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Cast your mind back to what we now call the good old times (you know, pre-COVID-19, so that's now anything up to 2019). Specifically, take a trip down memory lane to those Christmas markets you adore as much as I do. The heady aroma of mulled wine hangs in the freezing, dank air, while the twinkling fairy lights add magic and sparkle.
For me, spices such as cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are an intrinsic part of Christmas flavours, alongside citrus notes. From Christmas cake to mulled wine, spices are key. No where are they more on display than with festive nuts. My go-to snack throughout December, I do love working through sweet and savoury spiced nuts. My choice is usually limited to whatever is available in my local supermarket.
Anyway, The Raw Chocolate Company got in touch with me to tell me they've combined two of my favourite things this Christmas, and produced a tin of festively spiced chocolate coated almonds. They kindly sent me some tins to see if the taste can evoke memories of my annual visits to European Christmas markets that Coronavirus has put a stop to this year.
Packaging
The spiced chocolate almonds arrive inside a delightful red gift tin, decorated with white snowflakes. The green logo stands out, as does the product name. There's no mistaking that these are spiced chocolate almonds!
The tin has a thick domed lid that pops off to reveal a bag of nuts inside.
Plastic free by design, the decorative red tin can be reused long after the nuts have been devoured. The 15cm tall tin has an internal diameter of 8cm and can be used for a multitude of purposes. If needs must, it can also be easily recycled if you can't find a new home for it.
It's a tactile product and one that would certainly stand out on a shop shelf or your kitchen shelf. It is designed to as an indulgent treat for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a friend, colleague, or neighbour. It begs you to take an inquisitive look inside.
Speaking of which, inside you'll find the chocolate covered almonds sealed inside a transparent biodegradable film pouch. The puffy 180g pouch fits snugly inside the tin, although once decanted, the nuts only fill around half of the space inside.
The rear of the tin describes these nuts as perfect for sharing with friends or taking to dinner parties. While festive parties might look a little different this year, it's still a great sharing product and is ideal as an after dinner treat.
The ingredients and nutritional information follows.
The Raw Chocolate Co Vegan Organic Spiced Chocolate Almonds ingredients:
Almonds (33%), cacao butter, coconut blossom sugar, raw cacao mass, lucuma, cacao powder, mixed spice (cinnamon, clove, allspice, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, mace) (<1%), orange oil, vanilla. Cocoa solids: 66% minimum,
The spiced chocolate almonds contain just under 19% sugars. Made in the UK, these nibbles are free from palm oil and are made using organic ingredients. The tin carries Soil Association organic certification, an EU organic symbol, Vegetarian Society vegan approval, an EU organic symbol, as well as identifiers to show that this product is plastic-free and gluten-free.
The Raw Chocolate Co Vegan Organic Spiced Chocolate Almonds Gift Tin Review
As I popped the lid off the tin, the faint aroma of candied orange and cinnamon wafted out, despite the bag of nuts being heat sealed inside the biodegradable film bag.
I decanted the nuts into the tin, which ramped up the festive notes to the max. The aroma of orange sits out in front, with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg coming through in that order. There's an earthy and woody depth to it I like, as it somehow feels more festive.
Un-skinned almonds are coated in a thick layer of dark raw chocolate and then dusted in cocoa powder. The dusting loves fingers and you'll find a build up of this reddish brown powder forming on your fingertips after eating a couple of these nuts.
The cocoa dusting is the first thing you'll taste, and it dries your mouth out a little, releasing a mild bitterness too. Bite into the thick chocolate coat and you'll get a burst of rich cocoa notes and a flood of creaminess that paves the way for the crunchy almond. In the mix you also get the spices, although it's orange that really stands out here the most. I can detect a glimmer of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg all coming through as undertones, but they all play second fiddle to the orange that is the real star here.
The brown paper-like almond skins add a little extra texture to experience, and extra nutrients too. While I think some may find this bothersome, I don't think the effect is distracting nor detrimental to the overall taste and texture. If anything, it makes me feel somewhat healthier as a result!
Be warned, these chocolate covered almonds are ridiculously easy to chow down. And the pretty tin is so inviting. It begs you to open it and just take another. "Go on, it's Christmas after all" it says.
The Raw Chocolate Co Vegan Organic Spiced Chocolate Almonds Gift Tin Review
RRP: £9.99 | The Raw Chocolate Co | Shop now
Orange dominates in these festively spiced whole almonds. Presented in a beautiful reusable gift tin, these moreish vegan organic chocolate nuts are a tasty treat, while feeling remarkably healthy! Enjoy with a glass of mulled wine or a mug of dark hot chocolate.
Where to Buy Online
You can find the gift tin of organic vegan Christmas spiced almonds on The Raw Chocolate Co website here (£9.95). You can also get yourself a case of 12 tins for £105 (making them £8.75 a tin) should you wish to give these out as Christmas gifts to friends and family.
The Spiced Chocolate Almonds Festive Tin is also available through Ethical Superstore (£9.99) and Natural Grocery (£10).
You'll find a range of chocolate almonds by The Raw Chocolate Company listed over on Amazon here° too.
Do you enjoy chocolate coated nuts year round or are they a festive treat in your household. Let me know in a comment below.
