Vegans rejoice! A new vegan-friendly chocolate shop has arrived in Edinburgh. Founded in 2012, Considerit Chocolate has a loyal following from farmers’ markets and online retail but their first brick-and-mortar shop and café opened just last week at Sciennes, right opposite Summerhall. It’s hard to miss with its stylish all-black shop-front and a charming logo that represents the company’s products: chocolate, doughnuts and ice cream.
The chocolate
What else says decadence like a chocolate truffle? Just in time for Christmas, Considerit’s vegan truffles come in a variety of tasty flavours, and are all handmade by the owner Claire Baker using cocoa butter and soy milk instead of dairy products. These sinfully creamy morsels are – apart from a slightly denser texture – virtually indistinguishable from regular non-vegan truffles, and equally delicious.
Chai Spice has a distinct cinnamony kick, but my personal favourite was Hazelnut, which comes with crunchy little pieces of hazelnut on the top. Salted Caramel, yes, vegan caramel, and Hot Toddy flavours are set to be released in time for Christmas. A bag of 5 truffles will set you back £3.20, or for that special someone, gift boxes of 10 (or even 20) are available. Claire’s famous vegan Crème Eggs will also be making their appearance in-store early next year, and most truffle flavours, including Crème Egg and Salted Caramel, are also sold as filled chocolate bars.
The doughnuts
Not to be missed are the doughnuts, which feature pretty toppings and a rotating range of flavours. Head over to @considerit_chocolate for a look at their filled, glazed and sugared beauties. The best-selling Chocolate Oreo doughnut (£2.20) is delicious: a satisfyingly fluffy doughnut base with just enough chocolate frosting to hold a thick topping of oreo crumbles.
The ice-cream
Claire also makes her own vegan ice-cream by hand based on soya and coconut milk. Although she’s been too busy with the first week of sales to make any yet, these will hopefully be available soon as Considerit ramps up production.
The café itself is lovely, with a light and spacious feel, deep window seats and lots of cosy cushions. An open kitchen plan means customers can get a sneak peek at the truffle and doughnut-making processes while they linger. Coffee is sourced from Steampunk Coffee Roasters, which specialise in small-batch and single-origin coffees. Hot chocolate made with Considerit’s vegan chocolate is also available to go with those yummy doughnuts.
Vegan or not, Considerit is an excellent addition to the Edinburgh confectionery scene. Its convenient location near the Meadows makes it the perfect place to stop for an afternoon break or to grab a cup of coffee on the way to King’s.
And their timely opening means even the more plant-inclined of us can join in the caramel-filled, chocolatey festive cheer this Christmas.
image: congerdesign via Pixabay