Our unrivalled reputation for excellence was recognised when we were awarded a Royal Warrant by Her Majesty the Queen in 1962. A prestigious stamp of quality that has adorned every one of our chocolate boxes ever since.

Meanwhile, the superpowers contained within a single mint leaf continued to hold sway. The French would make bouquets of mint and St John’s Wort to scare off evil spirits, whereas the English said that if you found a flowering mint plant on Midsummer’s Day you’d be happy forever. Blimey. Put the cream and mint leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for an hour. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Bake the fondants on a baking tray in the middle of the oven for 9 minutes. It wasn’t just the Egyptians who loved mint. The Ancient Greeks considered it a sign of hospitality, used it in their baths, and also flavoured their water with it because they believed it held special powers.Mint leaves continued to be used for all kinds of things, from adding enjoyable aromas around the home to proving the perfect accompaniment to a plate of lamb chops. Brandy balls were popular in London in the 1850s, as they contained peppermint and cinnamon and advertised as “warming the tongue like brandy does”. Other types of peppermint sweets were also available throughout Europe around this time, which were made by independent traders in their homes. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans are known for their wisdom, innovation, industriousness, and organisational skills. In general, they’re also considered clean civilisations due to their focus on bathing and personal hygiene. As for people who lived in Medieval times… well, they weren’t quite as nostril-friendly. For us fine ingredients are not an indulgence, they are a necessity. We source our own ingredients; we develop our own recipes, and then we make our own products. Our people are dedicated to nothing less than the pursuit of dark chocolate perfection. Remove from the fridge and place a single ball of white chocolate ganache in the middle of each mould. Distribute the remaining chocolate batter evenly into the four moulds, then cover and return to the fridge for at least one hour. Greek athletes would rub mint leaves over their wet skin after bathing to give them extra strength, whereas students wore wreaths made of mint to sharpen their mental faculties. Even the senators used it liberally, believing that sprigs of mint on their person would help them to speak more eloquently whilst keeping their temper at bay during debates.

Pour the chocolate batter into your prepared moulds until each is one third full, then cover and refrigerate until firm – about 30 minutes. Pour into a small plastic container and pop in the fridge to set for about one hour. Once set, make teaspoon sized balls of ganache and refrigerate on a plate until needed.With disease, pestilence, filth and grime everywhere you looked, Medieval Europe was no picnic. Thank goodness that mint had made it this far, as those pongy peeps would use it to purify drinking water that turned sour during long ocean voyages. They also used it on insect bites and as a digestive aid, as well as to freshen their breath, which shows how versatile this simple plant is.