Friends, Romans, Countrymen-and-women-and-transgenders-and-the-elderly-and-people-who-don’t-want-to-be-pigeonholed-in-any-manner-oh-dear-heavens-I-promise-I’m-equal-opportunity-where-was-I-did-you-know-Kick-Gurry-was-in-an-episode-of-SeaChange-and-so-my-housemate-and-I-watched-Looking-for-Alibrandi-last-night-and-oh-my-it-was-odd-seeing-Matthew-Newton-before-he-was-a-wife-beater-I-seem-to-be-really-off-track-hi-there-welcome-to-the-first-real-post-here-on-my-new-blog-can-you-tell-I’ve-eaten-a-lot-of-sugar-today-because-I-have-hi-there!
I’ve been remiss. I’ve held back from you. Not intentionally, I promise. But I have held back.
You see, months ago I showed you two of my personalised, customised chocolates from Chocomize, the American chocolate company that lets you pick your own chocolate flavour combinations. I showed you my magical mystery milk chocolate with roasted edamame, curry powder, and pomegranate granola, and then I showed you my less wacky dark chocolate with poppy seeds, pretzels, and cinnamon toast cereal.
But there was a third chocolate, Friends, Romans, and Country-people. A third chocolate that was so beautiful, so Adonis-like, that it almost didn’t matter how it tasted. (But I’mma gonna tell you how it tasted anyway.)
Chocomize White Chocolate with Crystallised Violet Petals, Honey Roasted Soybeans, Toffee, and Cocoa Nibs
Shall I say that again? White Chocolate with Crystallised Violet Petals, Honey Roasted Soybeans, Toffee, and Cocoa Nibs. Read it and weep, my Friends, Romans, and Country-bloggers. Read it and weep. (And I mean that in the most affectionate sense.)
I believe this chocolate is one of prettiest I’ve ever seen, albeit in a gaudy and glittery way . Normally I subscribe to my mother’s Less Is More philosophy but, in this case, More is More. Not only aesthetically, but because every bite of this chocolate contained multiple flavours and textures that all came together in a delicious harmony.
(You lot are tremendously lucky right now, because I can never hear the word “harmony” without singing a line from a The Little Mermaid cartoon that trills and darts all over the place, into different octaves and registers and keys and all that good stuff. Yes, I’m singing it now. Yes, you should be grateful you can’t hear me.)
The white chocolate used here is a creamy off-white and, though sweet, does put forward some nice butter, cream cheese, and vanilla ice cream notes. But really, this chocolate is all about the plentiful toppings, and how they interact with the chocolate and each other. So let’s break it down, hip-hop-style. (Krump with me, people! Krump!)
Honey Roasted Soybeans: The soybeans were wonderfully crisp and contributed a strong roasted nuttiness, which was a welcome contrast against the sweetness of the chocolate, toffee, and violet petals. I was quite happy to find that the “roasted” flavour overwhelmed the “honey” flavour here, as more sweetness is not what this creation o’ mine needed.
Toffee (both plain and chocolate-covered): The toffee was softer than I expected, but thankfully had discernible butter and caramel notes. It wasn’t as flavourful as, say, a Werther’s caramel, but it was far tastier than plain melted sugar.
Cocoa Nibs: At first I thought these nibs contributed naught but visual appeal, but then I experienced a little explosion of woodsy chocolate bitterness on my tongue and I was satisfied (get your minds out of the gutter, people. I’m talking about chocolate, nothing more).
Crystallised Violet Petals: These amazed me. Really. I was expecting (as you would) the flavour of violet, such as popped up in this Belgian chocolate. Instead, these sugared flowers tasted like raspberry and blueberry boiled lollies from my childhood, which I’d find at Old Fashioned Lolly Shops in country towns on family vacations. I don’t normally go for fake fruit flavours, but there was something so sweet, and innocent, and sparkling, and fresh, and sparkling, and crisp, and sweet, and reminiscing-making about these petals, that I couldn’t help loving them. I mean, look below – I even found a stem hidden beneath some of the petals. How can you not fall in love with that?
