bombs for all orders made on our website between January 1st to 31st, 2009. What do you need to do to get it? There are no codes to fill in, just order, and it will automatically be included with your purchase. Our Fruity Nutty Rum Bombs contain a delicious chocolatey centre mixed with fruit, nuts and rum, and are enrobed in fine dark chocolate.

Happy New Year

2009-01-06T10:39:00.002+11:00

It's been a busy holiday season: that pre-Christmas bustle, followed by too much overeating and a round of New Years' socialising that's left you breathless? Maybe now is the time to just chill out, unwind and get your Zen on, and we have just the thing: the Happy Heart bag. It contains a selection of dark chocolate (contains antioxidants), green tea, dark chocolate ginger, dark chocolate almonds and red wine (more antioxidants!) to put that spring back into your step.
Click here to order.

Take a peek at our CBW store!

2009-01-05T13:01:00.005+11:00

Just for fun, I have put together a few pictures of our brand new store. It is located in the heart of Melbourne city, tucked away on a lane called Goldsborough Lane, on the Corner of Bourke and William Streets... and here is a map, too!

Pies R Us

2008-12-16T11:30:00.010+11:00

We have a brand new Christmas special, combining three of our most favourite Christmas desserts: pies, puddings and fruit cake. The fruit mince pies have a lovely buttery crust, and are filled with fruity mince. The pudding is lovely steamed in it's own pouch, or microwaved, and served in thin slices with white chocolate sauce or by itself. The fruity cake, our pièce de resistance, is a lovely 800g moist fruit filled cake decorated with complete pieces of pecan, almond, and green and red glacé cherries. Separately their combined retail price is $44.35, but follow this link to our website and they can be purchased together in a pack for $39.95.

Click here to order

RECIPE BLOG! Christmas Stars with Raspberry Framboise Sauce

2008-12-15T12:52:00.009+11:00

Here's a festive recipe using The Chocolate Box's own Raspberry Framboise Sauce. It's pretty easy. Like I usually say "If I can make them, anyone can! TM".

INGREDIENTS
A tablespoon or two of The Chocolate Box's Raspberry Framboise Sauce
2 sheets of puff pastry (each sheet makes 16 stars)
1 Freerange Egg
1 Tablespoon Water
White icing for decoration

IMPLEMENTS
Greaseproof baking paper
Basting brush
Baking tray
Bowl
Spoon, fork, knife

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take out and defrost one sheet of puff pastry. Cut into about 16 squares. Preheat oven to about 200•C.
2. Create cuts in all four corners of each sheet, as shown. If you want to make them a bit thinner than mine, you could try rolling out the dough to be a bit finer.
3. Spoon on a little bit of Raspberry Framboise Sauce into the centre of the stars. I find that you actually don't need very much.
4. Fold over one startip from each corner into the centre, until you make a pinwheel shape. See diagram at right. Make sure that you press the dough together at the centre of each star, otherwise the stars might not keep their shape.
5. Place stars carefully on greaseproof baking paper on an oven tray.
6. Whisk one egg and a tablespoon of water in a bowl, and with a brush, brush them over the pastries. This is what gives the pastries their golden brown colour.
7. Cook for about 15-20 minutes at about 150-180•C. Remove when lightly browned.
8. To finish, sift a little bit of white icing powder over the top for decoration.

As an interesting variation, you can try adding dessicated coconut to the raspberry framboise sauce before using in the recipe.

NEW! Our Favourite Christmas Things

2008-12-09T14:57:00.012+11:00

"When I'm ti-red,
Of Christmas shopp-ing,
When I'm feeling fagged,
I simply remember my favorite things can be ordered online,
And then I don't feel so bad..."

