It was the big day. Everyone was ready to go, prepped and anxious to get started. Ready, set, go! They dash off to the kitchen, grabbing their ingredients and hurrying off to start their products. Ladies and gentlemen, The Chocolate Wars of spring 2016 had begun. Three months of preparation in weekly candy-making classes culminated in this event, the final show down of talent between groups. The teams were as follows:
Teams were required to make three finished products, each with a specific theme. To make their treats, they were each provided with a white, milk and dark chocolate base, spices, nut butters, mix-ins and decorative fondant. For the first half hour of the competition, our teams had to make a treat with Olde World charm, a classic crowd-pleaser. The second half an hour was dedicated to making a treat with the theme of Spring Fever, which had to include some elements reminiscent of the season. The last hour, the teams made a treat inspired by Boston pride.
At 11:00 sharp, the competition began!
Olde World Classics
The Dynamic Duo made the ever-popular milk chocolate bar mixed with almonds, (top left). They were a little unattractive, but certainly delicious.
The Candy Girls made a calculated risk and chose to make caramel-filled dark chocolates sprinkled with sea salt (top right). They were sticky, gooey deliciousness and extremely attractive!
Our Oldies but Goodies decided to make chocolate covered raisin-peanut milk clusters (bottom left). The classic mix of sweet and salty hit the spot!
Finally, Eva and Sam made milk chocolate walnut fudge (bottom right); the simplicity and richness of this treat was superb!
Spring Fever
For the next challenge, the Dynamic Duo went a very interesting route and, using some of our ice cream, made their own fudge pops (top left)! These were incredibly rich, definitely for the dark chocolate lover!
The Candy Girls came up with a very unique idea for this challenge and made a creamy vanilla lemon center and covered it in white chocolate using our nut butter cup mold (top right) Definitely a spring treat!
The Oldies but Goodies made pina colada white chocolate truffles, with excellent presentation (bottom left).
Eva and Sam made dark chocolate strawberries 'n cream bonbons (bottom right), which were rich, but very sweet.
Boston Pride
The Dynamic Duo made rich tiramisu truffles (top left), in recognition of the North End and Boston's reputation for excellent Italian food.
The Candy Girls made minty meringues dipped dark chocolate (top right) as a tribute to Boston's large Irish population and our enthusiastic celebration of St. Paddy's Day!
The Oldies but Goodies had an incredibly unique idea, using our Easter egg mold to create a Patriots football and making Red Sox-themed, white chocolate-dipped strawberries (bottom left).
Eva and Sam made cream filled chocolate bars, emulating the famous and ever-popular Boston cream pie (bottom right).
The Decision
It was a tough choice, but the judges all agreed in the end the prize should go to the Oldies but Goodies for their incredible creativity, excellent presentation and of course, delicious treats! They won a small cash prize as well as a bag of free goodies each. Additionally, all of their treats are featured as a special here at La Vie, so if you stop in from now to the end of July, their raisin peanut chocolate clusters, pina colada truffles or Patriots football are available at a discounted price!
We know we had fun here at La Vie and we hope all of our teams did too! We look forward to our Chocolate Wars of Summer 2016!
Bye for now!
-the family at La Vie
We know we had fun here at La Vie and we hope all of our teams did too! We look forward to our Chocolate Wars of Summer 2016!
Bye for now!
-the family at La Vie