As you can tell, I really enjoyed this bar. The white chocolate made me think of custard, sweetened cream, and vanilla frosting, and it combined beautifully with every ingredient I’d chosen for it to play with. Sure, this creation falls more into the “candy” than “high quality nuanced chocolate” category, but sometimes that’s just what you want. Nay, need.
I can’t recommend Chocomize enough for the Willy Wonka-esque experience of creating your own chocolate bar of wonderment. Those of you in America really ought to save your pennies and try out some chocolate ingenuity. And then tell me about it, because otherwise I’ll keep weeping and singing about under-the-sea harmony.
And no one really wants that, do they?
{ 55 comments… read them below or add one }
OH.MY.GOSH. I think I can totally understand your sugar high and it might have just rubbed off in cyberspace. I’m thinking what a wacky combination! I would never have thught to choose all those lovely bits and pieces to put on the one chocolate bar!! But I’m glad you did and lived to tell the tale… I do feel like taking a bite, just to see what soybeans taste like in chocolate….
Oh gosh, if only I hadn’t enjoyed this so much, I would’ve kept some for my Canberran blogger friends! I know we can get roasted soybeans at places like Mountain Creek… we should recreate this ourselves
My oh my – how delighful! I am particularly intrigued by the honey roasted soy beans!!!!
They were SO GOOD. And protein-y, so healthy, right?
I have never seen so many “-” used in one paragraph!! lol
OMG these would be a great present idea… off to their website now!!!!!
Except they only ship within America – darnit! And yes, I do think the Guinness Book of World Records should contact me about those dashes
Love. love this review! The violet one looks awesome.
Oh, thank you so much!! That means a lot
CONGRATS ON THE NEW SURROUNDINGS! Can I lick your wallpaper?
Its a thing I do.
That is one wild chocolate creation! I can see why you are so thrilled with it. I;m not even sure I would ever even come up with that combination on my own! Must admit, it made me swoon when I saw it….its pretty.
Oooh, did you watch that episode of Heston’s Feast with the lickable wallpaper? You’re more than welcome to lick mine, though I doubt it tastes as good
I’m sure you would’ve come up with a flavour combination equally tasty, though perhaps not as pretty
That block looks like a spring garden smorgasbord of delight.
….so, *sniff* are you telling me that chocomize wouldn’t cater to an Aussie?
Sadly yes, but you can do what I did, ie make a friend in the States who’s willing to have them sent to her/him who’ll then send them to you without eating them her/himself!
This one is tempting me enough that I am seriously considering attempting to recreate it myself. I’ve got the nibs, I can make toffee, I saw crystallised violet petals on the weekend that I could go back and purchase… the soy beans would present more of a challenge but I’m sure I could track them down somehow then honey roast them. Dare I attempt it? Or… dare I convert it into some sort of white chocolate cupcake? (Probably not red velvet this time… probably.)
I know I can get roasted soybeans at various health food stores here so surely you could too! I’m putting my excited hand up for the cupcake version, but only if you call it Jess’ Hannah-Inspired Cupcake of Amazing Wonderment Forever. Okay?
DEAL.
I once spent about half an hour on that website. There are simply too many choices! My head spun! Argh, I wish I had remembered to order one of these in time for my mom’s birthday. I suppose she’ll have to “settle” for another bacon bar.
Let’s see, I think I’d like to try …
Milk + sesame seeds + poppy seeds + diced lemon peel + lavender + cocoa nibs.
Um, so shouldn’t you be off there making that order now? ‘Cause it sounds like the awesome. Sesame seeds and lavendar. *swoon*
And oh my heavens, I don’t even want to think about what your mum’s life would’ve been like had I not given her that very first bacon bar!
