Chocolates
Butlers
€21 for 500 grams (€42 a kilo)
Highs: The presentation is first class, and the wide variety of white, dark and milk chocolates has ne'r a Turkish delight in sight. Some thought has gone into naming and design - the Curragh truffle comes in the shape of a jockey's cap - and they taste pretty good.
Lows: None of the brands tested could be described as remotely bad, but these are comparatively ordinary. They're good but not great. They also come (and this is the most minor of lows) without a second layer, denying the greedy the chance to steal their favourites from underneath before the first layer gets polished off.
Verdict: Pretty good.
Star rating: ****
The Cocoa Tree
€20 for 270 grams (€74.07 a kilo)
Highs: Without wanting to come across like a drooling Homer Simpson lost in the Land of Chocolate, these are just incredible. Handmade using only Valrhona chocolate, they are in a league of their own. The inventive flavours - basil, chillies, mint and fresh fruit feature prominently - are a perfect marriage of savoury and sweet. Fantastically rich yet beautifully light.
Lows: They are more than twice as expensive as the others. Availability is also a problem: the company's sole outlet is Galway's Saturday market. It hopes to be in Dublin soon, however, and will take orders on 091-792184 or 087-6171488.
Verdict: Watch out Willy Wonka.
Star rating: *****
Leonidas
€14 for 500 grams (28 a kilo)
Highs: With more than 2,000 outlets worldwide, Leonidas is the Starbucks of gourmet chocolate. These are remarkably good value, and the variety of fillings will satisfy even the fussiest of folk as they gorge themselves in front of the TV over Christmas. Some of the fillings taste all the better for being made with fresh cream.
Lows: The chocolate is quite heavy and somewhat ordinary, and you'd be hard pressed to eat more than a couple at a sitting (although this might be to this brand's credit). With its Belgian origins, Leonidas is the only brand that cannot boast about its Irishness.
Verdict: Comparatively ordinary.
Star rating: ***
Lily O'Briens
€14.94 for 375g (39.84 a kilo)
Highs: The fillings are unusual - and rather excellent. The chocolate casing is pretty good too. The fillings appear to be based on a dessert trolley: there's a great tiramisu and a bizarre-tasting but memorable lemon meringue pie.
Lows: The only problem is that there aren't more of them, or at least more variety. There wasn't a huge choice of fillings in the box on test, with the sticky toffee and the chocolate cheesecake dominating proceedings. Irritatingly, the menu card listed 14 varieties even though the box contained just eight. That the chocolates sit on a clear plastic base does them no favours either.
Verdict: Fine chocolates.
Star rating: ****
Excellent ***** Great **** Fine *** Below par** Awful *
