By far the dieter's biggest adversary... choccie is a little brown, delicious sod; make no mistake. And it comes in many irresistible guises, all of which you are powerless to resist.
Dark or white, milk or flavoured there really is something for everyone; even diabetics and those intolerant to dairy get a bite of the action with many chocolatiers accommodating numerous dietary requirements.
So clear an afternoon in your diary and head out in search of London's best chocolate...
For intricately designed chocolates and cakes with a gothic/boho edge look no further; the designs are nothing short of art. Skulls and roses abound on towering concoctions, but for something simpler grab a table at the café and try the freshly made cakes and hot chocolate.
This gourmet chocolate shop was founded in Paris in 1977, and has gone on to open branches all over the world. They’ve achieved global success thanks to creations like glazed chestnuts, fruit slabs and candied orange rind coated in dark chocolate, along with their distinctively Parisian branches.
Themed afternoon teas are ten-a-penny these days, but fortunately the ‘Confessions of a Chocoholic’ tea at the Hilton Park Lane’s restaurant doesn’t overdo it by offering traditional finger sandwiches as well as a generous amount of cocoa-based fancies, scones and pastries. Highlights are the citrus and chocolate mousse and the scones with praline spread.
Luxury chocolatiers Rococo do unusual flavours like as lavender bars, dark chocolate and earl grey wafers, as well as beautiful hand-painted chocolates shaped like cats, fish and lobsters. Get one of their hampers, which have everything from fondants, ganaches and truffles to marzipans, nougat and artisan bars, and your chocolate-loving friends will love you forever.
Rabot 1745 is the restaurant of well-known chain Hotel Chocolat, named after a 250 year old plantation in St. Lucia. Well positioned above Borough Market, the ambitious menu wants to show that cacao (the unroasted version of cocoa) is not just for pudding. Take the cocoa-gin cured salmon, white chocolate mash, and chopped rump steak burger with cacao beer braised onions; oddly enough they work.
So The Botanist is not a chocolate specialist as such, but we simply had to include it for the hot chocolate. It’s made to their very own specifications from flakes and garnished with a chocolate stirrer from none other than Rococo that gradually melts into the drink. Super-rich and gloopy, chocolate blogs rave about it.
You may know Paul A. Young from his appearances on The Apprentice and This Morning, or from his time working at acclaimed restaurants Quo Vadis and Criterion. Or you might have seen or been inside one of his four shops, which are the fine dining equivalent of the confectionery world: here you can find exquisite flavour combinations like blackcurrant truffles made with cassis, and blood orange, white chocolate and gin ganache.
Because chocolate can be educational too, Brixton’s Chocolate Museum has a permanent exhibition which explains its history illustrated by artefacts that date back to the 18th century. There are also detailed accounts of cocoa production and slavery and the history of British chocolate. Not forgetting of course the sweets that are on sale, which are fair trade and from small producers.