Island Chocolates are lovingly hand-made on the Isle of Wight.
This delightful shop is famous for making chocolates, as well as offering the Island’s largest selection of loose Continental chocolates and confectionery, beautifully boxed for that special occasion.
It’s a chocoholic’s heaven of hand-piped pralines and rolled truffles made in-house, above the shop, using only the finest Belgian couverture and locally sourced ingredients. As well as time-honoured favourites such as rich fruit mendiants, the chocolatier’s specialities use Isle of Wight cream and apple blossom honey to excite the most discerning palettes. All sorts can be found, including creamy Belgian chocolate bars and slab covered in crunchy nuts and juicy fruits to take home as a gift or just to indulge yourself.
Lesley Evans is the chocolatier and owner of “Island Chocolates”. She says:
“When we opened a gift shop 8 years ago, we never dreamt that we would be selling our very own range of loose chocolates! We installed a kitchen above our small shop in Ryde and my daughter and I set to with a dipping fork each….getting very messy in the process! We’ve been amazed by the reception the chocolates have had and the support we’ve been given since we launched Island Chocolates.
We see ourselves as true chocolate artisans, creating our own little masterpieces, from original design, through all the stages of production, to decorating and packaging. Presentation is very important to us; we always try to come up with new and innovative ways to package our products so that the finished article appeals to all ages.
All of our Island Chocolates are made by hand on the premises using various techniques. Some are hand rolled, some piped, some moulded - each using delicious Belgian couverture chocolate. Fillings include praline, soft caramel, fruit fondants, Cornish fudge, marzipan, ganache, etc. We always source local ingredients wherever possible and have recently created a speciality range using Isle of Wight honey, lavender, cream and liqueurs.
The intense aroma of the IOW Lavender Farm’s flower heads infused in cream gives our truffles their wonderful flavour. We enrobe them, by hand, in both milk and white chocolate to seal in the freshness. The busy bees at Adgestone collect the honey from apple orchards and clover fields on the Island and produce a variety of honey flavours perfect for our “Honey Nut Crunch”. Rosemary Vineyard liqueurs are the finest ingredient of our luxurious fruit truffles. The liqueur is combined with a soft chocolate ganache and piped into decorative moulds.
We are always looking to try new ideas and for taste sensations to excite the most discerning palette. Drawing on the experience of world-renowned chocolatiers, we have endeavoured to produce chocolates that use truly local ingredients as an Island-based product is central to our philosophy and provenance is increasingly of interest to the customer.
Island Chocolates is a family business – The personal touch is very important to us and we are always open to suggestions…..Everything tastes better dipped in chocolate!”
Commissions are welcome. For more information or to discuss placing an order please email Lesley
or call 01983 616815.
The “Perfectionery” range offers confectionery for the perfect event, now incorporating this year’s newest addition…a full menu of chocolate pizzas, with a variety of toppings to choose from! The finer details are often the most important in defining your event - Table favours add a special touch to any occasion. An edible arrangement of nougat flowers, a bunch of marshmallows or a little topiary tree covered in sumptuous chocolates for your guests to pluck and relish make a beautiful addition to a wedding table. To compliment a buffet or cocktail fountain, or just to thrill chocoholics of all ages, a stunning 3-tiered silver tray or pair of giant glasses can be filled with a breathtaking display - Spoil your friends with a selection of fine champagne truffles, strawberry crème-fraiche centres and exquisitely decorated tiny Belgian masterpieces.
