Notes on chocolate: going nuts over Swiss Rocher

Swiss Rocher is chocolate that has crunchy bits of nuts in it. Sometimes there’s praline, sometimes the nuts are caramelised, sometimes not.

Whatever, it makes for a (if you like nuts, that is) really moreish, delicious chocolate. Rocher means rock in French, so traditionally these are ball shaped. And often if you go into a chocolate shop, you’ll see them, nut-studded golf ball-sized chocolate rounds. I really like them, because they’re big enough to be indulgent, and once you bite in you just have to keep going.

Le Choux, which I mentioned a few weeks ago regarding cookies, has made Hazelnut Rochers (£19.50/5) for a while, but now the chocolate comes from the fabulous Firetree, to make 40% milk Swiss Rocher balls – wonderful salty sweet praline, feuilletine and roasted nuts, all rolled into delicious volcanic earth, dark milk chocolate.

These are a worthy treat for you, but they also make a great little present, perhaps to stuff in a stocking or bring with you to Christmas gatherings. They’re unusual enough to bring delight and the 40% milk means they will suit all but the darkest of tastes.

Lumi has made the Swiss Rocher bar, £7.50/100g. This is 34% milk and is packed with crunchy silvers of almonds, in bar form. You can manage just how much chocolate you have with more ease: one piece or 10.

Lumi has also brought back the Chestnut Truffles I collaborated on last year. As always, I don’t make any money from them, but a percentage of sales goes to Crisis at Christmas.