Chocolate Week 2013 is almost upon us – so what better way to kick things off than by sneaking a peek at the Thorntons Chocolate Afternoon Tea?
Inspired by the flavours of several new Thorntons offerings – and on sale for a limited time – it certainly isn’t your average menu (unless your local tea room always sells Salmon and Cocoa Sandwiches).
At £33 per person, however (£41 with Champagne), it also isn’t the cheapest of ways to chow down.
So what do you get for your money?
Well, there’s a comfortable seat in the opulent Park Lane Hotel, a harpist strumming pop songs in the corner, a plate of ornate-looking savouries (filled mainly with meat and fish), plus fine Loose Leaf Tea poured from silver pots.
The main event – the Scones and handcrafted Desserts – are also extremely stylish, with Chocolate running through the whole affair.
I enjoyed gobbling up the three Scones (Plain, Chocolate, and Chocolate Chip), which were fresh and still warm, albeit quite small.
The Raspberry and Chocolate Jam went down a treat as well – though I can’t say I could taste the Choc in the Lemon and White Chocolate Curd.
The Desserts looked both immaculate and enticing. However, sharing each one between two proved to be very messy, and meant that the final mouthfuls were rather too miniature for my liking.
In general, I found myself craving more.
More of the Passion Fruit Mousse, with its solid White Chocolate flower.
More of the silky Coconut Mousse (a luxurious lovechild of Teacake and Bounty).
I especially wanted more of the Raspberry Cheesecake Bombe: the gorgeous round pink Chocolate shell, which was filled with a Raspberry froth.
But, alas, it was not to be.
Instead, at the end of the Tea, my blood sugar quota was filled with a taster of three new Thorntons Truffles – plus an edible Chocolate name tag to take home.
The verdict then?
Undoubtedly sleek, a definite treat, but, at times, far too petite.