Specialist chocolates & sweets

[Pam]

So who has tasted and tried what goodies? Were they worth the money?

My favourites are Booja Booja Champagne Truffles at about £5 for a reasonable size box (200g I think). These are dairy, wheat and gluten free, very rich and very dark. Available from some health food shops and lots of online stores, also come in other flavours.

I've also recently tried dark orange truffles from Condel Catering at £7.10 for 175g (free postage), these are also very more-ish and have a crisp dark shell with a very smooth creamy orange/chocolate flavour truffle filling. These are nut, dairy, gluten and egg free (but unfortunately for you Matt, they do contain chocolate!). These only come second place because I prefer the more solid texture of the BB ones. I think these are only available from www.condelcatering.com (http://www.condelcatering.com) at the moment. They also sell a delicious chocolate fudge cake that is also dairy free.

www.veganstore.co.uk (http://www.veganstore.co.uk) have quite a few dairy free chocolates and fudges available but I haven't tried any yet, has anyone else? I know someone here bought fudge online recently - can you post the url please?


For the children I don't think you can beat Whizzers chocolate beans, footballs and speckled eggs. They are also free from the colours that send them hyper and I split a 60p bag into 2 servings for my daughter so they don't work out too expensive. They seem to range from 59p to 69p for a 50g bag available in health food shops, some supermarkets and online.

Any more reviews would be appreciated - I like to know what I'm missing out on so that I can buy and try!

[matt]

my local health food shop also has a large jar of dairy free and natural colours choc smarties type things. sells buy the 100g or whatever. so worth looking.

i'm not at all envious don't know why i can't eat choc. must have already eaten my fair share! which is easily possible, would explain the alcohol aswell!!:lol2:

[Mac]

Thanks for that info Pam, I have emailed them for a product list. I will definately be ordering!! Chocolate is my weakness.

[emi_150]

Mmmmm truffles!! :drool: will definately have to request product list!! Do they taste like normal truffles or can you tell that they are dairy free? As alot of the dairy free chocolate iv tried feels sludgy in my mouth... yuk!

[Pam]

Condel's truffles are very smooth, the dark chocolate outer is a smooth chocolate and not a gritty one, the inner is even smoother and gives the impression that it is runny although it is not - they disappear too quickly! I think the dairy free ones only come in orange flavour now but hopefully there will be some more flavours introduced. They also do other flavours in wheat free but sadly they contain milk or white chocolate which has milk in.

Booja Booja are a more solid truffle, you can bite into them rather than letting them melt but they're not chewy, they are dipped in cocoa powder, have a dark chocolate outer and an inner with more texture. They are firmer and tend to stay in your mouth a bit longer, so my preferred truffle. Available in Ginger Wine (subtle ginger), Flambed Banana (not the usual false banana flavour and not overpowering), Hazelnut Rocher (nuts and crispy bits) or Coffee - all in single flavour 80g wooden box for around £4 or £10 for 220g (I think) mixed flavours, Champagne in a cardboard box £5 for 12 (150g I think).

It's all down to personal taste but they are all delicious for a special treat.

[matt]

listen carefully i'm sat here chanting "i don't really miss chocolate" repeat one thousand times and try to believe what you're saying....not working yet:drool: :rant:

[Mac]

Pam, are the booja truffles available online do you know?

[matt]

what a name for truffles!!!:lol2:

[Pam]

I think www.veganstore.co.uk (http://www.veganstore.co.uk/) sell them http://www.veganstore.co.uk/booja.html they also do some white chocolate and fudge.

Also try http://www.viva.org.uk/shop/chocolate.htm which is an anti-animal cruelty site. Their postage is a little cheaper but they don't have as big a range and I can also recommend their books - The L Plate Vegan and The Cake Scoffer won't break the bank at £1 and £1.25 each and are very informative. The Cake Scoffer has some lovely vegan cake and sweet recipes (don't contain milk or eggs) and has some great humour. I have ordered from Viva previously and had no problems but unless you want to hear about their anti cruelty campaigns, tick the box to say that you don't want to receive further mailings.

Matt, the Booja Booja name I think is supposed to hint at black magic (they certainly are dark and naughty/exciting). Each box of truffles comes with a Boojagram which is a little card with one of their slogans on. Maybe I'll e-mail them to see if they will donate a prize to the site. I'm pretty sure I have seen an e-mail address in the past for them.

[matt]

yeah go for it. atleast that other site lets you say no to the animal rights stuff.

sorry i don't agree with outright cruelty to animals but we are designed to eat meat. if someone choices not to then that's fine, i'd never impose my views on someone else.

i do get quite annoyed when other people don't have the same attitude. this is not a dig at you pam don't worry.

there are militant veggies out there insisting we all follow their decisions. they seem to think that animals will be kept on farms for pets if we all stop eating meat. i don't think they quite understand economics:rant:

[Pam]

I did a google search for "Booja" and found them on sale in loads of places. Goodness direct also sell them as well as lots of other places - dairyfree and otherwise so there's plenty to choose from.

Like I said, I'm not vegan or vegetarian but at least I know that anything marked "vegan" is safe in terms of being dairy free.

[matt]

i'm not against vegan or veggies and i agree the site is very usefull as you say you can be tottally sure it's dairy free. great for us.

it's like anything, i don't like people approaching me with their views on life. mormons at the door, charity muggers in the high street and so on.

wish some more firms did something interesting with carob!:(
saw some carob coated raisins picked them up to find they include wheat!

just goingto have to find another treat. feel like freefrom pancake for "lunch" today.:drool:

[linny]

I'm sure I spotted Booja Easter eggs and truffles at the Lakeland shop at Bluewater last year, may be worth a try.