Here are some of the recent Christmas additions to our website. Order by December 15th to ensure your order arrives before Christmas. We deliver Australia wide (only).
More products are available on our website www.chocolatebox.com.au


The Ultimate Christmas Hamper A fine selection of Christmas goodies including: A Bottle of wine, Entertainer Fruit & Nut Cake, Shortbread Biscuit Tin, Luxury Cream Truffles Box, Christmas Star Assortment Box, and a lovely Christmas Pudding $99.95 Click Here
Christmas Plum Pudding A delicious traditional Christmas Plum Pudding in calico. To cook: Remove pudding from cloth, place pouch in microwave (1000 watts) and heat on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and rest for 2 minutes (this ensures an even reheating) - then microwave for a further 2 minutes. 400g. $12.95 Click Here
Entertainer Fruit and Nut Cake Packed with fruit and nuts this deluxe Christmas cake is a real delight. Just slice and display on your Christmas table. 800g cake. $23.95 Click Here
Fruity Nut Rum Bombs An explosion of Fruit, Nut and Rum Liqueur in delectable Dark Chocolate. 250g box (approx. 20 pieces). $12.95 Click Here

Please view our website for more products.

RECIPE BLOG! Chocolate Spiders

2008-12-04T15:30:00.013+11:00

Now that you know how to temper chocolate, (see December 1st blog), here is a very simple recipe for making chocolate spiders. Maybe they're a little bit too big and scary looking (see picture), but the good news is that if I can make them, anyone can!

INGREDIENTS
200g The Chocolate Box chocolate pastilles
100g packet of Pre-cooked Fried (non-flavoured) noodles
2 tablespoons of Peanut Butter (crunchy or smooth)

IMPLEMENTS
Double saucepans or a bain-marie
A tablespoon
A dessert spoon
Small pattypans (if you can find them) or waxproof paper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Break chocolate pastilles into smaller pieces for quicker melting.
2. Melt chocolate in an empty smaller saucepan sitting on a larger saucepan partially filled with simmering water. Do not boil water, keep stove at low temperature. Do not allow any water to get into the small saucepan. See post "How to cook couverture chocolate" below.
3. When chocolate is smooth and melted, stir in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, until mixture is thoroughly mixed.
4. Stir in noodles, until they are completely covered in chocolate.
5. Scoop out mixture using spoons and place into pattypans, or in blobs on greaseproof or baking paper.
6. Allow to cool. When chocolate solidifies the spiders are ready!

How to cook couverture chocolate

2008-12-01T11:48:00.005+11:00

The instructions for cooking couverture chocolate may sound a bit complicated, but its really just about getting the chocolate warmed into a sauce-like consistency so it is easy for you to stir into your mixtures or pour into moulds.

We recommend the use of a bain marie, or double saucepans. Heat hot water in the larger saucepan at a low temperature setting, and use the smaller saucepan to hold the melted chocolate as you dip it into the hot water.

For dipping fruit and desserts into a warm chocolate sauce, you can use a fondue set (we sell some of these at our stores). It is easy to use for small amounts of chocolate, and it simply consists of a ceramic dish with pieces of chocolate melted above a small candle. (Don't try to reproduce this over an open flame with a saucepan).

For easiest use, The Chocolate Box pastilles come in flat circular pieces which you can break down into smaller pieces for easy melting, or if you like, you can use our single origin callets.
These are the instructions for our couverture chocolate pastilles.

HOW TO COOK CHOCOLATE

1. Using a double-boiler, or two saucepans of varying size, place the chocolate pieces in the smaller saucepan. Fill the second saucepan with water and heat to a low temperature of approx. 45˚C. (Put your stove on low heat setting)

2. Place the saucepan containing the chocolate over the second saucepan and allow the chocolate to melt slowly. Heat very gently, stirring regularly to avoid burning the chocolate. DO NOT allow the cooking temperature to exceed 50˚C, and never heat your chocolate over a naked flame.

3. Cool chocolate by leaving on a marble or cold table, or by submerging your saucepan partly into cold water, to a temperature of approx. 27˚C for Milk Chocolate, or 27˚C to 28˚C for dark chocolate. Stir continually, constantly scraping the chocolate from the sides of the bowl. Take care that no water is allowed into the chocolate as the mixture will become
thick and unuseable.

