Isis Chocolates

I tried recently two offerings from the 84 year old Belgian chocolatier Isis Chocolates, from their Luxury line, a Dark Chocolate bar, with 70% cocoa, and a Smooth Dark Chocolate bar with Crispy Hazelnut Praline. Both were three dollars where I bought them. Of the two, I would say that I liked the Dark Chocolate one, but I am getting ahead of myself.

The Isis Luxury Belgian Pralinor, which is smooth dark chocolate with crispy hazelnut praline was the first of the two I tried. In opening it up, I noticed right away that the chocolate was soft, and, despite my misgivings, as I had stored this bar in the same cool spot as my other chocolate, I determined to give it a try at least. The chocolate too did not have a strong smell, and indeed melted easily in the mouth, it was already close to melting. Too, the Pralinor was odd, it had a mouthfeel like crispy rice, rather than toasted hazelnuts. The ingredients are fairly good, 50% cocoa with cocoa paste and [cocoa] butter, sugar, hazelnuts, vegetable fat, wheat (flour, malt, starch), palm oil, ammonium carbonate, soya lecithin, salt and flavour. The last few ingredients, from hazelnuts to the ammonium carbonate, I would guess makes the praline. Overall, not a great bar, odd really in flavour and texture, though another person I got to try it as well liked it.

The Isis Luxury Belgian Dark Chocolate bar I liked much better, it, for one, was not soft and melting when I opened it up. The ingredient listing is very short, just 70% cocoa, sugar and vanilla. The taste was good too, deep chocolate flavour, very smooth and the flavour lasted long in the mouth. Far better, and one I would try again.