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We totally understand that everyone is unique, just like our communities are at NHL Stenden. Not everyone has the same taste and that’s exactly why, we’re introducing a unique flavour of chocolate for each campus. It means you get to taste the diversity of each ‘home’.
The line-up
Each campus has its own special bonbon. The flavours are based on local ingredients and typical regional taste combos, making Fearless Flavours that are as unique as you are.
Leeuwarden - Fryske Dûmkes: aniseed, hazelnut praline, crumb, milk chocolate ganache
Groningen - Gingerbread: gingerbread, brown butter, cream cheese, lemon, white chocolate ganache
Drenthe - Cinnamon Spice: cinnamon, juniper berries, cloves, lemon, orange
Amsterdam - Stroopwafel: caramel waffle, crumb, butter, cinnamon, sea salt, Dutch vanilla
Terschelling - Cranberry: cranberry, yoghurt & white chocolate
A bonbon and a university of applied sciences. A strange mix? 🤔
True! And that’s why we’re doing it! As NHL Stenden, we want to stand out and be different to our competition. Of course, we do that through the quality and content of the education we offer, but we also do it with our brand. We are the originals, and you can sense this, see and hear it, everywhere – in your head, your heart (and your stomach 😉). These bonbons create a real, physical experience of our brand as well as positive brand association. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t associate chocolate with pleasure, love and happiness?
The flavours
Amsterdam and whiffs of warm syrup and thin waffles is a familiar combination for many. Our inspiration was taken from the many stalls in the city selling the classic Dutch stroopwafels. We’ve also added a pinch of sea salt to mimic the fresh sea air and an extravagant drop of Dutch vanilla. Horticulturists Koppert Cress have taken growing local, sustainable products to the next level by growing their very own distinctively flavoured vanilla – and we’ve taken their innovation to make our chocolate even more special.
One of Friesland’s most iconic biscuits is the Fryske dúmke, the Frisian thumb. Served at every occasion, from weddings to simple coffee dates, it’s a must for bakers, cafes and restaurants with its distinct aniseed and hazelnut flavours. So it’s no surprise that we’ve taken these two flavours for our Leeuwarden chocolate. And did you know that hazelnuts are grown all over the Netherlands, but especially in Friesland? Including in Wannee Chef Peter’s garden next to his beloved aniseed.
In our most northern province of Groningen, ginger plays a prominent role in pastries and cakes. Whether it’s the ground spice or candied version, the warming scent of ginger makes it a firm favourite, especially in the winter months. We’ve drawn inspiration for our Groningen chocolate from the classic gingerbread biscuits and the white icing trim on traditional gingerbread houses.
To capture the smells and tastes of Drenthe, Wannee Chef Peter drew inspiration from sensory artist Philipp Kolmann’s work in which he created a gin with scents authentic to the province. Chef Peter focused particularly on juniper, the plant that grows abundantly in the region. The woody, earthy tones of the juniper berries and the citrusy scent of its branches have been combined with earthy notes of clove and the spicy warmth of cinnamon.
Cranberries have been growing in the damp dunes of Terschelling for over 100 years and turn the island into a burst of colour during the summer months. The cranberries’ tartness is a perfect pairing with the creamy freshness of yoghurt and white chocolate, inspired by the crashing waves and the sea foam on the island’s northern shore.