1. 28 l EXCLUSIVELYBRITISHMAGAZINE.CO.UK l November/December 2016 November/December 2016 l EXCLUSIVELYBRITISHMAGAZINE.CO.UK l 29
ForacountrythatinventedboththechocolatebarandtheEasteregg,Britainhasalways
beenattheforefrontofthecocoarevolution.And,notleastinthisdayandage,when
chocolateisenjoyingamoreartisanandboutiquereputation,andwhereprovenance,
creativityandqualityarekey.EmmaJohnsonindulges.
Words | EMMAJOHNSON
INCE THE LATE 1880S, chocolate has been a staple part of the
world of British luxury. Respected for its creativity in leveraging
the chocolate manufacturing process from the Industrial
Revolution, early British chocolate brands blazed a trail that
led the world. Today, our chocolate industry remains one of the
most diverse and creative, with everyone from Hotel Chocolat,
Charbonnel et Walker and Prestat to the niche likes of Amelia Rope,
Duffy’s, William Curley and Aneesh Poppat making British chocolate a
worldwide phenomenon.
And yet, there have been challenging times too. From the mid-1900s,
the impact of two world wars, various takeovers, worldwide trends and
influences, plus a tendency to increase the sugar, rather than the cocoa
content, as well as adding vegetable oil to the ingredients, meant British
chocolate hit a considerable low point. “That’s certainly not the view
now,” says Teresa Peck, category manager at luxury chocolate boutique
Hotel Chocolat. “Britain is at the forefront of the highly competitive
super premium chocolate market, with the Belgians, French and Swiss
appearing to be behind the beat.”
Powering this renaissance has been a relentless focus on authenticity
and creativity. Ingredients are now sourced from the world over, long
forgotten recipes have resurfaced, seasonality, natural, organic and ethical
produce is king. “We have come a long way,” agrees Rococo founder
Chantal Coady, who was recently credited with ‘Changing the way People
Think About Chocolate’ by the Academy of Chocolate. “At its best, British
chocolate has a chef or chocolatier led approach, using fresh seasonal
ingredients - and a lot of imagination and quirkiness.”
THEART OFARTISAN
Today, the best chocolate brands don’t boast large scale production, or
tours of their mega-factories, the focus is on attention-to-detail, hand-
crafting skills, specialist skills and expert flavour blenders. “We’re an
artisan chocolaterie,” says award-winning Paul A. Young, who pioneered
the resurgence of small, niche chocolate boutiques. “We make everything
by hand and in small batches. Every one of our chocolates is made
with the finest and freshest ingredients so they have a short but sweet,
shelf life. You won’t find any artificial ingredients in our chocolates or
tempering machines in our kitchens,” he adds.
This approach can be found increasingly in the world of luxury British
chocolate today, and it’s something customers are even starting to insist
on. “I think there is a growing interest in traditional crafts, which has
been well-reflected in British food producers overall,” says Nick Crean,
co-owner of Prestat, one of the world’s oldest chocolate businesses,
established in London’s West End in 1902, and saved from administration
by Crean and his half-brother Bill Keeling in 1998. “People are fascinated
in the way that chocolates are made. There is something magical about
cauldrons of the finest molten white, milk and dark chocolate – the smell,
the consistency and the almost limitless possibilities of all the wonderful
things they can be used to create.”
SINGLE ESTATES
In addition, as consumers become more interested in the provenance
of the food they eat, there has been a huge interest in what is known
as ‘bean-to-bar’ chocolate. Rococo for instance, have developed a
brand identity centred around the concept of Pleasure and Provenance,
something which is emblazoned on every single bar they produce. Chantal
Coady says: “It’s a global trend to be more connected with makers and
ingredients. We have our own small cocoa farm and work directly with
the Grenada Chocolate Company. The customer should have a magical,
indulgent time in our shops, while knowing that we are connected backw
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MADEIN
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2. 30 l EXCLUSIVELYBRITISHMAGAZINE.CO.UK l November/December 2016
As somewhat of a melting pot of different nationalities,
British inspiration for flavour has always been brave
and innovative. “Britain is a combination of tradition
and new cultures, which is definitely being reflected in
the industry,” says Paul A Young, who prides himself on
creating unique and intriguing flavours – and is always
looking to challenge the palate. His Marmite chocolate,
for instance, was created on a dare from then Sunday
Times journalist Lydia Slater, but remains one of his
bestsellers to this day. “I’m not afraid to try something
controversial in the quest to find the next creative
innovation. We’re also seeing more and more savoury
flavours featured, like miso, soy and bacon, all of which
add an umami note.”
