Dolce by Ferrero Rocher in Covent Garden pop-up
Ever since that gaudy triangle of gold-wrapped chocolates charmed the British population via their 1990s ad, Ferrero Rocher have been a classic stock gift and tongue-in-cheek mark of luxury for any dinner party or Christmas get together.
But now you can experience the crispy balls of nutty deliciousness in an entirely new form. Opening in Covent Garden especially for the Christmas period, Ferrero Rocher have created a pop-up devoted to the treat.
Breaking down the classic Ferrero Rocher into its constituent parts and playing tribute to each, guests can indulge in a “multi-layered chocolate experience” accompanied by a hot drink or a cheeky glass of prosecco. Surrounded by gold and chocolate hues, filled with hazy candlelight and installed with a wall made entirely of the of golden bauble treats, the designers of the venue have pulled out all the stops. Being welcomed and served by unshakably friendly staff completes a feeling of being none other than a VIP.
Then for the dessert itself: to the table arrived an exquisitely presented dish that the waitress painstakingly talked me through. First a tribute to the hazelnut centre – chocolate mousse on a gold teaspoon with a cocoa-roasted hazelnut. For the next layer, a praline ganache in a flower-edged cup. Thirdly, a brilliantly textured crumbly wafer-coated ball of ganache. Then, before I made it to number four, the waitress returned with rich hot chocolate sauce to pour over its dark chocolate, nut-topped dome (sadly my sauce wasn’t hot enough to melt the dome as intended, but it was tasty enough nonetheless). And finally a cute mini spun sugar stick sprinkled with edible gold glitter to represent the gold wrapper.
As a chocolate lover, the candy floss stick was clever but the least appealing of the five tasters. But the concept is a lovely one, elevating the familiar chocolate to a whole new level of sophistication. The only problem might be the dessert outdoes the star of the show in the centre of the plate – the original Ferrero Rocher.
An indulgent and innovative experience, hopefully they will decide to extend their stay and prompt a remaking of their ad: “Monsieur, with these deconstructed Rocher, you’re really spoiling us.”
Sarah Bradbury
Dolce by Ferrero Rocher was at 21 Slingsby Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9AB from 1st until 11th December 2016.
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