Ginger & Apricot Tiffin

Photo: © childsdesign

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If you've been lucky enough to have been given lots of Easter eggs but are now getting a little tired of eating them as just chocolate, here's an idea to help consume them in a different way.

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 we like to experiment with flavours, we used ginger nuts instead.
A generous addition of moist and chewy dried apricots add a little tang and added texture.

View recipe

Chocolate & Beetroot Cake

Photo: © childsdesign

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Chocolate and beetroot is actually a very good combination and even if you say you don’t like beetroot, it really does take on a whole new taste sensation this way.

This is a cake of contrasts and contradictions. So dark in colour it should be exceedingly rich, but surprisingly it is quite light. The beetroot lends a little sweetness and also its reddish-purple juice manages to tint even the darkest of chocolate.

Serve with a dollop of cream or creme fraiche.

View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

Big stockist for Mortimer Chocolate Company

The Mortimer Chocolate Company has made its first deliveries of its award-winning hot chocolate products into Sainsbury’s Supermarkets all over the UK, just in time for customers to warm themselves up with the delicious chocolate drinks.

Their award-winning West African Chocolate Powder (which is already stocked in Waitrose) is going into nearly 600 Sainsbury’s stores, while their Ecuador Chocolate Powder will be stocked in nearly 400 stores.
This is good news for The Mortimer Chocolate Company which aims to bring fine chocolate drinks to a UK market dominated by sugary drinks lacking a real chocolate credential.
“Having our chocolates in the two top quality supermarkets in the land shows just how good our chocolates are!” said Adrian Smith, managing director of the Mortimer Chocolate Company. “Walking into my local Sainsbury’s and seeing two of our products side-by-side on the shelf is a great feeling! I want to tell all their customers how good a drink it is. And it is now available all over the UK!”

The Artisan Food Trail says: “Both chocolate powders have received our AFT Approved status and we are pleased for Adrian and Felicity whose knowledge, passion and hard work has produced a fine chocolate product which will now be available to a greater customer base.
Wider availability also means customers have more choice and the opportunity to make a better choice.
Being stocked in a supermarket has not meant that the products have been compromised though. Mortimer Chocolate Company have stuck to their original principles and it is heartening to know that they are getting the recognition and respect from the larger stores.”

Adrian added,“Our customers tell us how much they love our chocolate, now we hope that Sainsbury’s shoppers will fall in love with it too.”

To find out more about Mortimer Chocolate Company visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here

Chocolate Week on The Artisan Food Trail

Even we didn’t realise just how much chocolatey loveliness was on our food trail and now after delving deep we’ve found some pretty amazing stuff there and want to share it with you.

Well it is Chocolate Week! 

Cakes

Who can resist a gooey chocolate brownie? Well we know certainly can’t. The ones from #brownies have our full approval The brownies are not available to buy online but a visit to their website gives a list of outlets and markets where you find them.

Not everyone can eat gluten so Monkeypoodle Cake Company comes to the rescue with their totally gluten free creations. Try any of these: Triple Chocolate Cupcake, White Chocolate & Raspberry Cupcake, Monkeypoodle Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies, White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies
You can buy them all online here

More gluten free options are available from Harnell Cottage Bakes whose Brownies are just divine. We tried them last week so look out for a blog post about them soon.
You can buy from their website here

For cakes like you make at home – that means no nasty ingredients – Nutty Tarts Gifts & Goodies make an array of delicious ‘real cakes’. Choose from Black Dog Chocolate Beer Cake , Chocolate Biscuit Cake , Chocolate Brownies , Chocolate Pecan Cake , Nutty Chocolate Brownies You can buy them all online here

More bakes with the homemade touch are available from Nana's Kitchen. Have a look at their website where you'll find something chocolatey.

As well as making the finest pork sausages and pies, Samphire also have a nice line in sweet treats too
Chocolate Tiffin Buy online here

Confectionery

If cake doesn’t quite hit the spot, you might like to indulge in a slab of Fudge Kitchen’s gloriously creamy fudge.
Choose from these wonderful chocolatey flavours: Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt, After Dinner Mint , Belgian Chocolate Swirl, Double Trouble, Chocolate Classic, Chocolate & Orange, Chocolate Caramel Fudge They can all be purchased online here

For chocolate purists, treat yourself to some handmade chocolates from Bella Cacao. Per Norrgren creates the most wonderfully flavoured ganaches using all natural ingredients which are enrobed in the smoothest high quality chocolate. Details are on the website on where and how to purchase.

