Desserts are like expensive shoes. You know you shouldn’t buy more but they’re just so irresistable that you just cannot say no. So when I invited my friend Queen Viv to accompany me at the Sugar hit at the Inter Continental Hotel I had no idea that she was in her final days of a detox. But like the trooper that she is, she decided that today would be the last day of her detox and if you’re going to celebrate the end of a detox, you may as well do it in style.
So on this Thursday night we arrive at the Intercontinental. We find a park a few streets away and in the cold wind and the high heels we’re just glad to be able to sit down and have a nice glass of something and a dessert. We’re a little early for the Sugar Hit by about 20 minutes so they ask us to take a seat and they’ll bring it out. We choose a banquette of course and sink our weary wind battered selves into it and before long, the waiter arrives with the dessert wine. For the cost of $20 you get a dessert and a glass of Brown Brothers Moscato dessert wine which is a lovely, very sweet drop.
Front to back: Gold Leafed White Chocolate Dome, Dark Chocolate Chilli Slice and Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon with Chocolate Ganache with Nashi Pear Chutney & Vanilla-Honey Syrup
The Inter Continental’s Sugar Hit dessert plate this year was said to be dessert chef Karl Beil’s homage to chocolate. The first thing that strikes me is that it’s quite small as each component is a canape sized bite but it is pretty. The manager comes over and suggests that we eat it in order of mildness to strength starting with the white chocolate dome, then the macaroon and then the chocolate chilli slice. The white chocolate mini dome is sweet, light and creamy with that unmistakable white chocolate taste.
The Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon with Chocolate Ganache is up next. The macaroon (not a French macaron) is dusted with icing sugar. This part is essentially a biscuit with some ganache underneath it and it resembles a snow topped mushroom. It’s not bad but for an homage to chocolate and given the size I’m left wanting for something more creative.
The Nashi Pear Chutney & Vanilla-Honey Syrup is delicious-it was supposed to accompany the chilli chocolate cake below but when the dessert was presented to us we were told that it can go with anything. If anything it goes best with the white chocolate mousse which benefits from an added dimension of flavour from the vanilla and nashi pear. There are 3 chocolate drops and a slender stick which are made out of chocolate.
The deceptively harmless looking Dark Chocolate Chilli Slice is rich and spicy and the chilli hit is pronounced although not too hot (Queen Viv can’t tolerate a lot of chilli and she deosn’t mind this) but it is on the stronger side for chilli chocolate. Overall we agree that the flavours are good and it’s quite deceptively rich but the dessert is a little on the small size. We sit back and relax and contemplate going outside to the cold winds and decide on a cup of delicious Mokalbari tea instead.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you like your Chilli Chocolate to be strong or mild with chilli flavour?
NQN and Queen Viv dined as guests of the Inter Continental Hotel
The InterContinental Cortile Lounge; Cafe Opera & Club Bar
Cnr Bridge and Phillip Streets, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 (02) 92401396
Bookings recommended for Sugar Hits (runs from October 1-31st 2009)
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28 Comments | Add your own
Too true about designer shoes and desserts. Although I own zero pairs of designer shoes, so I over indulge on the desserts more
I have only had chilli chocolate once, and it was fairly mild. Will be trying it again in the future I’m sure
Such tiny desserts would surely not interfere with a detox
I suppose I would prefer mild chili in my chocolate – I want to be able to taste it but not to hurt my mouth. I don’t go for food that hurts.
I haven’t had chili chocoalte that I
ve liked. I’m a wuss when it comes to hot foods, and the milder ones I’ve tried have tasted like capsicum..
I’m on the fence about chilli. Sometimes I enjoy it – like say in a chilli brownie – but other times I want to enjoy the unadulterated chocolate flavour.
The hotter the better for me. Though I am a chilli addict. Adora chocolates make my absolute fav choc with chilli. The white choc chilli and cinnamon – yum.
I’m with Belinda. A chilli addict.And i like it hot. Friday night case in point, 1 whole block of lindt chilli chocolate to myself. Piggy!
Chilli (flavour) combines well with chocolate I think, but it should not overrule.
Just like orange in chocolate – it enhances it distinctly.
On the other hand….now that I’ve heard about the existence of really hot chilli chocolates, I wouldn’t mind trying just for the sake of it!
What next….Wasabe chocolate?
I bet that doesn’t exist – yet.
i love the intercon high ceiling. such a lovely place. the dessert looks good. the sheraton dessert is quite filling as it’s a generous sized choc pudding.
Ooooh that looks amazing ^_^
The only chilli chocolate I’ve had is the igloo from Zumbo and the Lindt block.
I enjoyed the chilliness of the igloo more. I remembered it as being more chilli than Lindt, although it was partly melted at the time I ate it so that might have made it seem chillier… Overall, I’d much prefer Zumbo’s chocolate over Lindt anyway. There’s no comparison between the two (no bias here! ;D)
I was wondering what this sugar hit was going to be like because “a homage to chocolate” is rather non-descript! Thanks for the review
Designer shoes and desserts…the perfect analogy! And what a way to end a detox in style! Everything looks decadently delicious and is so beautifully presented!
