To say some chocolates are distinctively middle class?

[lionobserving]

MIL asked us if we thought our ferrero rocher tower was "aspirational" and said she knows ferrero rochers to be the aspirational chocolates of the working class.

This baffled me. My family has always sort of transcended class - my mum was upper middle, my day was very working class. But he was a doctor and she a nurse. We were probably lower middle growing up if I had to put a tag on it, but our mixed extended family meant that we weren't aware of what was "posh" or MC / WC. We certainly wouldn't have known which chocs has the markings of which class.

Therefore MNers - lightheartedly - tell me which chocolates you view as typically middle class? We discussed it as a family and we couldn't come up with a single one!

*LINDT

not lint

Cheaper chocolate does use cheaper ingredients like Palm oil instead of cocoa butter.

Prestat or Neuhaus.

Peratoner

@Cosmos123 some, not all. Most LIDL and ALDI chocolate does not, and just uses cocoa butter.
Iceland do not use palm oil, but do use coconut oil instead.

@EdenFlower

I think any chocolates that you have to choose from a selection behind a glass counter which are then put into a little white box and tied with a ribbon are what I aspire to . They will also ideally be from a tiny little shop down a Victorian Arcade or in a windy narrow street full of artisan expensive shops. DH got me some of this type from Cahrbonnell and Walker this year. They were gorgeous!

Lindor/Lindt seem to be the choice of 'posh' chocolates from the mass market ones in my circles. But doesn't everyone want a huge tin of Quality streets at Christmas (has to be in th tin though, not a plastic tub as that would just be 'tacky' )

I've gone right off Quality Street.

They changed the chocolate a approx 3 years ago, and it now has a horrid, slightly oily, feel in the mouth, and doesn't taste as ... well, chocolatey as it used to.

[quote RoyalFamilyFan]@Cosmos123 some, not all. Most LIDL and ALDI chocolate does not, and just uses cocoa butter.
Iceland do not use palm oil, but do use coconut oil instead.[/quote]
Yes I love lidl chocolate and they use chocolate butter.

Cadbury started to use palm oil.

*cocoa

@CounsellorTroi I think Suchard were eaten up by Kraft (toblerone was suchard back in the 70s/80s)

@Sgtmajormummy

Where I live the fancy, aspirational chocolatier has taken over the historic monumental cafe and a few prominent pastry shops. They do a good job of sourcing ethical cocoa and employing qualified staff. Their window displays are always spectacular with specially shaped offerings throughout the year. BUUUUUUUUT they use goat’s milk in their milk chocolate and I just can’t get over it…

Oh! Where is this please (pm if you prefer)?? My DD has developed cow's milk intolerance, but misses 'milk' chocolate so much!

My best ever chocolate was in a chocolatiers in Le Touquet - they also had a little cafe selling hot drinks - I had hot chocolate with kirsch it was amazing
Next best was in Krakow - we stayed in old town in an apartment above local chocolatier which was very dangerous for my diet

@DrSbaitso knowing the word ouroboros just says to me that the person has an interest in mythology!

The one posh person I know, as in Tatler levels of posh gave us Monty Bojangles for Christmas

@mrdarcyfan

Maltesers are classless.

How dare! I think you’ll find the dancers at the Ballet eat one before a performance.

@monotonousmum

Are after eights aspirational too? I love them

I still enjoy an After Eight or 6. I also like Frys Peppermint Cream bars (lovely strong peppermint flavour) and Ritter Sport Peppermint, which is like the biggest, fattest After Eight ever.

Actually, Ritter Sport chocolate is pretty good imo. They do a lovely marzipan bar (although I realise that marzipan is a very divisive thing!).

I find Celebrations very middle class.

And any branded chocolates that come in ‘a box’

I agree @LakieLady, Ritter is lovely chocolate. But it's German, so outwith the British class system (unless you count the Royal Family ) so not pertinent to the thread

I like the cornflake, the biscuit, the coconut, and the alpine milk varieties the most. Though the rum and raisin is quite nice, as it tastes genuinely boozy.

Bendicks Bittermints.

Monty Bojangles uses coconut oil and palm kernel oil. Good quality chocolates don't. ALDI Moser Roth chocolate is far better quality, but doesn't carry the same status.

WC - Roses, Quality Street, Thornton’s, Black Magic, Hero’s, Celebrations, Ferrero Rocher, After Eights. Guylien.

MC - Lindt, Monty Bojangles, Hotel Chocolat, Green and Black, Tony Chocolony, Godiva, Montezuma, Charbonel et Walker

UC - Prestat, Neuhaus, Leonidas, stuff made by niche chocolatiers plus anything they happen to like regardless of naff quotient as they don’t give a flying fart what anyone thinks.

@bintang
They’re based in Pordenone Italy but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d opened a London branch (they ARE aspirational They also do mail order.

See the link above.

Divine and Seed & Bean probably MC? The former being Fairtrade & farmer-owned, and the latter Fairtrade & organic.

The Divine hazelnut truffle bar is, well, divine 🤤

Ah, I've seen it now, thank you @Sgtmajormummy
Probably a little far for me to pop for a few chocolates

Prestat and Charbonnel et Walker scream money. There’s something truly decadent yet shockingly awful about devouring a £100 box of chocolates.

As kids we felt posh with the Black Magic and Ferrero’s 😂