And Young isn’t afraid to look across the sea for
inspiration either. “My chocolate box for Valentines
Day was inspired by some of the world’s most iconic
destinations,” he recalls. “I used ingredients which echo
the smells, textures, colour and tastes of famous getaway
cities. It was a roaring success, with consumers able to
reminisce over their favourite places while tasting my
chocolates.”
At Rococo, Chantal Coady, also finds flavour
inspiration from all around her – her bestselling sea salt
flavour was discovered during a walk along a beach in
Cornwall, enjoying an ice-cream and licking salt crystals
from her lips at the same time, while Persian lime is
inspired by her childhood in Persia and her mother’s
cooking using local limes. “We love our exotic flavours
combinations such as sea salt, rose, lavender, violet and
basil,” she says. w
to the roots of our cocoa farmers and working to improve
their lives in Grenada.”
Elsewhere, Hotel Chocolat also prides itself on
authenticity and ethics. It grows much of the cocoa it uses
and often makes chocolate fresh from the bean for some
of its ranges. “It is important to us to reconnect our love
of chocolate with its roots. Cocoa farmers worldwide
deserve respect and a fair deal. And that’s what we offer,
from Saint Lucia to Ghana, through our Engaged Ethics
programme. We’ve been raising the bar for cocoa growing
since 2002,” says Teresa Peck.
Paying such attention to provenance, and supporting
and working with specific cocoa estates, has seen
an incredible rise in ‘single estate’ chocolate – using
beans harvested annually from a specific plantation,
and selected because of its specific aroma and flavour.
Much like coffee and wine, chocolate is becoming a
real connoisseur item whose provenance says as much
about its taste and quality, as its flavour. Often produced
in limited quantities, they are usually accompanied by
an associated price tag, while the history and unique
qualities of the climate, terroir and growing techniques all
add to the quality of the chocolate. The fact that they are
produced in limited quantities, and sometimes vintages,
makes them all the more precious.
INSPIRATIONAND FLAVOUR
Of course, flavour is still crucial. Some brands are so
proud of their cocoa-sourcing that they produce a number
of chocolates with differing strengths and provenances,
creating an entirely new spectrum of chocolate far
more complex and exciting than the simplicity of dark,
milk and white. Crucially, though, what perhaps today
separates British artisan producers from many of their
more commercial counterparts, is that cocoa, rather than
sugar, forms the core of their ingredients, even in milk
and white chocolate. Turn over a box of more mainstream
chocolate from anywhere in the world and you’ll see that
sugar comes before cocoa on the ingredients list. Not here
though. Hotel Chocolat, for instance, recently created
‘Supermilk’, a creamy, decadent treat, made with 65 per
cent of pure cocoa, a splash of milk and much less sugar
than a dark chocolate bar. “It’s a truly premium milk
chocolate with the all-important creamy cocoa hit, just
with much less sugar,” explains Peck.
And, just as they did over a century ago, chocolate
brands are now pioneering new approaches to chocolate-
making and flavouring. “The British are very good at
providing a rather eccentric blend of traditional flavours,”
says Nick Crean of Prestat, whose flavours include the
likes of Rose and Violet Crèmes, Red Velvet, Yuzu Sake
and London Gin.
