Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
Chocolate Heaven!
~ Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies ~
Review and Giveaway
Chocolate Heaven! Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
Review:
It was a dull and wet summer’s day…….time hung heavy as the lowering clouds and the air was humid and thundery. The kettle had just boiled but the biscuit tin was empty; but then a minor miracle happened, the door opened, and my daughter came in bearing a package, addressed to me…...a lovely little brown box with blue string and an old-fashioned luggage label attached, with my name on it, and with the most uplifting of words in the corner of the box – Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies. Was it Christmas, was it my birthday or was it a forgotten anniversary……no, it was a wonderful treat sent to me from Nikki and Laura, the chocolate elves who reside at Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies, it was a perfectly timed and perfectly formed box of their gourmet brownies, beautifully packaged and all the way from The Cotswolds.
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
Inside the box was a swathe of tissue paper, a personal note and an ingredients list…..it was all so personal and all so indulgent. As I gently pulled the tissue away, there was a rich and intoxicating smell of chocolate…..and of oranges, as well as a yet undetermined floral spice and was that coffee too? The whole experience was special and the hand-written label gave a bespoke and intimate feel to the whole experience. Inside the tissue, nestled, (but not for long) were six perfectly formed and rather generous sized chocolate brownies. They sat provocatively oozing with rich cocoa, citrus fruit and exotic spices……they looked good, they smelled divine and they were all mine!
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies are quite simply the best brownies I have ever tasted, and many a brownie as passed my lips over the years. It’s obvious that the tag of “Gourmet” in the company’s name is well justified, and the beautiful and unique packaging adds a touch of luxury. I was lucky enough to receive six brownies, two classic Chunky Chocolate Brownies with Divine (fairtrade) chocolate chunks; one Chocwork Orange Brownie – made with orange milk chocolate and a splash orange blossom water; One Cardamom Brownie, which is the Winner of a Great Taste Gold 1* award in 2011 – for a sophisticated palate, that’s ME, these offer a fragrant, exotic sensual experience ; one Chunky White Chocolate Brownie – made with dark chocolate and white chocolate chunks and finally one Cappuccino Brownie – the classic combination of chocolate and coffee.
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
And my taste test? They were ALL fabulous – but each flavour was fabulous in its own unique way! The Chunky Chocolate Brownies were rich, just like top quality truffles, with large chunks of milk chocolate in them…..they were dense but not heavy, like a good quality chocolate fudge, but with attitude and style! The Chunky White Chocolate Brownie looked frivolous on the surface, with white chocolate buttons scattered all over the top, but beneath lay a dark rich truffle experience with large chunks of white chocolate…..just goes to show, you must NEVER judge a brownie by its cover! Next was The Cappuccino Brownie, a creamy rich brownie with a sophisticated ground coffee and cream flavour….with big chunks of chocolate inside too, a cup of frothy coffee in a brownie and a match made in heaven. I LOVED the next one, but then I am a spice fanatic – The Cardamom Brownie is subtly flavoured and VERY exotic, musky and floral and yet elegant and delicate, my favourite brownie of the batch, and I am in good company, as this brownie won the Great Taste Gold 1* award in 2011. See, I KNOW a good brownie when I meet or should I say eat one! Last but by no means least, was my second favourite, The Chocwork Orange Brownie – studded with a sliver of seductive orange and made using Divine’s gorgeous orange milk chocolate for chocolate chunks and scented and flavoured with exotic orange blossom water…..sheer poetry! I had to exert all of my willpower not to scoff them lot in one sitting, but luckily my daughter was there to “help” me “test” them!
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
There are OTHER delights in their range too, I may need to test drive some of the other brownies they offer, namely Caramel Crunch Brownie (I am a caramel addict!) which is the new kid on the Bluebasil Brownie Block and has a gorgeous caramel, fruit & nut filling with delicious mixed nuts and soft juicy sultanas……and then there’s the Hazelnut Brownie, or how about the Banoffee Brownie, HELLO – a BANOFFEE Brownie? Oh yes, and they apparently have delicious tones of rich chocolate melting into fragrant banana and then delicate pockets of toffee oozing through the chocolate…….STOP! But, there is also ONE more too, the Calorie Free Brownie…….okay, I am only joking, but it IS listed on their roll-call of brownies, check it out HERE!
