Exclusive announcement and giveaway - Chocadores launch new products

Shhhhh!  Gather round, have I got some amazing news for you!  For the past few weeks I've been on a top secret mission with the fabulous Chocadores discussing the launch of their incredible new products.  How I've managed to keep my trap shut about this, goodness only knows.  Not even Wikileaks has got wind of this.

I wrote about Chocadores inspiring approach to chocolate a few weeks back.  Their passion is to bring pure unadulterated chocolate to everyone. To encourage people to move away from the mass-produced, overly sweetened, hydrogenated vegetable oil filled, tasteless blocks, and to try a purer product made from single origin beans.

Following on from my unashamedly rapturous tasting of the giant chocolate buttons, Chocadores have now launched their mini-buttons.  Available in either Ecuador 39% mini milk buttons or Madagascar 67% mini dark buttons, priced at £3.75 for 150g bag.  These are too cute for words, they're cute as a err... well cute as a button.  You can tell they are not mass-produced as each one is slightly different in size or shape. You will have to take my word for it (or better still, order some for yourself), you have NEVER tasted chocolate buttons like this before.  The milk buttons are smooth and deliciously creamy, with a slightly nutty taste.  The dark ones are rich, fruity and completely decadent.  Size-wise these buttons are about halfway between a chocolate chip and those kid's chocolate buttons (you know, the ones that come in a purple packet).

Also new to the range, the mini milk buttons are now available in a glass kilner-style jar (priced at £8.95), making them a perfect gift for a gourmet cook.  I reckon you could safely stash these in the kitchen cupboard with a 'keep off' sign, and treat it in much the same way as some do their cooking sherry, taking a surreptitious mouthful every now and again!

This time I was determined to use my sample buttons to bake with.  What better recipe for mini-buttons than mini chocolate cupcakes.  The small buttons melted effortlessly, and the smell in the kitchen was heaven.  Here's the finished result (sorry, not the most elegant as I couldn't find my piping bag or my palette knife, goodness knows where they've wandered off to, but I had to show you to prove I didn't scoff the lot again!)

Finally, the third new product is possibly my favourite.  I am a huge fan of hot chocolate, and at this time of the year there's nothing more comforting than curling up with a warming mug.  Chocadores are launching their brand new hot chocolate cube.  I'm honoured that I have already been able to sample this (be jealous, be very jealous).

When it arrived, I did have my doubts that it would work.  It looked just like a giant chunk of chocolate, and I know from previous experience that melting chocolate can be a bit hit and miss.  When melting it for cakes it can sometimes go grainy, or else it doesn't melt thoroughly and you're left with lumps, but most of all, it can take ages.  To be honest, I wasn't entirely convinced it would ever get to be introduced to the warm milk, such was the temptation to just eat it as it was...

But it worked magically.  I heated milk on the stove, added the cube to the hot milk, gave it a little stir and that's it - as simple as that.  No lumps, no sludgy residue at the bottom, but a beautifully even cup of hot chocolate.

Apologies to the purists, but I like to have a marshmallow (or 20) in my hot choc.  Often with the powdered or even flaked versions, the addition of marshmallows to an already over-sweetened drink can be teeth-rottingly sickly.  But as this cube is just pure chocolate and some cane sugar you can safely add marshmallows if you so desire!

I'm so excited about this new product. As far as I know it's an absolute first on the UK market and I'm convinced it is going to be hugely popular.  It's certainly going on my shopping list.

To celebrate the launch of these new products, Chocadores are giving away an exclusive gift set to one of my lucky readers.  The set consists of a pack of the hot chocolate cubes, a glass jar of mini milk buttons and a bag of mini dark buttons, all in a presentation box.  Seriously, chocolate doesn't get any better than this!

To enter, you need to complete the following 2 steps and leave me a comment in the box below.

Visit Chocadores on Facebook and 'like' their page.  Then leave a comment here on the blog answering this question: What would be the perfect chocolate related Christmas gift, and who would you give it to?

For example, your comment should look something like this:

I've liked Chocadores facebook page.  The perfect gift from me would be Johnny Depp dipped from head to toe in Madagascar dark chocolate.... excuse me a moment while I savour that image...

That's my fantasy chocolate gift, you need to come up with your own!

You can get additional entries for doing the following, BUT YOU MUST LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH

Post on your facebook wall "I've entered @Missie Lizzie's blog competition to win an exclusive chocolate prize with @Chocadores http://bit.ly/gpcEf0" (1 extra comment = 1 extra entry)

Follow @Chocadores on Twitter (1 extra comment = 1 extra entry)

Tweet: "I've entered @missielizzieb's blog competition to win an exclusive chocolate prize with @Chocadores http://bit.ly/gpcEf0 #chocadores" (1 extra comment = 1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave a way from me to contact you - a twitter name, Facebook name or email etc. If the winner has not responded within 1 week of making the draw, I will pick another winner.

Sorry, due to weight this competition is open to UK entrants only.  Closing date midnight Saturday 11 December 2010.  Winner will be picked at random. Good luck everyone. x