Charbonnel et Walker - Sea Salt Banana Caramel Truffles

If you follow The Amazing Blog closely, you know how excited we get when we receive delicious snacks to trial, especially when they're chocolate! This week, the delectable treats we speak of come courtesy of our friends at Charbonnel et Walker. Having sampled the brand a few times before, we knew what a divine experience we were in for, and were not left disappointed. We were lucky enough to try the new Sea Salt Banana Caramel Truffles, which are a new spin on their traditional Sea Salt Caramel Truffles, and equally decadent.

Charbonnel et Walker have been crafting indulgent chocolates since 1875, making them one of Britain’s first chocolatiers. Given the royal seal of approval, they serve as chocolate manufacturers to Her Majesty The Queen, and if they’re fit for royalty, they were definitely fit for the girls and I here in the office. The Sea Salt Banana Caramel Truffles are hand-crafted with dark chocolate couverture, giving the chocolate shell its signature luscious and silky taste. The centre is filled with gooey, sweet and salty caramel that has subtle hints of banana,  the truffles finished off with a light dusting of icing sugar. Packaged in Charbonnel et Walker's signature handmade boxes, complete with satin ribbons and complimentary gift wrapping, these luxurious sweets are perfect for any special occasion, or for the occasional office splurge! To get a taste of these ‘amazing-approved’ sweets, visit Charbonnel et Walker instore or online, where they are available for £12.50.

Friday Favourites - Valentine's Day

To quote Robert Smith (lead singer of the Cure) “It’s Friday and [we’re] in love!” Yes, today is the day when lovers all over the world will be showering their loved ones with heart-felt messages and gifts. Don't worry if you don’t have a partner, why not just treat yourself! But for those of you that will be spreading the love, we here at The Amazing Blog have compiled a few of our Valentine’s Day favourites to help get you on your way.

Let’s start by setting the mood or the ‘ambiance’ for this special date night. Ancienne Ambiance is a British luxury brand that produces luxury goods and utilises fragrances that are inspired by ingredients and techniques from ancient times. They offer an array of beautifully candles, soaps, bath salts and oils. Their products are hand-poured and delivered in elegant purple (our favourite colour!) hand-crafted gift boxes. The brand has recently introduced the Lavendula Collection, which features top quality, pesticide-free lavender which is produced in both France and UK. From the Lavendula Collection, we particularly love the soaps and bath salts which immediately fill the office with an aroma of calming lavender (much needed to calm our hectic days...). The Lavendula Beauty Gift Set in full of lots of gorgeous goodies that  include a pillar candle, three soaps, bath & body oil and salts. The set is a perfect way of giving your loved one a relaxing evening and can be found here.

Given that Ancienne Ambiance specialises in the art of luxury candle making, we must mention their limited edition Valentine’s Day, Red Eros Rose Scented Candle. This premium three wick candle is scented with the most delicious Damascan Roses. It uses slow burning beeswax and best of all has no wax dripping issues. The Damascan Roses are used in particular to make a variety of rose-scented products due to their rich, floral scent therefore this candle is sure to fill the room with a sweet and irresistible fragrance. The candle is available here for £34.

If you want something a bit more unusual, why not give your loved one a unique one-of-a-kind vase filled with allegedly a 'thousand rose petals’. Ashleigh & Burwood creates home fragrances that are meant to beautify and enhance your home’s ambience through fragrance. Ashleigh & Burwood offers the Decadent Diffuser Gift Set which includes the scent of a ‘thousand rose petals’ in an artisan-made vase with mosaic detailing, guaranteeing no two vases are ever the same. This diffuser gives off a velvety, red rose scent that is enhanced with warm subtle spices and a twist of exotic ylang ylang. Ylang ylang is found in Southeast Asia and is used to relieve stress, induce happiness and act as an aphrodisiac. The diffuser gift set is available for £22.50 and can be found here.

