Review: Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn, Morningside

DISCLAIMER: Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn are not strangers to me. I was actually introduced to them a few years back, as they’re family friends of my partner’s – and ever since, I’ve been ADDICTED. I feel like the world needs to know about their chocolate, so with Easter coming up, here’s my guide to their chocolate. 

An introduction to Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn

Edward & Irwyn are a small family-run chocolatiers based in Morningside, Edinburgh, with Icelandic roots – and they’re not your average chocolatiers by any description! 

If you find yourself feeling bored of chocolate, this shop will awaken things in even the most diehard chocolate fan. Seriously, you will start having cravings for things you previously didn’t even know existed. 

And because it’s Easter, innit, I’m starting with the large white chocolate gull’s egg. 

Large white chocolate gull’s egg 

This is one of the most special things you can buy at Edward & Irwyn; partly because they’re only available for a short period of time once per year, and partly because this is just SOMETHING ELSE. 

I look forward to this particular egg every year. It’s a £27 egg (less for the small ones), so not cheap, but lookit them. LOOKIT. The white chocolate isn’t pure white, it’s got a blueish tint, and is marbled with darker chocolate. It looks like an actual gull’s egg. 

But, I know we’re not buying this for decorative purposes, so let’s get right to this. The white chocolate marbled egg itself is DELICIOUS. But that’s not all you get, oh no. 

The eggs are filled with orange and cereal milk chocolate clusters – which, to be honest, the description didn’t have me going the first time I ordered this on a whim, but MY WORD, paired together with the white chocolate of the egg? HEAVENLY. 

You also get their signature milk chocolate shards with vanilla & black lava salt included in your egg – which is one of the essential items I highly recommend trying. 

Milk chocolate shards, with vanilla & black lava salt

It’s sweet, it’s a little bit salty, and it’s unlike any other chocolate you’ve tried before. This is an absolutely essential purchase for your first visit to Edward & Irwyn.

On their own they come in little bags filled with shards of yummy deliciousness, although you can also get this in the mixed box, and in the white chocolate gull’s egg. 

Dulcey Nutz 

This is my favourite thing, because it’s addictive AF. This caramelised white dulce chocolate and salted roasted peanut hybrid is the perfect mix of sweet and salty and I cannot get enough. The describe it as like crack. Chocolate crack. And they’re not wrong!

From the E&I website: 

“The chocolatiers were no doubt secretly disappointed when the rumour began to spread that there was a special treat they made only for themselves to snack on at the kitchen in secret. They combined salted, roasted peanuts with the same caramelised white chocolate we use in our truffles and accidentally created something as addictive as crack. Once they shared it with a few friends, the secret was out, and everyone wanted this crazy addictive sweet and salty treat. Who are we to dissapoint?”

This is another thing I love about Edward & Irwyn – the little stories like this! 

Green Mandarin in Dark Milk Chocolate

This one was a surprise to me, but this chocolate collaboration with the folks at 27 Elliots in Sciennes is absolutely wonderful, with quite a sharp but addictive flavour thanks to the green mandarin oil. It’s made with 51% cocoa solids dark milk chocolate. 

Chocolate Frog with Caramel Filling

Chocolate frogs were the first thing I ever saw from this chocolatier, and they’re fab! 

Definitely a yummy treat to brighten any day, and just enough to feel like you’ve had something deeply satisfying. I’m a huge caramel fiend, so this gets a big thumbs up from me!

Real Honey Honeycomb 

There was a time when my only real experience of honeycomb was a Crunchie bar. Well, this is like Crunchie for grownups. Extremely tasty, crunchy, chewie and sweet – but not too sweet, with that lovely dark chocolate coating the clusters of honeycomb. 

Mixed box 

This is another one of my favourite things for when I really want to treat myself, because it’s so utterly decadent. 

Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn describe it as a box of all their favourites, and includes a hand cut bar of their creamy milk chocolate with vanilla and Icelandic black lava salt, along with salted honey caramels (which sit nicely on top), and real honey honeycomb pieces.

The boxes themselves are beautifully designed, with no plastic packaging – just loads of yummy chocolate! (I do keep the boxes, too)

Dark Chocolate Dragon Tails with Vanilla and Lava Salt Caramel 

A bit more substantial than the caramel frogs, but the same idea, these dragon tails make a great gift or – if you’re a caramel fiend like me – a great afternoon treat. Any time, actually. 

They come beautifully detailed (you can see the scales!) and wrapped in dark green foil.

Caramelised white chocolate truffles

This is another thing I like to buy as a really decadent treat. They’re made with that unique caramelised white chocolate called dulcey, and blended with milk chocolate before being dipped in a dark milk blend. 

Okay, so that’s what they are, but what do they taste like? Out of this world! They’re creamy, a little fudgey, and you have to stop yourself from eating too many at once. Edward & Irwyn also recommend dropping one in your hot chocolate! 

Drinking chocolate 

Edward & Irwyn have three different types of drinking chocolate, but my favourite is the classic hot chocolate flakes. Especially if you have a Hotel Chocolat velvetiser, this is a great thing to make your hot chocolate with. Very tasty!