Bluebasil Gourmets Brownies are brownies sent by post….a WONDERFUL idea in my book, as that means I can stay at home, order my brownies and whoosh, they appear with the postman; and, if you order them by 10am , they will be with you next day and ready to devour with an afternoon cuppa! They can be stored in the fridge for up to 14 days, but my guess is that they will be LONG gone by then. A personal message card can be added, perfect if the brownies are being sent as a gift. Another reason why I am so IN LOVE with Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies, is that they hand-bake them and they try to source as many LOCAL and RURAL ingredients as possible; so their eggs are organic and come from Barrington Estates, and the flour used to make the brownies is also organic and is from FWP Matthews Ltd, local Cotswold flour millers. The cream used in their brownies, is Jersey Cream from the herd at Upper Norton Jersey Cream Ltd, already you can see why their brownies are GOURMET and so delicious! And, the chocolate chunks used in all of the brownies are made from Fairtrade Divine Chocolate……what a WINNING formula! You can also order Gluten Free Brownies in certain flavours too, so there is something for EVERYONE. If you want to be seduced and enter brownie heaven, here are the prices for these decadent little (LARGE actually) morsels:
Prices:
- £14.50 for 9 brownies (+P&P)
- £17.50 for 12 brownies (+P&P)
- £21.50 for 16 brownies (+P&P)
Larger box quantities are also available (OH GOODY!)
Flavours:
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate, Chockwork Orange, Cappuccino, Hazelnut, Banoffee, Cardamom. Chunky Chocolate and White Chocolate available gluten free.
“…the Rolls Royce of brownies”
– The Independent Newspaper weekend lifestyle magazine
Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies
Giveaway:
Nikki and Laura, the Brownie Elves who are lucky enough to live at Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies HQ, have very kindly offered a box of NINE of their gourmet brownies as a prize to one of my lucky readers! The winner will receive a gift box of 9 generous brownies (worth £14.50) and they can choose their flavours too……so, what WILL you choose I wonder! All you have to do is the enter via the Rafflecopter below, and I will tell you how to do that!
Enter below to be transported into Chocolate Heaven!
GOOD LUCK!
Cappuccino, Hazelnut and caramel crunch
NICE choices! Good Luck!
LOVELY choices, all of them!
If I win I’d choose cappucino, hazelnut and cardamom
GREAT choices and the cardamom was GORGEOUS!
OMG My mouth is watering!!! I would choose Caramel Crunch, Chunky Chocolate and Cappuccino! Great review giveaway thank you x
GREAT choices Tracy and GOOD LUCK too!
What a lovely surprise! I would love to try the caramel, cappuccino and white chocolate brownies as they sound amazing! You can’t beat baked goods in the post!
Isn’t it FABULOUS to know that these come by post, all the way from the Cotswold’s and all ready to eat!
White chocolate, hazelnut and banoffee please! I don’t normally read blog reviews of products as I prefer recipes, but these brownies sound too good to miss out on! Would love love love to win 🙂
Thanks for reading the review and GOOD LUCK with the giveaway! Karen 🙂
ooh yum yum ! clockwork orange, white choc and caramel crunch i think!
FAB choices and I would also LOVE to try the caramel crunch!
Having tried them already I completely agree with you about the Chockwork Orange – if anyone went near those ones I put on my angry face 🙂 Would love to try the Classic Chunky Chocolate and the Cappuccino as well 🙂 @pipersky1
OH lucky you! I think I remember that you won these on Ren’s giveaway! You KNOW how good these are then!
Yep – and my OH ate most of them 🙁 Naughty! 🙂
Tsk tsk! LOL!
Great review! I’m sure I was only here 5 minutes ago and you’re tempting me with something else!! I came to get the link for TTT which will be ready once I stop drooling over these brownies!! I would choose classic chunky chocolate, banoffee and caramel crunch.
LOVELY choices Ros and I have just seen your Tea Time Treats entry and it is FABULOUS! Karen
As a chocoholic i woulod go for Choc chunk, white Choc Chunk, and choc and white choc!! Boring but scrummy x
NOT boring at all, all of them LUSH!
Cappuchino sounds divine x
IT was LUSH! Love coffee and chocolate!
Good question! I’d go for Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chockwork Orange and Cappuccino. 🙂
I have tried all of those and all I can say is YES!