For devotees of raw food take a look at Raw Nibbles who produce a range of raw chocolate bars as well as other sweet treats. There are so many to list so do take a look at their website to see the fully range. All products are available to buy online.



Ice Cream
All of the ice creams on The Artisan Food Trail are lovingly hand made using British milk and cream, so for something cool, creamy and chocolatey you’ll surely be spoilt for choice.

Lewis of London dairy ice cream is made entirely on the farm just inside the M25 and has zero milk miles.
Chunky Chocolate More info here

Simply Ice Cream
Divine Chocolate More info here
Stockist info here

Ingredients

For the best tasting cakes and home made confections Mortimer Chocolate Company make a variety of chocolate powders which can bought online here
And we mustn't forget the melt and dip chocolate which you can either melt in the oven or on the barbecue. Find out more about The BBQ Chocolate Fondue and Melt and Dip Chocolate Pot here

Recipes
Thanks to our members including producers and chefs, we have lots of recipes for you to try. There’s something for everyone whether you like your chocolate light and creamy or devilishly dark.

Recipes from Alan Coxon

• White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Saffron, Cinnamon and Cardamom served with a chilli chocolate sauce View recipe
• Chocolate and Amaretti Torte View recipe
• Double Chocolate Tarte View recipe
• Divine Chocolate Birthday Cake with Raspberry Ganache View recipe
• Dark Chocolate Fondant View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse with Hot Chocolate Casserole View recipe
• Alan’s Gooey Fair Trade Chocolate Brownies View recipe

Recipe from Fudge Kitchen

• Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte View recipe

Recipes from Mortimer Chocolate Company
These two recipes have been tried and tested in the AFT Kitchen and we can highly recommend them. They taste good, are simple to make and importantly, indulgent.

• Chocolate Brownies View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse View recipe

There are lots more recipes on Mortimer’s website here

Food lovers guide to Chocolate Week

Even we didn’t realise just how much chocolatey loveliness was on our food trail and now after delving deep we’ve found some pretty amazing stuff there and want to share it with you.

Well it is Chocolate Week! 

Cakes

Who can resist a gooey chocolate brownie? Well we know certainly can’t. The ones from #brownies have our full approval The brownies are not available to buy online but a visit to their website gives a list of outlets and markets where you find them.

Whether you’re looking for a delectable tea time treat or need a fully bespoke celebration cake, Honeysuckle Cakes can satisfy your needs.
Chocolate Brownie Buy online here
Strawberry & Chocolate Chip Muffin Buy online here

Not everyone can eat gluten so Monkeypoodle Cake Company comes to the rescue with their totally gluten free creations.
Triple Chocolate Cupcake
White Chocolate & Raspberry Cupcake
Monkeypoodle Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies
You can buy them all online here

For cakes like you make at home – that means no nasty ingredients – Nutty Tarts Gifts & Goodies make an array of delicious ‘real cakes’.
Black Dog Chocolate Beer Cake Buy online here
Chocolate Biscuit Cake Buy online here
Chocolate Brownies Buy online here
A gluten free version is available here
Chocolate Pecan Cake Buy online here
Nutty Chocolate Brownies Buy online here

As well as making the finest pork sausages and pies, Samphire also have a nice line in sweet treats too
Chocolate Tiffin Buy online here

Confectionery

If cake doesn’t quite hit the spot, you might like to indulge in a slab of Fudge Kitchen’s gloriously creamy fudge.
Choose from these wonderful chocolatey flavours.
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Buy online here
After Dinner Mint Buy online here
Belgian Chocolate Swirl Buy online here
Double Trouble Buy online here
Chocolate Classic Buy online here
Chocolate & Orange Buy online here
Chocolate Caramel Fudge Buy online here

Ice Cream

All of the ice creams on The Artisan Food Trail are lovingly hand made using British milk and cream, so for something cool, creamy and chocolatey you’ll surely be spoilt for choice.