4. Return the saucepan of chocolate to the pot of warm water and, stirring constantly, raise the temperature of the chocolate to 30˚C - 32˚C for dark chocolate or 29˚C - 31˚C for Milk Chocolate. The chocolate is now ready for moulding or dipping. Centres for dipping should be at 20˚C - 25˚C.

5. Cool finished products at 14˚C - 18˚C in a dry place. DO NOT refrigerate, or risk condensation.

6. Unused chocolate can be removed and re-used in the above manner.

WHAT IS COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE?
Coverture chocolate is a higher quality chocolate, that uses more cocoa solids in its manufacture. Compound chocolate is a cheaper grade of chocolate which is often found in commercial chocolate bars in the supermarket. Compound chocolate is a bit more robust and you may find it easier to use in cooking.

Chocolate Look Alikes

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Back in the days of King Henry VIII's court, medieval chefs used to create 'sotelties' - highly elaborate meals and desserts that were made to resemble something else (like cakes that look like castles). In that spirit, I present you with some of The Chocolate Box's best look-alikes - pictured next to a photo of the real thing. Can you tell the difference?

For the answer, click the chocolate look-alike and it will take you to the product on The Chocolate Box's website!

Top: Chocolate Olives: Exquisite Dry Roasted Almonds, enrobed in milk and white chocolate.
Bottom: Chocolate Rocks: Delicious milk chocolate rocks, they look like rocks, but they're safe to eat - sweet milk chocolate in a thin candy shell.

The Dark List

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The Dark List was something I created a few months ago for dark chocolate afficianados. It is, of course, a list of quality dark chocolate products, with their corresponding cocoa percentages.

But first, a little bit about dark chocolate:
If you have a quality dark or bittersweet chocolate, you can sometimes rate it for it's chocolatey-ness on a scale of percentage of cocoa solids. So 80% is extra dark, 70% is dark!, 50% is dark but bittersweet (also sweet), but much lower than this and you're in milk chocolate territory.

Some of the products on the list have additional ingredients to dark chocolate, and some of these may include dairy or nuts, etc, so you should look at the ingredient listing of any product if you are in doubt about what it may contain.

Now on to ...
THE DARK LIST

Dark Chocolate Happy Heart Hamper Box

Belgian Bar - Noir Bittersweet** - 70%

Dark Wraparounds* ** - 63%
*(Smaller quantities without custom wrappers can be purchased from our stores)

Single Origin Grenade 135g Box (jar not available) - 60%

Dark Block, 100g** - 55%
Dark Bar 50g** - 55%
Dark Chocolate Novelty Frogs** - 55%
Dark Chocolate Novelty Hearts** - 55%

Dark Chocolate Almonds - 55%
Dark Chocolate Hazelnuts - 55%
Dark Chocolate Orange Straws - 55%
Dark Chocolate Coffee Beans - 55%
Dark Chocolate Ginger - 55%
Dark Chocolate Marzipan Bar - 55%
Dark Chocolate Licorice - 55%
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Jellies - 55%

Dark Chocolate Triple Almond Block - 54%
Dark Chocolate Triple Honeycomb Block - 54%

Dark Organic Block, 100g - 52%

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffle

Dark Sugarfree Block 100g - 46%

We also have a pure dark chocolate assortment: Dark Chocolate Classic Assortment and Dark Chocolate Rocky Road.

** Solid chocolate

Belgian Bars are here!

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Belgian Bars! They're free...of Gluten, Wheat and Preservatives. There is also a Hazelnut Gianduja Milk and Dark Chocolate Bar that is Sugarfree, too, so there is no excuse not to indulge in these fabulous filled bars. $4.95 per bar.

Welcome to The Chocolate Box Blog!

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The Chocolate Box is based in Melbourne, Australia. We provide our customers with a delicious range of gourmet and selected chocolates, candy and lollies. You can buy from us online from anywhere in the world (note we only deliver to Australia) or by visiting one of our Melbourne stores. Follow this blog to hear about new treats, get discount offers, chocolate recipes and more!