Chocwork Orange, Banoffee,and White Chocolate they all look divine
They are or should I say WERE divine!
I love nuts so I’d go for hazelnut three times over 😉 or maybe the orange and cappuccino as well.
The orange and cappuccino were AMAZING!
Classic chuncky chocolate,cappuccino,banoffee nd chuncky white chocolate,Now my mouth is watering!! 🙂
ALL fab choices! 🙂
It would have to be the classic chucky chocolate, the gluten free chocolate chunky chocolate (just to compare of course!!) and definately banoffee!! Just hoping i get to try them!
LOVELY choices and GOOD LUCK!
OOooooh This is the third review I’ve read and which each picture and review I am being more and more tempted by these! I would defo go for the Classic Chunky Chocolate, Caramel Crunch and Ooooooh It has to be white chocolate because I adore rich chocolate brownies studded with white chocolate…Yummy!!! x
Thanks Katie, these REALLY are fabulous brownies, hence my very full review! Good Luck and GREAT flavour choices too!
My 3 preferred flavours would be: Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate and Chunky White Chocolate. Quite simply, the line-up of flavours looks fab, a top job from the Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies company 🙂
These REALLY are Top Drawer Brownies Ian and GOOD LUCK!
I would chose Chunky White Chocolate, Cappuchino and chocwork orange 🙂
NICE combo and GOOD LUCK too!
i would choose – caramel crunch, chocwork orange & banoffee 🙂
@emmav6
Caramel Crunch
Chunky White Chocolate
Chockwork Orange
LOVELY list of delish brownies!
I would choose Chunky Chocolate, Banoffee and Chunky White Chocolate but they all sound amazing! Definitely making me crave brownies badly 🙂
They are TRULY the best brownies I have tasted!
My three flavours would be Hazelnut, Banoffee and Cardamom. (I would like to try cardamom in particular.)
The cardamom was super duper! They all were, but I LOVED that one!
If I was lucky enough to win, I would choose Chockwork Orange, Hazelnut and Cardamom. They look delicious!
LOVELY choices!
I think I would go with ones I haven’t tried before – Cardomom, Banoffee and then I would have to go with Chockwork Orange!
Thanks for a great giveaway.
I LOVED the orange and cardamom, and HIGHLY recommend them!
Cappuccino, Cardamom and Banoffee.
OH yes!
These look wonderful and as you know I do love chocolate! Cardamom, hazelnut and caramel crunch were I to win!
The cardamom ones are AMAZING! Good Luck!
I really want to try these Bluebasil Gourmet Brownies , its hard to pick but my 3 choices would be
Banoffee
Chockwork Orange
Caramel Crunch
GOOD LUCK and GREAT choice too!
Wow, these look lush! I would choose the Caramel Crunch, Cappuccino and the Cardamom.
They were LUSH Janice! 🙂 GOOD LUCK too!
Chockwork Orange, Cappuccino and Chunky White Chocolate, they look lovely!
Simon.
These seem to VERY popular choices! GOOD LUCK!
I’d choose Chockwork Orange, Caramel Crunch and Chunky Chocolate – yum 🙂
ALL FAB choices!
I`d choose, Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate and Cappuccino.
Yummy!
Barbara.
Good luck and GREAT choices!
Oh Karen, I would almost kill to get my hands on these. These are the best brownies (other than my very own of course) that I have ever tasted and knowing they are a high class act into the bargain using ethically sourced ingredients and small scale production just adds to their allure.
Just realised I missed a trick here and should have requested some for my birthday!
Anyway, if it was down to three, it would be Cardamom, Orange and Caramel Crunch – probably 😉
I agree Choclette, they were truly the Rolls Royce of brownies and I loved every single bite, like top class truffles and yet sort of fudgey too…GOOD LUCK and I agree that the ethically sourced and LOCALLY sourced ingredients make them a TOP company for me. Karen
I would choose Caramel Crunch, Chunky Chocolate and White Chocolate. Mmmmm
That Caramel Crunch seems to be popular! LOVELY choices!
Mmmmmm… So hard to choose just three hehe! Think I’d go for
Choc orange
White Choc
Caramel 🙂
Deliscious! 🙂
GREAT choices! LOVELY!
Caramel Crunch, Cappuccino and Banoffee are the 3 I would like to have
ALL good choices, and can I join you if I win?!
