Heaven for the mind and soul is the best way to describe the chocolate masterpieces produced by Belle Fleur. Their handcrafted delights, using high-quality Belgian couverture chocolate, are melt-in-the-mouth moments.
Not only are the smooth creamy items delicious and on par with that of my favourite Lindt Lindor chocolate balls, but they are also visually beautiful with creative boundaries being pushed. The owners love a good challenge and their passion is evident in the design detail of each and every chocolate they produce.
The aromatic wafts of chocolate entice you as you enter their shops, of which there are now three in Sydney. It was the Rozelle location at which I discovered their delights that include a multitude of novelty items. There's matching chocolate cup and saucer sets, egg cup and spoon sets, milk and dark chocolate stilettos, a chocolate hat on a coat stand, handbags, a violin, a piano, champagne bucket sets, soccer and rugby balls, a football boot, chocolate monkeys, ducks and dragons, and most are filled with small chocolate bites containing various flavoured fillings.
The fun range goes on and with Easter coming up as I write this article, you'll find rabbits on motorbikes, rabbits emerging from cracked eggs, cute animals hugging and more that makes for perfect gifts for your loved ones.
On some of the top shelves, you'll find one-off chocolate items that are not for sale but part of the decor in this boutique store. These sculpted pieces are indeed works of art. There's a lot to admire here for chocolate lovers with many items you won't see elsewhere.
After marvelling at the entire shop, the process of deciding what to buy was a hard one. I ended up choosing some rice crispy chocolate shards, along with several of the small bites from the front counter. From the Anzac Ganache to the Peach Melba, Amaretto Truffle, Honeycomb Ravioli, and more, they were all amazing.
Other interesting flavours in bite-size include the Hot Cross Bun with apple and cinnamon chocolate cream, the Red Velvet with milk chocolate and beetroot ganache, the Grape with sultanas infused in Cognac through a rich chocolate ganache and the Yuzu with milk chocolate ganache and the Japanese citrus fruit. With over 50 choices, you're sure to find something your palate desires.
The chocolates here are presented beautifully, being either wrapped in cellophane or boxed up. Pre-packed assorted boxes are also available. For different events, you can order custom-made chocolates too. Make a birthday gift unique and special with a Happy Birthday box with each letter made of chocolate or have birthday pieces created as toppers on a cake. With weddings, Belle Fleur often make up boxes of two white chocolate praline hearts adorned with the bride and groom's initials.
If you're looking for a gift for that person whose tastes you're not sure of, then Belle's range of gift cards are a convenient choice. Making for a nice surprise, the receiver can choose their own flavours and novelty items up to the card value you choose.
Apart from Rozelle, Belle's other artisan shops can be found in Petersham and Maroubra (the latest opening). Address details and opening hours are, as follows -
Rozelle - 658 Darling St - Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Petersham - 584 Parramatta Rd - Mon 10am-4pm, Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm
Maroubra - Shop 5/900 Anzac Pde - Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Each shop has the same products, so you're not going to miss out on something from going to one shop versus another. You can also buy
online and either pick-up your order or have it delivered.
With a track record of 30 years in business in Australia and chocolates being made fresh each day, you can't go wrong with Belle Fleur.
