Artisanal vegan chocolaterie. Chocolates are without refined sugars or artificial ingredients.
Experimenting
She was working as a pastry chef but then corona hit. During lockdown Amalia Taleï started experimenting with making chocolates, initially learning from YouTube. She was disappointed in the vegan treats that were available at coffee places in Amsterdam – usually uninspiring bliss balls or banana bread – and was determined to come up with something better.
At first Amalia started selling the chocolates in the restaurant she worked. From then on it picked up gradually, being available at various cafes and coffee places in town and also online. She opened the store late 2023, as it makes it easier for people to find and connect with her products.
All chocolates are vegan, although she doesn’t mention it all the time. Simply no need, she lets the chocolate speak for itself. Amalia became vegan herself at the age of seventeen but at a young age she was already questioning the use of animals. “That pig, is that what bacon is?” She adds: “It’s hard to understand that eating animals is so normal, we have so many alternatives for which no animal has to suffer.”
Mouthful
Lait de Choco offers different types of chocolates. On display in the shop are various flavours of so called ‘bouchées’. Literally meaning ‘a mouthful’ in French, these are bigger than your average bonbons. Available a piece or as a selection. For example peanut ganache | salted cinnamon caramel or white sesame ganache | pistachio.
Other treats available include pralines, chocolate covered toffees and rich chocolate bars. Most flavours are less sweet than you’d perhaps expect. Instead of refined sugar she uses natural sweeteners such as rice syrup and coconut blossom.
Although influences for new flavours could come from anywhere, her Iranian background naturally is a source of inspiration. “Those ingredients just work well.”
Lait de Choco is located at Czaar Peterstraat (east of the city centre). Tram 7 stops nearby. Besides in the store, the chocolates are also available online, wordwide shipping.