I prefer mild chili chocolate added the merest hint of heat as it slides down the back of the throat.
the dark chocolate chili spice is very intriguing! I had a chocolate once with chili and spicy cinnamon. spicy but dubdued and warming. I’d love to try it in a dessert form.
gosh. I would love to sink my teeth into those yummy little chocolatey goodnes (: The combination of chilli and chocolate is one of my new found favourites! I love it when it’s not too strong, and the hit of chilli would subtly hit ur tongue after tasting the chocolate. that would be awesome, and even better on a cold night in Melbourne! (:
ps : Brown Brother’s Moscato is my favourite dessert wine!
plus, plus = LOVE!
I prefer mild chilli chocolate (not a fan of chilli chocolate though)
so glad to meet you at Cab tour… You never know how much I was happy to meet you in person, you are my idol( I was very excited, sorry I didn’t talk much)
I took just one look at this post and nearly swooned to the floor in the process. :p
As for the chili chocolate, I’d like the pepperiness/heat to be subtle – you first get hit by the unctuous richness, then you get that little prickle of heat as you swallow.
yum. just yum. spicy chocolate is something i’ve really come to love, but there isn’t a thing on that plate of which i wouldn’t eat every crumb.
Oh I hear you (re: designer shoes and desserts) -they both are so good when you have them but always leaves you feeling slightly regretful. Mmmm, the nashi pear chutney and vanilla-honey syrup sounds divine!
Dark Chocolate and Chilli is a match made in chocolate heaven. Sugar hits are just so good.
I love it when the chili is just enough to make its presence known but not too overwhelming!
Hoo Boy. Those are some great desserts! Think I would like the milder chocolate. (But the dessert wine sounded interesting too!)
Ooh that does look comforting. I like my spicy chocolate to be spicy indeed, but usually rounded out with other flavors like cinnamon.
Shoes & desserts – couldn’t agree more.
All of those look delicious =D.
I have to admit that I haven’t tried chilli chocolate before. Something I should rectify soon I reckon!
I don’t think I’d like my chilli to be too hot though – it would be terrible if it overpowered the chocolate. Hehe.
Whoa, it’s way too early for food porn – but I love it. The chocolate dome has caught my eye.
I went to the Intercontinental the past Saturday and it was by far the best so far. If you’re complaining of small portions then skip Bilson’s. Not the bar, the actual restaurant. Their petit fours are miniscule but it was a lovely dessert ranked up there with Incontinental’s. Give the Marriot’s Macquarie Lounge a go, with lovely live music playing, the ambience is more party friendly but less intimate than the Cortile Lounge.
A friend of mine recommended your blog, and it’s very lovely.
went to this particular sugar hit as part of a friend’s bday celebration (there was close to 20 of us so a looong table full of the same sugar hit stretched all the way down lol). And I could not taste the chilli. at all… some people could but most of us couldn’t. there was quite a few of us that are habitual chilli eaters but the chilli was so mild that a few that avoid all chillis could barely taste it.
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-Hehe there’s so much immediate love from a dessert isn’t there!
Cool! I love it 
Hi Amy-I agree! Hehe! It was good in that it didn’t hurt-thankfully!
Hi Fiona-Oh how frightening, capsicum chocolate! :O
Hi Julia-Ahh yes sometimes it’s nice just to have chocolate! But I must admit I always order the chili chocolate if I see it
Hi Belinda-Ooh white chilli and chocolate sounds amazing! :O
Hi Reemski-We knew you were a hot mama like Belinda!
Hi Howard-Yes I think it’s hard for some to put the right amount of chilli and of course the temperature affects the spiciness too! Haha I’ve had wasabi chocolate in NZ and it was delicious!
Hi Simon-It’s a lovely lounge isn’t it!
Ahh what a shame I didn’t try it!
Hi Alice-Hehe it was!
Yes his chocolates are amazing aren’t they! 
Hi Jacq-Yes I was intrigued by the homage! You’re welcome
Hi Faith-I agree! If you’re going to finish it, you may as well do it with this
Hi sandra-Ahh sounds lovely!
Hi The Asian Pear-Interesting with the addition of cinnamon!
Hi Lianne-Haha yes it’s very warming on cold night isn’t it!
Yep it’s a goodie isn’t it! 
Hi Ja-Aww Ja you are so sweet! It was SO lovely to meet you!
x
Hi Midge-Hehe! Mmm that’s a good way to describe it..a little prickle!
Hi grace-Hehe yes it was all eaten up happily!
Hi Jen-Yes although I wish I felt more regret after buying shoes!
Hi Katherine-I know, they’re such a good idea!
Hi Moya-Yes I agree totally!
Hi Barbara-OH the dessert wine is lovely! It’s really popular as it’s so drinkable!
Hi anna-I really should try chilli and cinnamon together! I think they’d really work!
Hi Lauren-Haha great minds think alike!
Hi Su-yin-Oooh really? You should!
Yes subtle but present is best!
Hi Cakelaw-Hehe it is? It’s never too early for food porn is it?
Hi Equus-Sadly I only made it to this Sugar Hit but thankyou for your tips! Thankyou
Hi wendy-Isn’t that funny how that happens?
And 20 of you, how fabulous!
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