Wow! That is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but it is beautiful. The first photo looks like a delicious muesli in thick custard and right now that is making me want custard. I like custard.
That would be because custard is wonderful
And it’s the second most beautiful thing you’ve seen after me, right?
I wish this could be something I sent your way! Stupid non-Australian chocolate companies 
Oh, and welcome to your new home. It’s cool
Thank you!
So did you get them from America or do they ship to Australia too? Because I would love to make my own bar.
Sadly, they don’t ship to Australia
But get yourself an American friend who’ll ship it to you, and use them as your middleman! That’s what I did 
Congrats on the new site! Lovely. AND WOWZERS that chocolate looks amazing!!
Thank you! Isn’t the chocolate just gorgeous?
Looking for Alibrandi is a great movie. Also, that chocolate bar looks amazing. And sounds amazing. Maybe you should ditch academia and go into business sending out design-your-own chocolates in Australia.
Please don’t tempt me. Have I mentioned how much I’m avoiding the PhD? *sigh* If only my life could be chocolate… P.S. Hurrah for LFA love! And I doubt you were even in Australia when it came out. Double love!
I saw it for the first time a year or two ago, grabbed it from the DVD section of the library and ended up watching it about 10 times in the two weeks I had it.
Oh, I’m really very happy right now! Have you ever read the book?
so i was sitting here eating tahini out of the jar and for some reason that made me think of you, and i noticed via some facebook stalking that you now had your own little corner of the web. tis beautiful. and chocolate with soybeans? so something i have to try. i am going to spend the next 5 months hunting around belgium for something crazy to bring you. xox
Aw, Em! You make my day happy
I’m loving tahini mixed with a little maple syrup right now, so your thinking-of-me wasn’t nonsensical at all
Gosh, though, I’m sure you’ll have more important things to do with your time in the months leading up to your visit back here than finding chocolate for me (not that I’d complain
)
I wish we had something like Chocomize in Australia – it looks awesome
I know, right? Sometimes life is sad
wow, that does look iiiiincredible!
And it tasted pretty good too!
Gorgeous piece of artwork, really!
What a lovely way of describing it!
This sounds amazing! I lurrrve crystallised violets
Sign me up for six bars please-but also only if you’ll autograph them! 
Oh, Lorraine! You make me feel twice the woman I am
Now if only you’d be the financial backer for my fledgling chocolate company 
This even has my favourite colour in it! Win!
I had no idea what or who Kick Gurry was so I did a Google Image Search and discovered a man who apparently only has the one expression. Weird. Would he maintain that expression while eating this chocolate, I wonder?
Hey, no fair, I’m pretty sure he had at least three in the movie itself
(Wow. There really is only one expression when you do a google image search.)
Is purple your favourite colour? These are things I need to know, so I can decorate appropriately for your “you just ran across Australia” welcome party.
D’oh! I forgot to make a bunch of crazy chocolate bars to have waiting for me at my parents’ house when I got there for vacation! Drat drat drat. Guess I’ll just have to wait until next year… which gives me lots of time for scheming.
I’d wiggle my finger at you, but I know you were busy cupcaking and mexicaning so you’re forgiven.
A year’s scheming time… that’ll have to be the most AMAZING customised chocolate EVER.
YAY! Welcome to the new blog
Thanks Monique!
Testing for WC…
Did it work?
I was in love from the minute I saw the title.
I can’t say I ever thought you’d do white chocolate!
There is nothing about this bar that I don’t adore. ::swoon:: You = genius.
Oooh, that’s very pretty! I can’t imagine you krumping though………..
Oh ye of little faith… but you’re right, I do a better caterpillar
You know that if you ever come this way for a visit, I’m going to demand evidence….
Oh heavens. I’m going to have to youtube some “how to” videos…
wow you really know how to put the zing into white chocolate – that bar looks amazing – makes me glad I have finally trawled through the backlog of your blogs to catch up on your chocomising
Aw, thanks for the trawling, Johanna! That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside