Ginger & Apricot Tiffin

Photo: © childsdesign

Tiffin is a sweet treat that requires no baking and is quick and easy to make. It is often made with digestive biscuits but as I like to experiment with flavours, I tried using ginger nuts instead which made the tiffin taste quite indulgent. Actually this recipe is very indulgent as I used rich chocolate. Many tiffin recipes contain nuts too, but this one is rather simpler but the end result is luxurious and almost truffle-like without any nutty intrusions that I sometimes find can give a rather dry texture.

Ingredients
200g unsalted butter
200g plain chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
1tbsp runny honey
225g ginger nut biscuits
150g dried ready-to-eat apricots

Method
Grease a loaf tin or square dish with butter and line with baking parchment.
Place a large bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Put in the butter, chocolate and honey and allow to melt and stir briefly to combine.
Crush the biscuits coarsely. It is good to have a mixture of more finely crushed to just broken biscuit pieces.
Chop the apricots coarsely.
Add the biscuits and apricots to the now melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir really well, making sure the biscuit and apricot pieces are well coated and evenly distributed.
Pour the mixture into the tin and spread out evenly. Leave to cool then place in the fridge to set.
When set, turn out the tiffin on to a board and cut into slices.

The Chocolate Festival, London 2011

Recently I was invited to a press launch of The Chocolate Festival, where I was treated to some talks and tastings to promoted the event which started in Oxford last weekend. Next stop is London when the South Bank plays host to three days of chocolate pleasure. From the 8 – 10 April, the area around The Royal Festival Hall will be lined with stalls filled with some of the finest chocolate and chocolate related products to try and buy.

For true devotees of this glorious substance there will also be live demonstrations and tutored tastings from some of the best Chocolatiers; from William Curley and Bill McCarrick to Damian Allsop and Paul Wayne Gregory.

This a very appropriate time of year for the festival as Easter is only a couple of weeks away, when most people are thinking about chocolate. The Chocolate Festival is the place to visit if you're looking for that special gift or are even thinking of treating yourself.

For more information about the event visit www.festivalchocolate.co.uk

The Big Chocolate Tea Party

On the Sunday 10th the event will be hosting The Big Chocolate Tea Party in support of The Sick Children's Trust. They will be joined by Channel 5 Milkshake! Presenters Derek Moran and Jen Pringle and celebrity cupcake maker, Lily Vanilli, is hosting a free children's chocolate workshop and there will be goodies galore.

Click here to find out more about the charity event


Photo from The Chocolate Festival website

Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Shards

Last week I made myself a birthday cake. You may be wondering why I didn't get someone else to do it, but as it happens I really enjoy baking, so my birthday was the perfect excuse to indulge.

I whipped together a rich chocolate sponge and, spread the two halves with plum jam. It should have been cherry, but not having any to hand, the plum was a good substitute and worked very well. I sandwiched the cake together with whipped chocolate ganache and spread some over the top as well.

Feeling creative, I made some salted caramel and poured it out on to a tray to set solid, after which I snapped it into the most glorious amber shards that looked just like glass. I pushed them into the top of the cake in an artful fashion.

This cake has been nicknamed the Kryptonite Cake as its decoration resembles the cave of crystals that sap Superman's strength. Although having no real adverse affect on ourselves the richness and intense flavours can leave one feeling pleasantly giddy with delight.

Do I give you the recipe?... It'll be in the Cheeky Spouse cook book...

Photo: ©childsdesign 2010

This is My Chocolate: Chocri

Have you ever dreamed of creating your very own chocolate bar? One that has your favourite toppings and flavour combinations, or maybe you'd just like to experiment? I know I certainly have. I'm often thinking up intriguing mixtures of tastes, but I've yet to find something ready made.

Very recently, I was approached by Chocri to try out their unique concept in chocolate, which is a brand new innovation for us here in the UK. Originally founded in Germany in 2008, co-owners Franz and Michael followed their passion for good chocolate to start a company offering a bespoke chocolate bar making service.

The beauty of the process, is that you, the customer have the opportunity to design your very own chocolate bar online. Starting from a choice of plain, milk or white premium Belgian chocolate (which is organic and fair trade) you can choose from over 100 different toppings in any combination and then name your confection.
I was able to design two bars, and at first found the choice mind boggling, but the only difficult thing about using the website is making a decision. Orders are for a minimum of two bars and can have up to six toppings each. It would be easy to go over the top but I managed to exercise some restraint and put together two very different chocolate bars; Cheeky Spouse Craver and Cheeky Spouse Indulgence.

Cheeky Spouse Craver
This is for when you have one of those moments when you want chocolate to comfort the child inside. It is sweet and satisfying.
I opted for the half and half chocolate bar, milk chocolate on one side and white on the other. This was dotted with roasted almonds, caramel chocolate drops, raisins and peanut butter drops.

Cheeky Spouse Indulgence
For my take on something a bit more grown-up, dark chocolate was a must. I chose more elegant toppings; Bourbon vanilla, pistachios, candied rose petals and for an elegant flourish, real gold flakes.

From the moment I placed my order I was kept informed by email as to when my chocolate bars went into production which was all very exciting – I couldn't wait to find out what my chocolate looked like.
The toppings are placed with care so there is an even coverage and the chocolate is smooth with a real depth of flavour. They look very attractive in their personalised packaging.

With Christmas on its way I think Chocri would make a great present for the chocolate lover you know. If you're not sure what toppings they would like, then there are gift vouchers available.

For more information and to buy online visit the website: chocri.co.uk

As part of the National Chocolate Week celebrations, Chocri will be taking part at the Chocolate Unwrapped event in London 
16–17 October 2010. 
Why not go along to see what they're all about? 
chocolate-week.co.uk/chocolate-unwrapped

Photos: ©childsdesign 2010

National Chocolate Week 2010

Today sees the start of a week of all things meltingly gorgeous and indulgent, the perfect excuse to celebrate everything that is chocolate.
Whether you like it sweet and milky
or dark, rich and sophisticated,
National Chocolate Week is the time to abandon yourself to the pleasures of the cacao bean.

Throughout the week various events, across the country will be taking place and in particular an entire weekend (16–17 October) will be devoted to Chocolate Unwrapped at London's Vinopolis.
Experience a variety of tastings, talks and treats from some of the best chocolatiers in the country, from top names as William Curley,
Artisan Du Chocolat and Paul A. Young, to name but a few.

chocolate-week.co.uk
chocolate-week.co.uk/chocolate-unwrapped
Images taken from the National Chocolate Week website

The Big Yum

It didn’t take us long to munch our way through a bag of these no nonsense treats. Each crunchy, chocolate pretzel was so moreish, that one immediately led on to another, and they were gone so quickly, there was no opportunity for a photo (had to borrow one).

Very appropriately named, The Big Yum, have found a gap in the market for those still hankering after Pretzel Flipz – remember those? Big Yum like to call their snacks chocolate swerves, but in common with the aforementioned nibbles, they too are salted pretzels enrobed in (better quality) milk chocolate.

Looking at the thankfully short ingredients list, there is indeed a no nonsense approach – no added nasties, only what’s needed to make this an enjoyable treat.

What more can I say than, I really like them. Salt does combine well with chocolate and if there are any non-believers out there, you should try them for yourself.

For information and where to buy, visit The Big Yum Website: thebigyum.co.uk


Photos: Big Yum website

Chocolate Muffins……for Grown-Ups

Occasionally I like to indulge in a chocolate muffin, to go with a good cup of freshly brewed coffee, but I've never found anything in the shops that caters for more grown-up tastes. Shop bought muffins are mostly very sweet and I want something a little more sophisticated.
To achieve the desired flavour, I use a good quality dark chocolate. Nothing less than 70% cocoa solids will do. You need the intense, almost savoury flavour to elevate these muffins into the realms of refinement. That's why the sea salt is there too – it gives a little extra boost.

Makes 12
Ingredients
200g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
115g light muscovado sugar
good pinch of sea salt
185g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
2 eggs
100 ml sunflower oil
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
165ml milk

Method


Preheat the oven to Gas 6, 200C, 400F.
Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder cinnamon, sugar and salt into a large bowl. If you find that some of the sugar won't go through the sieve, just use a spoon to rub it through.
Now stir in the broken chocolate pieces.
Whisk together the eggs and oil in a separate bowl until they become foamy. Now add the yogurt and then carefully whisk in the milk. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients until blended.
Spoon into cake cases, filling each to three-quarters full. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes.
The muffins are ready when they are well risen and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean – unless you've gone through some melted chocolate, of course!

Chocolate is Good for You!

It's that time of year again, albeit a little earlier, when everyone seems to be stuffing their faces with chocolate, but it's not good chocolate. Easter brings with it an awful influx of overly sweet easter eggs, that seem to be devoid of any real qualities of flavour. They are cloying and sickly and really do make us all very 'fed up'.

We really need some decent chocolate and it has to be unusual - something to savour and for us to enjoy it's uniqueness, and I've found them.

First is a white chocolate with black pepper and lemon, and it is truly wonderful. The chocolate is creamy, not too sweet, full of lively zesty lemon followed by the warm kick of the pepper that pleasingly tickles your throat.

Hungry Hubby and I really loved it and have already bought another bar in readiness for some future indulgence.

kshocolatstore.co.uk

The second treat is a smooth rich milk chocolate infused with the heavenly scent of lavender and lime tree blossom. To some, it does sound like a weird combination, but it really works!

The makers of the chocolate bar have developed a range of different flavours using various botanicals with health giving benefits in mind, but we don't need to be told that this chocolate is good for you, to persuade us to eat it!

newtree.be