Next we have a sweet treat for your date night courtesy of Charbonnel et Walker. They are the  purveyors of fine chocolates and have been crafting chocolates since 1875. For Valentine’s Day they offer various gift sets for that special someone. We were lucky enough to try the Truffle Kisses box which includes the signature Pink Marc de Champagne and the new Raspberry Marc de Champagne Truffles. We were excited to try these and they didn't disappoint with their decadent champagne kisses! The truffles have a hard pink chocolate shell that unveiled a delicate, chocolate filling, which was infused with hints of raspberry and champagne perfect for a romantic night in. The chocolates are hand-made and follow a traditional recipe which is couverture (which means the chocolate has a higher cocoa butter content) giving the chocolate a unique richer and silkier taste. The boxes come with complimentary gift wrapping thus making the presentation beautiful and hassle free!  The boxes are available in store or online here for £20.And if that dose of sweetness was not enough, pick up a box of Macarons by Babette. Babette is relatively new (launching in March 2013) and they supply to various cafes around London including Le Pain Quotidien  restaurants. Le Pain Quotidien offers macarons in boxes of two or six, but Macarons Babette takes on much larger orders depending on the occasion and event. If you really want to go over the top and ‘wow’ your partner, Macarons by Babette even offers a whole tower of macarons! Whatever your needs this Valentine’s Day, Macarons by Babette are sure to have a flavour for you. You can order yours online or find a supplier here.

Lastly, we have something that incorporates everything  for Valentine’s Day. It is an all-inclusive hotel that showers you and your lover in chocolaty delights. The Chocolate Boutique Hotel is located in Bournemouth, Dorset. It  houses 15 chocolate-themed rooms. They are offering three packages for Valentine’s Day but recommended the double room package as it includes a one nights’ accommodation, breakfast, a bottle of their Exclusive Spanish Cava, their Belgian Chocolate fountain with strawberries and marshmallows to dip and a slab of chocolate with your very own personalised message.  There is also a chocolate workshop allowing you and your partner to learn about the origins and art of chocolate-making To book your night and see which package is right for you, go here.

 Whatever you and your partner decide to do tonight, we hope our suggestions inspire you!  We here at the Amazing Blog wish you a fun, passionate and decadently sweet evening!

Delectable Treats from Charbonnel et Walker

Here at The Amazing Blog we are not ashamed to admit that we are chocoholics! So when we find a chocolate product that is really special we simply have to spread the word. We were really excited to receive some chocolate goodies from Charbonnel et Walker, a high end chocolatier that is in fact one of the oldest in Britain.

We were lucky enough to try out some chocolates from the Delectables Collection, a range designed to be the perfect after dinner treat. There is an assortment of flavours on offer, 70% Dark Batons, Sea Salt Caramel Batons, Ginger Sticks and Orange Sticks, so there is a flavour to suit most palates.

Before we had even tried the chocolate, we had all fallen in love with the packaging. The chocolate batons come in a classic and classy navy blue box with gold lettering, so we thought that they would make a fantastic gift for family or friends. We also discovered that Charbonnel et Walker holds the Royal Warrant, that is a sign of quality that simply cannot be argued with!

We tried out the Sea Salt Caramel Batons and the Orange Sticks. My favourite just has to be the Sea Salt Caramel Batons, I love chocolate but can often find milk chocolate far too sweet for my taste, however the salt cuts through the sweetness, taking the edge off it.

The Orange Sticks are very different to your typical chocolate orange, the sticks consist of sweet candied orange covered in delicious bitter dark chocolate. This combination of the sweet and bitter works in perfect harmony, with the two flavours complimenting each other perfectly.

We think that these delectable treats are perfect for impressing guests at a dinner party or to give as a gift to a loved one as not only does the box look great, but the chocolate is rich and delicious. You can purchase chocolates from the After Dinner Collection from the Charbonnel et Walker website where they retail for £12 for a box of 125g.

Valentine's Day

At The Amazing Blog, what could bring us more joy than Valentine’s Day. The day filled entirely with love, chocolates, and presents. Here at The Amazing Blog we have sorted out through different chocolates, beauty items, home accessories, and events going on in London to help you pick out the best gifts and nightly activities for that special someone. Le Creuset have just come out with a stylish three piece mini heart set right in time for Valentine’s Day! These new pint-sized heart shaped dishes have a cute appeal to them. They come in three complementary colours, Cerise, Cassis, and Rose. These mini heart shaped dishes are ideal for three small dessert puddings to share with each other. You don't have to look any further than these mini heart shaped boxes to give a great impression. This is a perfect gift to give someone very special and watch their face light up when you reveal your special desserts inside each of these dishes! The Le Creuset of 3 Stoneware Heart Mini’s can be purchased on-line and in stores for a reasonable £32.

