I'd wanted to try a bar of Rococo chocolate for some time now, and picked up a bar on my last visit to the capital. Previous contributors to Chocolatier.co.uk have waxed lyrical about their handmade chocolate bars. They've pawed through Chantal Coady OBE's book, interviewed Rococo's principal chocolatier at the time, and even covered Coady's OBE award. Even so, I hadn't got the chance to try a bar - until now.
I clocked a variety of flavoured bars on the shelves of Harvey Nichols in London, and was drawn to the pink floral bar as I adore the combination of dark chocolate and rose. So, does the Rococo bar hold up to my expectations?
Packaging
Let's start with the shelf appearance of the packaging. It's eye-catching, pretty, and clearly explains what to expect inside. I like the addition of gold-foiled print for the brand name which glistens under the shelf lighting.
The rear of the bar includes tasting notes by Chantal Coady OBE, along with a list of ingredients, the nutritional information, and certification badges.
Rococo Chocolates 65% Rose Dark Chocolate ingredients:
Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, emulsifier (soya lecithin), rose essential oil. Cocoa solids: 65% minimum.
All ingredients except for the emulsifier are organic. Sugars make up around 32.3% of this bar. It's certified as organic under several schemes, and is also certified as suitable for vegans.
That's not the end of the story for the packaging, as the envelope-style outer box unravels to reveal detailed information about Rococo, its cocoa, and its bars. I love it when brands include extra information inside the wrapper as it's an ideal opportunity for them to share their beliefs, ethics, and vision in an otherwise blank space.
The chocolate itself is heat-sealed inside a wrapper for freshness. The heat-sealing means it's impossible to reseal the bar up for consumption later on - which is a real shame. I prefer a means to reseal my chocolate so I can enjoy it in the same fresh condition over several sittings.
Rococo Chocolates 65% Rose Dark Chocolate Review
The 70g dark chocolate bar follows the lines of a bespoke mould, forming seven segments, each with the Rococo name on it. A clean, crisp snap makes dividing the bar up into seven bite-size portions is easy.
The initial aroma was unmistakably that of rose, conjuring up images of the most delicious Turkish Delight in my mind. Try as I might, I couldn't pick up any flavour from the delicate cocoa which was easily overwhelmed by the steam-distilled rose oil.
The snap was clean and crisp, so portioning into seven bites was easy enough, although the mould used had created a weak spot right down the middle of the bar, so each segment snapped into two.
After a slow melt, it was the rose oil that dominated the taste. It gradually develops from a standing start. While the cocoa tries to do the same thing, it sits very much in the background. I did pick up very minor hints of hay and caramel in its flavour that peeked through before the finish.
Into the aftertaste, the fragrant rose oil unsurprisingly leads again, although the richness and a very slight bitterness of the cocoa shines through alongside.
So, what's my verdict? Personally, I was hoping for a punchy rose flavour to rival a chocolate-smothered cube of Turkish Delight, with a definite character from the cocoa. I certainly found the rose oil to be sublime here, with a robust flavour that packs a punch without veering into it tasting like pot-pourri. The cocoa here certainly adds a richness to the overall bar, but its delicate flavour was hijacked by the rose oil, so very little of its flavour shone through.
Rococo Chocolates 65% Rose Dark Chocolate Review
RRP: £5.95 | Rococo Chocolates | Shop now
This is a rich and indulgent botanical bar that I effortlessly chomped my way through. The rose oil dominated the flavour and was clean and fragrant, without any unpleasant perfume qualities. The cocoa added a richness and gentle bitterness but was easily overpowered by the oil in this instance.
Where to Buy
The Rose Dark Chocolate bar is available direct from Rococo on their website (£5.95), and is also available at Harvey Nichols (£5.95), and Liberty London (£5.50). It's also available as part of a trio of mini bars (along with Violet and Jasmine) at Paper Tiger (£6.95).
Have you tried any of Rococo's chocolate bars? Let me know which bar I should try next in the comments below.
