Chocolate simply makes everything better! From a decadent Italian hot chocolate to the best brownies you’ve ever tasted, here are some of my favourite ways to use it.
Orangettes I started making chocolate-dipped candied orange peel for dinner parties in the 1980s without realizing they had a connection to Provençe. Candied citrus rind isn’t a new thing and I’m sure many people have had the idea of taking it to the next level with a chocolate coating. In France, it’s associated with Provence […]
Chocolate Mousse Chocolate mousse has never gone out of fashion because it simply tastes so good (and is so easy to make). The trick to good mousse is keeping it as light as possible, so when adding the egg white and cream gently fold it in without stirring more than necessary, better to have a […]
Barbajada Barbajada, traditional Milanese hot chocolate, is the best mocha you’ll ever taste! It was created in the mid-1800s by Domenico Barbaja, a waiter at Café Cambiasi next to Milan’s famous La Scala Theatre. Traditionally it’s made with equal quantities drinking chocolate, coffee and cream (or milk). My recipe is inspired by Alessandro Pavoni’s decadent […]
While cocktails are typically served before dinner, I find some are better suited to the end of the evening. Here’s my version of five classic cocktails that are perfect after, or instead of, dessert. Make your own simple sugar syrup by combining equal quantities of water and sugar or have fun with the exciting range […]
Chocolate & Raspberry Brownies This American classic is one of the easiest sweet treats to make. The recipe could be written in one sentence: melt butter and chocolate, whisk eggs and sugar, combine, fold in flour and bake. The most delicious brownies I’ve ever had were made by Scottish food writer Sue Lawrence; they contained […]
Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce Choux pastry seems daunting until you make it and realise just how easy it is. It can be used for a whole range of sweet and savoury recipes, but classic profiteroles with chocolate sauce is my favourite. Profiteroles can be filled with whipped cream or custard, but it’s hard to beat […]
Nanaimo Bar This is my version of the delicious unbaked slice I discovered years ago on a road trip through Canada. It hails from the town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, but is popular throughout the country. It’s a simple biscuit base with creamy custard-flavoured filling and chocolate ganache topping – and it’s irresistible! Nanaimo […]
Chocolate Mousse Three Ways Chocolate mousse has never gone out of fashion because it simply tastes so good (and is so easy to make). For something a bit different, I developed this two-tone version, but use this recipe to make just one colour if you prefer. If serving the white chocolate mousse on its own, […]
Tiramisu Desserts don’t get much easier than this delicious combination of coffee-dipped sponge biscuits layered with mascarpone lightened with beaten eggs. Meaning ‘pick me up’ in Italian, tira-mi-su is a relatively new creation, first appearing in Treviso (near Venice) in the 1960s. It’s a great dish to have in your repertoire as it doesn’t require […]
Mocha Self-saucing Pudding For me recipes, especially desserts, have to be quick and easy. And it doesn’t get much easier than this mocha self-saucing pudding. This is a grown-up pudding with a hearty shot of coffee in it to balances the sweetness – use boiling water instead if you prefer a sweeter version. Dutch-process (or […]
