Hand-coatedNo additivesArtisanal craftsmanshipOrigin: France
Abricots Surprise

Dried apricots coated in dark chocolate

€15,00
€15,00
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Sun-dried in Armenia then hand-coated by the House of Valrhona, our Abricots Surprise are the fruit of an age-old gesture and exceptional French chocolate-making craftsmanship, celebrating a meeting between two culinary traditions.

Net weight: 145 g

1500 IN STOCK
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Description

Composition & Ingrédients

Utilisation & Conservation

Nutrition & Allergènes

Coffrets & Duos

Abricots Surprise – vue de dessus
Abricots Surprise – texture
Abricots Surprise – packshot
  • Abricots Surprise – vue de dessus
  • Abricots Surprise – texture
  • Abricots Surprise – packshot
Abricots Surprise – vue de dessus
Abricots Surprise – texture
Abricots Surprise – packshot

Our craftsmanship

The picking

at full ripeness, in June, in the orchards tended by Vladimir.

Gentle washing, then hand-sorted and hand-graded.
The drying

entrusted to Vika, who lays the fruit out on walnut-wood racks. They dry slowly and are turned regularly by hand, allowing gradual dehydration while preserving the fruit's soft texture.

The pitting

done halfway through drying, once the flesh has firmed up enough, simply by pressing, to preserve the fruit's integrity and natural shape.

Learn more

Armenia's national treasure

The apricot holds a central place in Armenian culture. For centuries it has been grown in the fertile Ararat plain, where the warm, dry and sunny climate allows it to develop flesh that is especially melting, fragrant and naturally sweet. For Abricot Surprise, we select a special small-calibre apricot variety intended for drying. Their low water content naturally concentrates their aromas and gives them a tender texture, ideal for being elevated by chocolate.

A tradition of dried fruit

Long before modern preservation methods appeared, Armenian families would sun-dry the fruit of their orchards to keep their harvests through the long winter months. Apricots, figs, grapes and plums were thus preserved naturally, without additives, while developing an incomparable depth of aroma. Even today, this tradition remains part of Armenia's culinary heritage, carrying on a craft passed down from generation to generation.

A meeting between two houses of excellence

After drying in Armenia, the apricots travel to Valrhona's workshops, where they are hand-coated in a fine dark chocolate at 70% cacao (origins: Brazil and Ghana). The intensity of the chocolate reveals the apricot's naturally fruity sweetness without ever masking it. A rare alliance between two culinary heritages: the fruit of the Levant and the great French tradition of confectionery.

A fruit that sustains a region

Our apricot trees grow in an orchard tended with passion by Vladimir, guardian of the trees for many years. Picked at ripeness, the fruit is dried on site before continuing its journey to France, where it is processed with respect for artisanal know-how. Through this network, Artisans du Levant helps sustain local producers while showcasing this emblematic agricultural heritage of Armenia.

Tasting notes

An intense dark chocolate coating. A tender, generous apricot heart. A beautiful length on the palate, where the apricot's fruity notes meet the deep aromas of the cacao.

Did you know?

The scientific name of the apricot tree is Prunus armeniaca, which translates as ‘Armenian plum tree’. While botanists now place its origin in Central Asia, its Latin name bears witness to the strong historical link between this fruit and Armenia, which carried it as far as Europe.

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Exceptional treasures, a craft passed down from generation to generation