chocolate recipes

Annie Smithers How do we find favourite recipes these days? There are, of course, books and magazines for inspiration, and newspapers, but so much of our world is now online. For me, inspiration is often found in the images that flit by while scrolling through...

Annie Smithers There’s nothing like an impending “state occasion” such as Mother’s Day to bring out the wannabe cake-maker in me. I must admit that when I scroll through pictures on Instagram of other people’s cake triumphs, I often feel a little inadequate –...

Andrew McConnell To me, a chocolate pot de crème is the best part of a chocolate tart without all the hassle of pastry-making – resting, rolling, blind baking, blah, blah, blah. If, however, you did want to go to the effort of making a tart – and I don’t judge –...

Andrew McConnell This recipe has been in our family for some time. A while ago I adapted it slightly as a homage to an ever-popular chocolate bar – the Cherry Ripe. For the time poor, it can easily be made without the addition of chocolate and cherries....

Andrew McConnell My favourite type of chocolate varies depending on what I am using it for. When I’m making hot chocolate, I like to use a Valrhona chocolate powder. When I’m making ice-creams, I like to use a combination of Lindt and Valrhona – through...

Andrew McConnell When I started cooking, there wasn’t necessarily a dedicated pastry chef in the kitchen. It was just part of your training and you worked your way through the pastry section.  I was lucky enough to work for a while in a pastry kitchen...

Andrew McConnell Tiramisu has a somewhat naff mass appeal – it’s a homely dessert that should be for everyone but the addition of raw egg, coffee and alcohol excludes children and some people from the pleasures. Bringing together two things that complete every...

Annie Smithers It’s blood orange season. Which means I’m busily making the most of one of the truly seasonal citrus fruits. I feature blood orange on the dessert menu, use blood orange segments in salads, and make copious amounts of blood orange cordial. I’m...

Andrew McConnell Who said food at a child’s party has to be only for the kids? Why is it not socially acceptable for adults to enjoy the occasional frog-in-a-pond, too? For adults and children alike, jelly is a somewhat forgotten food. The convenience and...