Willabrand Dark Chocolate Figlettes

Newest Aussie Chocablogger Ashleigh Quick takes a look at something a little different from down under….

Back when I was a kid, if you wanted jam (jelly, for you Americans), you bought Glen Ewin. It was only about 30 years ago one bought local produce, because that was all you could get. Before globalisation, in fact way before long distance transport made it easy to get anything from anywhere, you had no choice. Buy local produce, or do without.

In southern Australia, Glen Ewin had a large property in the Adelaide Hills, where they grew all manner of fruits, which were made into jam. The enterprise started in 1943, the jam-making in 1862.

By the late 1980’s, the business folded – a victim of changing tastes and poor management.
Some good came from all this though: Willa Wauchope, of the current family that own the property, grows figs. Some of the figs come from the original trees planted in the 1850’s. But these are not just any old figs, these little figgies don’t go to market, these go to chocolate.

Willabrand Dark Chocolate Figlettes are the small fellas, little figs – dried naturally on the tree, then coated with dark chocolate. Each is about 1.5 cm in diameter – perhaps ¾ inch. Lay them on a plate and they bear an uncanny resemblance to that other South Australian favourite, Fruchocs.

Remember, these little babies are not some boiled down essence of fig laced with chemical factory wonder, these are the real deal.

A dissection makes an interesting diversion for a Sunday afternoon (such being the things that amuse us), and inside we find the sticky pulp and seeds of the fig within. No messin’ about here. Straight fruit, pure and simple.

Finally, the taste test. No idea where the chocolate comes from, but its rich, sweet, and altogether more-ish. The fig: well, it’s… ummmmm… figgy. Nice. The crunch of little dried seeds adds a wonderful texture. Our friends from Denmark made the pronouncement: Nice!

These chaps have a big brother. If the figlettes look a bit on the small side then try the Chocolate Figs instead. The same idea but with a much larger fig inside. And just as good. Get some today!

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