As Christmas draws closer and closer, it's time for another sneak peek at a chocolatier's festive range for 2020. This time, I'm looking at the Pierre Marcolini preview catalogue to see what this Belgian has in store for us this year.
Just like in 2019, he certainly doesn't disappoint, with a stylish collection of festively-styled chocolates designed for the winter months.
In this article:
The Little Wreath
£11.90
The Little Wreath is an affordable and indulgent gift this Christmas, either for a dear friend or relative, or as a well-deserved treat for yourself.
The exterior is made from a house dark chocolate using cocoa beans from Cameroon and Cuba. Inside, there's hazelnut gianduja, dentelle de Quimper biscuit, and cocoa nib nougatine for a rich and satisfying flavour.
Double Jeu
£19.90 (8 pieces) | £3 (1 piece)
An assortment of praline and gianduja half moons are available in a quartet of flavours, each with a pretty dotted shell or, in the case of the white chocolate shelled pistachio caramel praline with hazelnut crunch, a crimson red exterior.
The red dotted white chocolate shell hides a caramel praline with pecan nuts and pistachio praline, while the golden speckled dark chocolate shell contains a hazelnut praline with caramel shards.
The red dotted milk chocolate sweet caramel and hazelnut gianduja hemisphere is also available as a single piece inside a presentation box. This is ideal as a stocking filler or as a dinner table decoration.
Little Christmas Câlins
£39 (36 pieces) | £21 (18 pieces) | £11.90 (9 pieces)
These Little Câlins boast gianduja or praline centres wrapped in shells of white, milk or dark chocolate. Decorated in festive colours, these certainly look delightfully Christmasy.
The flavours in the range are:
- Pistachio caramelised praline and sweet caramel in a white chocolate shell.
- Hazelnut crunch and lemon-infused pine nut caramel in a white chocolate shell.
- Coffee gianduja and spiced pecan nut caramel in a milk chocolate shell.
- Hazelnut and sweet caramel praline in a milk chocolate shell.
- Praline gianduja with caramel shard praline in a dark chocolate shell.
- Hazelnut and caramel gianduja in a dark chocolate shell.
Boxes of nine, 18, or 36 pieces are available, meaning there's plenty of choice when it comes to Christmas food and gift purchases.
The Advent Calendar 2020
£49
Fancy 24 beautiful pieces of chocolate work to see you through much of December? Pierre Marcolini's Advent Calendar is what you seek.
Open the doors of this pretty advent calendar to around 20 different chocolates, from pralines to câlins, with nutty and fruity flavours galore. The lemon-infused caramelised hazelnut and pine nut crunch white chocolate petit câlin sounds delicious, as does the passion fruit heart.
With a real mix of indulgent festive chocolates, this advent calendar is ideal for the young and young at heart.
Prestige Wreath Cake
£80 | Pre-order only
This superbly decorated cake for six people to share is a showstopper this year, and is ideal for replacing that stodgy Christmas pudding at dinnertime.
Drawing inspiration from a Christmas wreath, Marcolini hides grand cru chocolate with a milk chocolate sabayon beneath a matt cocoa surface. There's also a vanilla crème brûlée with a caramelised hazelnut crunch at its core, as well as delightful rouge Christmas baubles placed on top.
Christmas Tree Collection
£119
Part gift, part statement piece, this chocolate cabinet box boasts two drawers of fine chocolates together with a swirling chocolate Christmas tree on top.
The drawers contains 36 Christmas câlins as well as 36 assorted chocolate truffles. The simple-yet-elegant Christmas tree is sculpted in grand cru Cameroon-Cuba chocolate.
A similar Christmas Wreath topped box is also available for £20 more. You'll likely need to head into store to pick up the Christmas Tree-topped box whereas the Christmas Wreath can be shipped to your home.
You will find the Christmas range available online on the Marcolini website from 30th October 2020.
There's also a store at 37 Marylebone High Street in London, and concessions in Knightbridge's Harrods (also online here°) and Oxford Street's Selfridges (also online here).
Which item from the Christmas 2020 range catches your eye the most? Let me know your favourites in the comments below.