Simply Ice Cream
Divine Chocolate More info here
Stockist info here

Ingredients

For the best tasting cakes and home made confections Mortimer Chocolate Company make a variety of chocolate powders which can bought online here
And we mustn't forget the melt and dip chocolate which you can either melt in the oven or on the barbecue. Find out more about The BBQ Chocolate Fondue and Melt and Dip Chocolate Pot here

Recipes

Thanks to our members including producers and chefs, we have lots of recipes for you to try. There’s something for everyone whether you like your chocolate light and creamy or devilishly dark.

Recipes from Alan Coxon

• White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Saffron, Cinnamon and Cardamom served with a chilli chocolate sauce View recipe
• Chocolate and Amaretti Torte View recipe
• Double Chocolate Tarte View recipe
• Divine Chocolate Birthday Cake with Raspberry Ganache View recipe
• Dark Chocolate Fondant View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse with Hot Chocolate Casserole View recipe
• Alan’s Gooey Fair Trade Chocolate Brownies View recipe

Recipe from Fudge Kitchen

• Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte View recipe

Recipes from Mortimer Chocolate Company
These two recipes have been tried and tested in the AFT Kitchen and we can highly recommend them. They taste good, are simple to make and importantly, indulgent.

• Chocolate Brownies View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse View recipe

There are lots more recipes on Mortimer’s website here

World Class Flavour: Mortimer Chocolate Company

Photos: © Mortimer Chocolate Company

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The Mortimer Chocolate Company is very much a family business run by Adrian Smith and his wife Felicity who helps out in between looking after their three young children.

The company was started after Adrian decided to leave his position at Masterfoods where he’d enjoyed a successful career for nearly 20 years managing well known hot chocolate drinks brands as well as being one of their top cocoa tasters.

Major chocolate manufacturers blend cocoas to make a product that tastes the same year after year, a process which Adrian felt was depriving the consumer of real and distinct chocolate flavour. This spurred him on in his mission to find and produce fine quality chocolate from around the world. By focusing on small growers who nurture their cocoa to produce fine quality beans, the cocoa is made into a 100% plain chocolate powder, retaining its unique flavour, with no need for additives.

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which, like coffee and wine, vary in flavour according to the soil, season and region in which they were grown. Adrian uses his experience and knowledge to select cocoas direct from origin, such as West Africa, Ghana, Ecuador and Venezuela, to produce a 100% chocolate powder, ideal for making delicious chocolate drinks. This way the consumer can experience and understand the variety of cocoa flavours from around the world.

Mortimer Chocolate works with local growers towards Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade Accreditation. Although some growers are just too small for such a step, Adrian is currently working with a co-operative in Ghana to do just that.

As well as making delicious hot chocolate drinks, this unique range of global chocolate powders can be used for cooking, particularly in recipes requiring a good quality dark chocolate.
Felicity’s nutritional and culinary expertise quickly revealed the extent to which the quality plain chocolate powders can be used. By experimenting with a variety of recipes, it became clear that they can be used in savoury,
as well as sweet recipes, not to mention making actual bars of real luxurious chocolate.

Find out more about Mortimer Chocolate Company on The Artisan Food Trail here

Chocolate Mousse

Photo: © childsdesign

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This dessert is a real treat and trouble-free to make from Mortimer Chocolate Company. We used their Ecuador Pure Dark Chocolate powder which gave the mousse a rich distinctive flavour. Mortimer describe their Ecuador chocolate as having notes of tropical spices with a hint of smoky tobacco flavour.

And to join their West African Chocolate Powder, we are pleased to award Mortimer Chocolate Company ‘Artisan Food Trail Approved’ status for their Ecuador Pure Dark Chocolate powder.

We really like this recipe as it is not too sweet, only the small amount of sugar in the powder is required with no need for any extra. The texture is rich and velvety too.

View recipe

Snuggle up with a deeply dippy chocolate fondue

Photo: © childsdesign

We tried out the BBQ Chocolate Fondue from Mortimer Chocolate Company over the weekend and before you wonder what us crazy people were doing having a barbecue in the depths of winter, we chose to use the oven method. That's the beauty of this kit as it can be enjoyed any time of the year come rain or shine.

