chocolate blog written by a real chocolatier

Add Flavourings to Chocolate using oils

How to Add Flavouring to Your Chocolate using Oils

Beer and chocolate a match made in heaven

Beer and chocolate a match made in heaven when its done right!

Chefs top tips for barbecue perfection

The open flame is the oldest cooking method in the world.

Chocolate is brain food but can it make us clever?

will eating chocolate make us smarter

Chocolate is on the National Curriculum for Schools

it's true! Chocolate is on the National Curriculum and Coeur de Xocolat can bring chocolate events

Key stage one & two lessons and classes to your school

Chocolate Safari to Bruges

Bruges the highlights

Chocolate tempering What exactly is it & how to do it.

with a little practice it can be done at home

Cocoa bloom explained

Chocolate bloom explained

How Chocolate bloom its caused

What to do when Chocolate has bloom on it

When you see “% cacao” printed on a label, it tells us what the total percentage of ingredients by weight in that product that come from the cocoa bean, including the chocolate liquor and cocoa butter. The term is usually found on premium chocolates, especially dark chocolate but increasingly on premium milk bars too.

Generate new product ideas

Innovation is often the key in most sectors, but in food and drink it’s much more critical

History and origins of chocolate truffles

What is and what isn't a truffle?

Hot Chocolate and how to make it ?

cocoa is among the many things the Spaniards acquired from the Aztecs.The botanical name for chocolate is Theobroma, which means "food of the gods".

The name is appropriate for the importance of chocolate in the Mexican culture.

The Aztec people made a wide range of beverages using cocoa combined with seeds, honey, nuts, and spices.

How to have the best chocolate fountain

Chocolate Fountain help and advice

How to improve Your palate

we all need a little help tasting

How to use cocoa nibs in the kitchen

How to use cocoa nibs in your recipes

Introducing David Greenwood-Haigh Fih

David is an award-winning chocolatier with over forty years’ experience in the food industry as a Master Chef member of the Craft Guild of Chefs and sales manager for various blue-chip food businesses.

is there a difference in Baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda ?

Bicarbonate of soda and baking powder are both raising agents

but what is the difference and when should we use them?

Love is in the air Say It with CHOCOLATE!

Why Does Coeur de Xocolat have a x

Parkin its a northern thing

A sticky soft cake made traditionally with oatmeal, golden syrup, (was lard) now butter and ginger.

Rubs & Crusts explained

Rubs & Crusts explained ready for BBQ Season which is upon us rubs and crust are a great way to spice up the protien.

Savoury Chocolate!

Following on from How to use cocoa nibs in the kitchen we know Chocolate is a common ingredient in savoury cooking in certain parts of Europe and Mexico

Secrets of a Professional Chocolate Taster

Eating chocolate for a living may seem like the best job in the world but it's not always sugar and spice

People’s faces turn green with envy when tell them I taste chocolate for a living, or teaching others to taste and appreciate chocolate.

Sniff Cocoa Like a Rockstar

There are lots of ways to enjoy chocolate.

The ancient Olmec’s took it in water with chilli and called it Xocolātl the Spanish frothed it and added sweeteners. We can take it neat or with hot milk, with alcohol: put a square of it into your mouth and let it dissolve slowly on your tongue. You can melt it between your fingers and lick it off slowly. You can make truffles with it, use it to coat a cake or fresh fruit, fill it with tequila, salt and lime and make a shooter out of it, and even have a cocoa butter spa treatment.

And now you can even snort it. Yes, really smell it and its legal!

Stir up Sunday

Have you ever wondered what is stir up Sunday is?

Sultana raisins and currants what's the difference

This was something i covered in January for BBC ripoff Britain saying that the bulk industry will add more fruit nuts etc to keep the price down this is my answer i noticed that sultanas contain less sugar.

The History of Churros

As the food festival season hits its peak, thousands of foodies like me will be enjoying a favourite festival treat—churros

The Rhubarb triangle

Part of the brilliant Wakefield rhubarb festival

RHUBARB TOUR 8th February 2017

Three ways to brownie heaven

How to make PERFECT BROWNIES every time

Top tips for buying and bringing chocolate home from France

I often lead chocolate safaries to Bruges France London and a question im always asked is how to get the chocolate back home in perfect condition

well lets take a brief look at the french and chocolate first then how to handle them.