Category: chocolate

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Conference dinner at the Marriott

Back in October I was at a conference at the Marriott in Glasgow and there was a nice conference dinner.

For the starter we had a confit pork and apple terrine. I wasn’t a fan to be honest, the terrine was rather plain and I don’t really like oatcakes.

The main was a roast chicken supreme stuffed with haggis. It was served with dauphinoise potatoes and vegetables. This was rather nice, not spectacular, but tasty.

The salted caramel tart was very rich, it really needed some ice cream to offset the richness.

Overall I did enjoy the meal, certainly better than some conference dinners I’ve had, but not one of the best.

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KitKat Hazelnut

KitKat Hazelnut

We don’t quite get the range of KitKat flavours that they get in Japan, however the range in the UK has been getting quite diverse. I noticed in my local coop they had a “new” flavour, hazelnut. I quite like a KitKat now and then so decided to get one and give it a go.

I might be out of line, but I like my KitKats chilled, so I put the KitKat in the fridge and left it there overnight.

Knowing it was hazelnut, I was expecting something quite sickly, a KitKat filled with a Nutella style spread. However, I was pleasantly surprised. There was a nut flavour in there, but the overall experience was rather nice. If you have had chocolate and hazelnut wafer bars before, then you would find these rather similar, but with a better coating of chocolate. Would I get another one? Yes I would. 

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Time for a Marathon

Over the years many sweets and chocolate bars have come and gone. Some have had name changes, some of which I have never understood.

Why did Opal Fruits become Starburst for example?

One I never understood was when Marathon bars became Snickers. What was that all about?

I was slightly nostalgic to see recently a pack of Marathon bars in my local supermarket.

They are a limited retro edition, which was nice.

It worked, as I did buy a pack.

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Delicious French Eclairs

This summer we were staying at Le Grand Paris in Nesles-la-Vallée, close to Paris, in France. The campsite didn’t have a shop, so we were dependent on going into the village for supplies. Nesles-la-Vallée had a couple of small supermarkets, in addition they were two boulangeries and a charcuterie. It was nice to buy baguettes and breakfast pastries from the boulangerie.

One day I also bought some delicious fresh eclairs from there as well.

I got four versions, a vanilla eclair, one chocolate, a pistachio, I also got a Paris Nesles, which a local speciality eclair with almonds.

I had the pistachio eclair and the Paris Nesles. They were both delicious. My son had the chocolate and vanilla eclairs. The chocolate version had a chocolate cream, which was different to the usual fresh cream. The vanilla one had vanilla cream, and as you might have guessed the filling of the other two. The Paris Nesles did though also have a layer of chocolate ganache as well as an almond filling.

These were delicious and lovely patisserie. I could have bought loads of cakes from there.

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Glazed Pork Belly Burger

I enjoyed the mixed grill I had eaten at the Landing Light in Weston-super-Mare.

The Landing Light is a Marston pub. Though very close to where we live, prior to my previous visit, I think I had been there only once before, for a meal, and even then I am not sure I actually had. The Landing Light is not an old pub, it opened ten years ago, it has a modern retro feel to it.

I was tempted to have the mixed grill again, but in the end decided I would have something from the specials menu. Sometimes the specials at places are dishes to be avoided, but I was confident here that these were not what was left over, but extra dishes added to the menu.

I went with the Glazed Pork Belly Burger, two 3oz charred beef patties, maple glazed pork belly, Monterey jack cheese, smoked streaky bacon, burger sauce, pickled red onions, and seasoned skinny fries. Though I was tempted by the other two specials, the oven baked cod loin and the pan roasted chicken.

My burger arrived, it was huge and nicely presented.

This was an interesting combination. The pork belly was very tender, but not as flavourful as I thought it would be. The beef patties were nice, and had a good flavour. 

There was a side portion of coleslaw, which though obviously not homemade, added crunch and freshness to the dish.

I did enjoy the burger and it was very tasty.

Service was excellent and everyone else around the table enjoyed their food.

Did I have pudding, in the end I did. I had the chocolate brownie sundae. Warm brownie, ice cream, fresh cream, and a flake, what’s not to like! 

Decadent and indulgent, but also very nice.

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Bonfire Biscuits

Take a chocolate digestive.

Add a dollop of buttercream (vanilla or chocolate). Use some Matchmakers broken up to represent the logs of the bonfire. The new(ish) honeycomb ones work well, from a flavour perspective, otherwise the mint can be overpowering. At this point you can dust with icing sugar to represent the ash.

Then using some torn up red shoelaces (the sweets, not actual shoelaces) place them around the chocolate logs to represent the flames.

Add some (fallen) mini marshmallows around the edge.

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Gluten Free Rocky Road

In a large pan, gently melt 150g of dark chocolate, 50g of butter and 3 large spoons of Golden Syrup. The key here is gently, too harsh then the butter and chocolate will burn. Once it has melted then leave for 15 minutes. You need to leave it to cool down otherwise when you add the marshmallows they will melt.

Crush some gluten free biscuits. I used some gluten free shortbread from Tesco. I also added about 50g of gluten free rice cereal as well, for  added crunch. Then add 50g of small marshmallows. 

This mixture is then stirred carefully to ensure that all the ingredients are coated in the chocolate mixture.

Spoon the mixture into either a greased lined baking tray or a foil tray. Press down into the tray and ensure that it is evenly spread.

Then sprinkle the top of the rocky road with decorations. I used small marshmallows.

Chill in the fridge and then cut into squares or slices.

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Different Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

I was wanting to make some gluten free chocolate muffins, and though I have been using this recipe recently I didn’t have any yoghurt in the fridge so needed to do something different.

175g gluten free self-raising flour
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
125g golden caster sugar
125g softened unsalted butter
2 medium eggs
100g dark chocolate chips
20g of dark chocolate chunks for decoration
1 tbsp milk

Heat oven to 180C or 160C fan and line a 12-hole muffin tin with 8 paper cases. 

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

Beat in one of the eggs and then beat in the second egg.

Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, chocolate chips and the milk. 

Stir until smooth.

I bought my paper cases from Amazon, though I later found similar ones in Waitrose.

Spoon the mixture into the eight cases and then sprinkle the chocolate chunks on top.

Bake in the oven for twenty minutes so that they are firm to touch.

Put onto a cooling rack.

Eat.