Paris chocolates

While in Paris, I visited a Pierre Hermé pastry and chocolate shop where I purchased 2 fancy, delicious pastries. I also bought a little box sampler of chocolates, thinking they would be the perfect gift for Shannon. However, while bringing them home across the Atlantic, I realized how difficult it was to keep them from melting or breaking or getting smooshed. Sooo... I decided against sending them to Shannon in the mail (because I knew they would get ruined) and instead... I ate them myself... I am a bad big sister!

So, as a slight consolation for Shannon, here is a picture of the chocolates and their descriptions from the Pierre Hermé website:
Top row, from left to right:
1. Chloé = chocolate and raspberry ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
2. Lou = milk chocolate and ginger ganache with candied ginger enrobed in dark chocolate
3. (eaten prior to picture) Intense = bitter chocolate ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
4. Ouvre-Toi = sesame praline and nougat enrobed in milk chocolate
5. Sensations = praline and almond crisp enrobed in dark chocolate

Middle row, from left to right:
1. Infiniment Vanille = chocolate and vanilla (form Mexico, Madagascar, and Tahiti) ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
2. Mogador = passion fruit ganache enrobed in milk chocolate
3. Ispahan = chocolate and raspberry ganache with rose and lychee enrobed in dark chocolate

Bottom row, from left to right:
1. Azur = yuzu and lime ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
2. Almera = almond paste with crystallized orange and Grand Marnier enrobed in dark chocolate
3. Balthazar = milk chocolate and cinnamon ganache enrobed in milk chocolate
4. Pietra = praline fondant encrusted with hazelnuts and enrobed in dark chocolate
5. Makassar = salted caramel ganache enrobed in dark chocolate

They were all good, but my favorites were Lou, Infiniment Vanille, Almera, Balthazar, and Makassar. Sorry Shannon (but don't feel too bad for her because she still got some hand-made caramels and lollipops!).