Give the gift that will help spruce up your house and also give back to others! With Fine Cell Work cushions you are not only getting a hand made cushion but you are also helping others in prison. Approximately 100 hours of work goes into each handmade product. Fine Cell Work has all different types of cushions for Valentine’s Day that could become a new asset in your home. We love the Daisy De Villeneuve – Love Hand in particular. With the bright and funky styles that this cushion is designed with, it’s a great way to add some colour in the room. These designs were hand-drawn by illustrator Daisy De Villeneuve. When you purchase these cushions, it helps rehabilitate inmates in prison because they are given the opportunity to earn money and stay out of trouble. This cushion can be purchased in stores and on line for £45, not bad if you ask me!

Always have your hands around her heart when you give her the Dia Boutique “Hold Me Tight” Necklace. This necklace is the perfect symbol of your love. With the two hands clenching onto her heart it's a romantic gesture and something she will always wear. This necklace combines a touch of humour with a romantic spin. This Valentine’s Day, give her the perfect “I Love You” necklace with the "Hold Me Tight” by Dia Boutique. You can purchase “Hold Me Tight” online or in stores for £91.37.

The smell of roses is all around on Valentine’s Day, but why does that have to end so soon? Give you loved one a gift of an exotic blend of rose petals that can last long after the roses have faded. With Senti’s Petali di Rose home fragrance, the smells of the exotic Turkish rose gives off a sense of rich elegance. The women can pamper their significant other with the delightful Cuoio e Radica that gives off a subtle Leather and Wood scent. Dr. Vranjes considered the scents that would please give off a feminine scent and a masculine scent. The Petali di Rose for ‘her’ and the Cuoio e Radica for ‘him’ is available in the Senti store or online for £49.50 for a 250ml size diffuser.John Bell & Croyden hand selected some great Valentine’s Day gift sets for both him and her. We love the Rose Garden gift box that has four fabulous beauty items wrapped up in one box. The Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Body Lotion moisturizes the skin with the perfect blend of Shea butter, rose, evening primrose, almond, and coconut oils. With the Marny’s Rose Hip Oil it keeps your skin, nails, and hair healthy while helping with signs of anti-aging. The Woods of Windsor Rose scented draw liners, give off an elegant scent of true rose petals. The last part of this gift set is the Le Petit Oliver Rose soap that will make your body soft and give off a fresh smell. You can purchase this lovely gift set for £48 online or from the John Bell & Croyden store.

We have always loved Korres products and found out they were featuring a Valentine’s Day gift set that is a ‘must-have’! The Korres Roses and Love 3-piece collection lets your body be lavished with rose scents. This gift set includes a Japanese Rose Shower Gel, Japanese Rose Body Butter, and Wild Rose Lip Butter. These three separate items provides an aromatic bathing experience while soothing the skin. The Japanese Rose Body Butter maintains the skin’s natural moisture level and releases a subtle scent of roses that linger on. With the spring around the corner, this 3-piece Korres collection will have your skin feeling fresh and smelling amazing! Korres products are available from a number of retailers such as ASOS and Look Fantastic for £20, which is a great price for these full sized products.

Chocolate is the key to everyone’s heart, especially ours. Charbonnel et Walker have been providing Britain with their handmade chocolates since 1875 and are still chocolate lover’s heaven. Their Valentine feature chocolate is their Strawberry White Truffles. These truffles make your mouth water before you even pop one in! They have a hard outside layer of white chocolate followed by a creamy chocolate and strawberry inside, topped off with a piece of real strawberry. The Strawberry White Truffle certainly got everyone in a happy mood! This piece of delicate chocolate provides the perfect mix of creamy goodness in each bite. The Charbonnel et Walker Strawberry White Truffle can be purchased for £11.95 in stores or on-line.

On Patisserie has provided their customers with a Valentine’s Day treat! The beautifully hand decorated macarons aren’t only for show but they are delicious with every bite! These are very light cookies made with a very flavorful icing filling. The Valentine’s Day box comes with 12 glittered and decorated macarons. This is the perfect night night-cap snack after spending the holiday with each other. They will be available from the On Patisserie's stall at Real Food Market Southbank for £16.50 a gift box of 12 or £10 for a gift bag of 6 pieces. You can also purchase On Patisserie's Valentine's Day Macarons on-line for £18.50.

Want to sweep your loved one right off her feet? Canary Wharf group has the perfect arrangement for a romantic and eventful night out on the town. The Valentine’s Tea Dance includes an array of vintage teas, cakes, finger sandwiches and professional instructors to teach you some dance moves to impress one another. These dances will include the waltz, tango, and cha-cha. Upon arrival there will be a complimentary glass of bubbly and a full cash bar. Dance the night away alongside with the Berkeley Square Society Band for only £12. You can purchase tickets here or call 0871 220 0260.