Read full review

If you fancy indulging someone for Valentines why not order a BBQ Chocolate Fondue from Mortimer Chocolate Company.
Visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here where you'll find links to their website/shop.

Chocolate Brownies

Photo: © childsdesign

There's nothing more irresistible than a chocolate brownie. Somewhere between cake and fudge, the intense gooey texture is lip lickingly good. The secret to a decent brownie though, is to use good quality chocolate and this recipe is from Mortimer Chocolate Company, makers of high quality chocolate powders. The powder isn't like cocoa powder, in fact you could just eat it straight out of the packet (confession: we did) it really is that good.
Mortimer's West African Chocolate is best for brownies and this recipe does actually feature on the back of the pack. The chocolate is very easy to use and produces a fantastic result with a deep, rich and almost fruity flavour.

View recipe

To find out more about Mortimer Chocolate Company visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here

Mortimer Chocolate Company win Best Drinking Chocolate 2011 award!

Thank you to everyone who voted following our requests via Twitter and Facebook, a couple of weeks a go. You nominated Mortimer Chocolate Company to win the Best Drinking Chocolate 2011 award and the response was just fantastic!

Adrian Smith received the award from Yael Rose, organiser of The Chocolate Festival, this week, for Mortimer Chocolate's West African chocolate.
We're very proud to have Mortimer Chocolate on The Artisan Food Trail – we've already tried some of their products and can say that they are very good indeed. Look out for some articles and recipes on the AFT blog soon.

Vote for Mortimer Chocolate Company and WIN a year's supply of drinking chocolate!

The people at The Chocolate Festival are looking for your favourite drinking chocolate and we are hoping that we can count on your support by nominating one of our Artisan Food Trail members.
Our most recent addition is Mortimer Chocolate Company that makes some truly amazing chocolate powders that can be used in a variety of recipes and of course, can also be mixed into a wonderful hot chocolate drink.

All we're asking you to do is visit The Chocolate Festival's voting page, where you'll find instructions, to make your nomination. Everyone will be entered into a prize draw and one lucky winner will receive a year's supply of drinking chocolate from some of the nominated brands.*

Just state Mortimer West African chocolate drink when you nominate.

Vote here!
Sorry – the poll has now closed
Did they win? Click here

For more information about Mortimer Chocolate Company visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here
*The competition is run by The Chocolate Festival and is not associated with The Artisan Food Trail

Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte

We were sent this extremely naughty recipe from Fudge Kitchen using one of their fudge sauces. It is gooey, rich and totally indulgent. We dare you to try it!
There's a really nifty way of lining the cake tin to give nice smooth sides to the torte but you could just line with cling film.

No cooking required – just a cake tin and a plastic pocket folder

Ingredients

• 250g dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce
• 568ml carton double cream
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• zest of 1 orange

Method
Use the plastic folder to line your tin. Cut it open then cut out a disc for the bottom and some strips to line the sides.

Put the chocolate, the Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce and about 150ml of the cream into a large heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl over a pan of hot water on very low heat until the chocolate has melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir to combine the ingredients then leave until the mix is only just warm.

Whip together the rest of the cream, two-thirds of the orange zest and cinnamon with a whisk until the mix is thick but just less than stiff.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and gently fold it all together until it is smooth and thick.

Then pour the whole mixture into your tin and leave it in the fridge to set for up to an hour.
To serve, unclip the tin, gently remove the sides of the plastic folder, invert the torte on to a plate and remove the tin and plastic disc on the base. Dust all over with cocoa and sprinkle the remaining orange zest on the top for decoration. Heat more Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce in the microwave (follow instructions on the jar) and serve in thin slices.

You can also use this basic recipe with our Rich Chocolate Fudge Sauce (remove orange zest and try adding 4 tsp of instant coffee) or the Chocolate & Ginger Fudge Sauce (dust with ground ginger and remove coffee and/or orange zest)

Thanks to Fudge Kitchen who sent us three of their 
sauces to try (Photo: ©childsdesign 2011)