Notes on chocolate: time for a nice spicy cup of hot chocolate or three
As we are deeper into winter and the clocks have changed, I have thrown myself fully into cosy chocolate pursuits. I will scatter the column with Christmas ideas, too, in the coming weeks.
First up this week is Table’s hot chocolate, £12.50/250g. All single origin and they come in flakes. (PSA: I use hot chocolate flakes in any recipe that asks for grated chocolate and it works brilliantly.) There are three in the collection, all award winners. I particularly liked, for something a bit different and warming, the Chai Spices, 59%. There’s cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves and star anise in there, and all you need are the comfy socks to slip into first. The 62% from the Dominican Republic is a more classic hot chocolate and the 63% from DR Congo has a hint of salt, which is very good in hot chocolate, even if the words salt and chocolate together make you feel fatigued.
I particularly liked, for something a bit different and warming, the Chai Spices, 59%
On to something a bit different. Lumi has started handmaking florentines. Unlike a lot of florentines that have a scrape of chocolate and are so chewy they risk a trip to the dentist, these have a good chunky medallion of chocolate under various fruits and nuts with the perfect amount of chew. I liked all of them, but my favourite was the dark chocolate with cranberry and apricot.
They come in packets of eight, cost £12, and make ideal presents. They will sell out so if you know someone who likes florentines, stock up. Other versions are sour cherry and almond with caramelised white chocolate (nicer than I imagined) and peanut and raisin with milk chocolate
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