The Kiwi classic dessert Ambrosia is making the leap from sought-after ice cream to chocolate bar, with Wellington Chocolate Factory reimagining the classic Duck Island flavour into a limited edition, decadent and delicious Easter treat.
Evoking childhood memories of holidays, beach days and family celebrations, Duck Island’s Ambrosia ice cream inspired the new bar after the Wellington Chocolate Factory (WCF) team tasted their way through the ice cream maker’s range.
Cameron Farmilo, Duck Island Co-Owner, says Ambrosia’s special place as a Kiwi dessert favourite inspired them to include it on their menu four years ago, quickly becoming a best-selling flavour they’ve been scooping ever since.
“When creating the flavour, our kitchen team remembered this classic Kiwi dessert from their childhood in varying forms, from passionfruit yoghurt and fruit salad to incorporating chocolate and chunks of berry jelly. We settled on a bit of a mashup of them all in our Ambrosia flavour,” he says.
It’s no easy feat turning a beloved ice cream into a chocolate bar. Before settling on the final flavour, WCF made eight different versions – each taking three days to complete.
While they could have done something simpler based around chocolate ice cream, WCF’s artisan chocolate makers wanted to deliver something unique and completely unexpected for Easter. The result is a bar featuring dark Vanuatu chocolate, with echoes of Ambrosia and hints of cherry and yoghurt throughout.
Gabe Davidson, WCF Co-Founder, says the real fun began when deciding which toppings to include.
“We were a bit like kids in a candy store when it came to tasting and choosing – marshmallows were the ultimate star of the show. The back of the bar is loaded with vanilla and raspberry flavoured marshmallows made in New Zealand by Great Day Mallow. Fluffy, flavourful, and delicious, they pair perfectly with our 50 per cent cocoa bar delivering an amazing cherry taste that lingers bite after bite,” he says.
The cocoa beans used as the new Duck Island bar base are sourced through a direct partnership with Vanuatu cocoa farmers, who are paid an above-market price for their beans, benefiting both the growers and the communities they support.
The Vanuatu beans have blackberry and burnt sugar notes, similar in taste to creme brulee. WCF says sourcing beans directly from the Pacific ensures the farmers providing their beans are paid fairly, and the families and communities they support can thrive.
The WCF x Duck Island Easter Bar is available for sale at Wellington Chocolate Factory and at Duck Island.