©PAULWINCH-FURNESS
“There is something magical about
cauldrons of the finest molten white,
milk and dark chocolate – the
smell, the consistency, the limitless
possibilities…” Nick Crean, Prestat

3. November/December 2016 l EXCLUSIVELYBRITISHMAGAZINE.CO.UK l 35
SHOP SMART
With such a wealth of flavours and types of chocolate around now, it can be a
little overwhelming to know where to start once faced with tray after tray of
delights in a chocolaterie. If you care about provenance, then start with finding
this out, and then, get to know your chocolatier. Try to find out where the cocoa
is from, as well as who made the chocolates and how fresh they are. “Ask lots
of questions and don’t be “green-washed” - above all it’s about great flavour,”
advises Chantal Coady, who opened her beautiful Kings Road boutique after
being inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and wanting to create her
own magical emporium of luxury chocolate.
She envisaged Rococo to be a chocolate paradise, and you’ll find it
emblazoned with floral motifs, cherubs, clouds chandeliers, gilded mirrors and
candelabras. This year, after 31 years in the business Coady was awarded an
O.B.E. in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Paul A. Young says that knowing your own favourites is an important factor
in buying chocolate, so the more chocolate you taste, the more you will know
what suits you. “Understand your palate and find out where the ingredients
have come from, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Knowledge is power,” he
advises. “With all the work we put into every flavour, we’re only too happy to
explain the thought process behind them when somebody asks!” At his three
chocolateries in London, including a flagship store on Wardour Street in Soho,
you’ll find a relaxed, quirky vibe, where the classic heritage of chocolate, blends
effortlessly with his modern approach.
And don’t forget the quality of the way the chocolate looks too. “Make sure the
chocolate is well tempered,” says Prestat’s Nick Crean. “It should be shiny and
smooth on the palette. Use all your senses, even hearing, as you would with any
food purchase. A really good chocolate bar should produce a clear snap when
you break it.” From humble beginings with one shop in Picadilly, today there
are Prestat commissions everywhere from Harrods to Bloomingdales, while the
original shop in Picadilly is a riot of colour and drama, the artwork by Kitty Arden
reflected in the walls and designs on every beautiful box. At Hotel Chocolat
boutiques, you’ll find a very clean, modern approach, smart monochrome
branding and staff who intricately know their flavours and can advise and guide
you with gifts. Don’t leave without some of their Raspberry Supermilk or the Mint
Royale. Elsewhere in London and the UK, other exciting and classic chocolate
brands all add their unique qualities to world of British chocolate. Founded in
1875, Charbonnel et Walker’s approach pays homage to their heritage roots and
the golden age of the British chocolate industry, and their commitment to both
flavour and quality means some of the best chocolates you’ll ever taste. Their sea
salt caramels are a winner with everyone and their boutique in The Royal Arcade
on Old Bond Street is an essential London stop-off.
William Curley, five-time winner of Britain’s Best Chocolatier award, has
a beautiful flagship boutique in Belgravia, with a wonderland of bars in every
flavour imaginable, and a Dessert Bar which allows you to eat five sweet courses
in one go. Bliss. Across town in the East End, the Mast Brothers are less about
heritage and more about hip. They specialise in single estate or origin bars, and
are renowned for their fantastically cool packaging. Elsewhere, don’t miss the
Asian-inspired cardamom-infused dark chocolate coffee beans of Aneesh Popat
or the award-winning velvet truffles from Iain Burnett. Head for Duffy’s for her
amazing single origin Honduras Indio Rojo and make sure to get a bite of Amelia
Rope’s Pale Rose chocolate and Marc Demarquette’s Imperial China Masterpiece
box.
It’s pretty clear that times have changed a lot since a purple box of Milk
Tray was the height of cocoa luxury. Now the power is firmly in the brands who
are pioneering the niche, bespoke, boutique approach. The world of British
chocolate has never been more full-flavoured and remarkable. “It’s a really
exciting time to be a chocolatier in London, with so many fantastic shops
opening up,” says Paul A. Young. “It comes down to a new generation of highly
creative chocolatiers who are innovating their products consistently.
The trajectory of the industry is only going upwards.” 
STOCKISTS
Rococo Chocolates
w rococochocolates.com
Hotel Chocolat
w hotelchocolat.com/uk/
Paul.A.Young
w paulayoung.co.uk
Prestat
w prestat.co.uk
Charbonnel et Walker
wcharbonnel.co.uk
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