Chockwork Orange, Hazelnut and Cappucino, but I wouldn’t say No to any of them. The photos are delightful.
They tasted AMAZING Galina! Good Luck!
Thanks Galina, they were amazing and I enjoyed every last crumb! XX Good Luck!
Caramel Crunch, Chunky Chocolate and then Cappuccino – if I was your lucky winner – yummy!
Caramel Crunch,, Cardamom and Chunky Chocolate
Great selection! 🙂
Chockwork Orange, Classic chunky chocolate, banoffee, mmmm they all look amazing
They are ALL amazing!
Caramel Crunch, Chunky Chocolate and Cappuccino
YES to all of them!
Ooh. It’s tricky – probably Caramel Crunch, Banoffee and Cappucino although you can’t go wrong with classic chocolate can you? Not sure about Chocolate Orange and am intrigued about the Cardamom. Am definitely looking forward to the calorie free ones though!!!
I am sure the calorie free one is DIVINE! LOVELY selection and if you win I may join you! Karen
Wow! I would pick Caramel Crunch, Chunky White Chocolate, Hazelnut.
GOOD choice! 🙂
I am licking my lips at the thought of these luscious flavours – Chockwork Orange, Caramel crunch & Cappuccino, ummmm!
What a GREAT choice! I would go for those and all the others too! GOOD LUCK! Karen
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate,
LOVELY selection!
I’m addicted to chocolate brownies 🙂
So hard to choose..mmm
Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate and Cappuccino for me!
(All for me)
I could eat them all too Diana! Easy peasy! Good Luck!
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate
Good Luck and lovely choices!
Great review Karen. I saw these on your twitter feed the other day (or it could have been Facebook) and thought they looked extra special. I love all the flavours you’ve described. I need to try them ALL!!!
These REALLY are the best brownies I have tasted Dom – they also source local organic ingredients, which, is always a plus in my book.
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate,and Cappuccino
YES to all of them please!
Cappuccino, Hazelnut and Caramel Crunch
LOVELY selection there!
the hazelnut one, the white chocolate one and the chocwork orange
GOOD choices Corina!
Boy oh boy these look good Karen. I would go for the chunky choc, chunky white choc and clockwork orange. Mmmmmm 🙂
They were AMAZING Jac, really the best ones I have tasted! Good Luck!
Well, I wouldn’t kick any of them out of bed but…
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate and Chunky White Chocolate
YES! All would do for me too!
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate & Chunky White Chocolate
GREAT selection!
I would choose orange, white chocolate and caramel crunch 🙂
GREAT choices! 🙂
Chunky White Chocolate, Classic Chunky Chocolate and White Chocolate
I think I wouldnt share with anyone 🙂
Hahahaha! These are HARD to share I must admit!
Hmmm, they all sounds amazing and are making my mouth water but I’d have to try hazelnut, caramel and chocolate crunch…now off to the kitchen to make some brownies of my own as I’m craving them after reading this!! x
They were EXCELLENT! Good Luck!
They Look divine – would have to have Cardamon – Cappuchino and chocwork orange – I’d also have to find a good hiding place from the rest of my family!!!!
I can vouch for them all and they were all LUSH!
Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate & Chockwork Orange mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm wipes a little drool away as I type !!!!!
LOVELY choices…..Will you share with me? LOL!
As long as they are sugar-free I will try any!
Oh I think they are all sugar free! 🙂
Chunky White Chocolate, Chockwork Orange and Cappuccino
GREAT choices!
Classic Chunky Chocolate, Chunky White Chocolate, Chockwork Orange are what I will be selecting IF I am really, really lucky and win. They look and sound beyond fabulous! Off now to cross every finger and toe and wait with hopeful anticipation!
LOL! GOOD LUCK!
Ooh these look and sound lush!!!!
I would choose chunky chocolate, caramel crunch and banoffee – yum!
GREAT choice of flavours!
Yummy!! It looks amazing!!! 🙂 x
My favourite flavours are Caramel Crunch Brownie, Hazelnut Brownie and Banoffee Brownie.
Yum!! I will be going to bed dreaming about those gorgeous brownies! 🙂 x
GOOD luck and a NICE choice too!
I would choose the scrummy Caramel,Chockwork Orange andCappuccino.
Caramel Crunch, Classic Chunky Chocolate and Chunky White Chocolate