Chocolate – Page 3 – The Adventures of Elle Coco

Join the Cocoa Revolution

Did you know chocolate grows on trees? Have you ever wondered how fruit from this magical tree gets turned into chocolate and how you can make your own delicious creations from it?

Cacao pods on a tree

Chocolate pieces

Join me this September 10th at one of London’s most exciting foodie venues, Carousel in Marylebone as I share my passion for chocolate with you. Here you can discover chocolate and learn the magic of making it yourself. Over 2.5 hours you’ll be taken on a delicious journey of the history of chocolate, its origins and processing methods, and after a quick demo be guided in making your own delectable fresh cream chocolate truffles to take home and wow your friends and family.

Tickets are going quick, so grab yours HERE and master the magic.

The workshop includes all your ingredients, equipment, everything you make (as long as you don’t eat all of it), and a two course dinner and drinks in Carousel’s award-winning restaurant!

This is an event you would be sad to miss.

See you there!

Love,

Coco x

Rummy Yummy Hot chocolate

Hotel Chocolat Hot Chocolate:

Hotel Chocolat are probably what most people think of when considering well-known chocolatiers in London, and although they are a ‘highstreet chain’, their chocolates (and hot chocolates) are not only divine award winners, but also inventive! My favourite is their classic hot chocolate, with a bit of a twist. Whilst a classic hot chocolate with chocolate shavings on top is an option, there’s something really special and a bit naughty about adding a shot (or two) of rum into the mix, and topping it off with the extremely flavourful cacao whip.

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The (Northern) Heart of English Chocolate

York! A medieval walled city in Northern England with a vibrant history dating as far back as Roman times and beyond. Defined by it’s medieval cathedral or ‘Minster’ – built in the 13th Century, and extensive Roman wall (since rebuilt in various places), it is also famous for playing its part in the chocolate and candy revolution of the British Isles.

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Drink of the Gods

LOKCHART MARTIN COCOA TEA:

The wonders of social media mean that these days a whole wealth of different chocolate and cacao products and producers are at the touch of a button. I discovered Lockhart Martin on Instragram and was lucky enough to win a sachet of their delectable cacao tea in an Instacompetition – unlike most cacao teas that just use the husks, these guys create a rustic blend of crushed cacao beans – so you’re not just getting the dreamy, almost earthy notes of the cacao shells coming through in this brew, but also the heady rich chocolatey notes (and nutritional benefits) within the nibs themselves. To coin a phrase (that’s already been coined by these folks) it’s “drinking chocolate without the calories”, never a truer word said! For maximum effect, use 3 heaped teaspoons of cocoa infusion in your preferred loose leaf tea spoon, pour freshly boiled water over them and steep for 2-3 minutes. If, like me, you are frugal with your cocoa items, the leaves will be good for up to two flushes, but after that they will need to be disposed of.

There’s more on offer in the infusions department; the inventive bunch at LM HQ are also branching into blends, the Cocoa & Mint infusion being the first in this range and I just can’t wait to try it! Cocoa infusions aren’t the only products these guys have going, they also create their own miniature bean-to-bar bars of 90% cacao. Watch this space for reviews on these shortly!

There is an honest and inspiring story behind these guys; founded by Sarah Martin after being diagnosed with Coeliac disease amongst other food intolerances, Sarah set about creating her own products she was able to eat, along with making artizan dark chocolate bars from the beans, she soon branched into cocoa infusions, and, realising her potential, started the Lockhart Martin company. Sarah, we salute you! Lockhart Martin are an online shop so head over to their website and grab yourself a cocoa infusion!

Marmalade, Chocolate and a hint of Rose

PEYTON AND BYRNE MARMALADE DARK CHOCOLATE and ROSE DARK CHOCOLATE 25g BARS:

People are probably most familiar with these guys and their cake-making abilities. With stores in iconic locations across London, they are popular with tourists and locals alike and produce a fine range of cakes, pastries and bread served alongside specially selected teas and coffees. Me being me, I got most excited about them when I discovered they also do chocolates with witty notes on the packaging…

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Charlie and the Chocolate Cafe

PRESTAT HOT CHOCOLATES:

One of London’s oldest chocolate houses, originally founded over 100 years ago, and later co-owned by a former employee of Charbonelle & Walker, Prestat started life as a little chocolate shop in South Molton Street. After surviving two World Wars and the rationing of the 1950s Prestat rose to prominence again, becoming a favourite shop of not just royalty, but of Rold Dahl himself! Legend has it it was this very chocolate shop that influenced Dahl for his book My Uncle Oswald, and, in part, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The latest exciting news for Prestat involves their newly opened chocolate cafe at 186, Pavilion Rd in Sloane Square. There are a fine selection of delicious cakes on offer, as well as chocolate truffles and a range of hot chocolates, which is why we’re here, including: Dark, Milk, Orange and Chai. Feeling a little like branching out, I went for the chai hot chocolate, not quite as thick as some other London hot chocolates I have tried, but still just as silky and rich as it is made with real grated chocolate and a powdered chai spice blend. The warming mix of spices with the rich chocolate is perfect for any time of year, and the lack of sickly syrupyness makes it all the more palatable. Served in a classically fancy gold-rimmed drinking mug and finished with a light dusting of richly intense cocoa powder, I strongly suggest regardless of what flavour you try, add a yuzu sake truffle as an after chocolate – trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Prestat's signature chai hot chocolate — Prestat’s chai hot chocolate served in their signature cup

Prestat’s Cafe can be found at: 186, Pavilion Rd, London SW3 2BF, a 3 minutes walk from Sloane Square tube station, and their miniature chocolate shop can be found at: 14 Princes Arcade, Piccadilly, London SW1Y 6DS

Before the Bar

After our foray into the Nicaraguan jungle in search of the ancient heirloom cacao, meeting with farmers along the way, it was now time to harvest the beautiful golden-red pods of deliciousness we had gathered. Have you ever wondered what makes chocolate taste like, well, often many more things than just chocolate? It’s not as simple as you might think.

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Searching for Cocoa

TUESDAY 10th MAY:

After an introduction to the world of fine cacao and its production methods at Ingemann’s processing and sorting facility, it was time to hit the (rather bumpy) road out to the cacao farms of north central Nicaragua. Here we would be meeting with the farmers, learning their trade and helping them with the harvest of some of their crop – the pods of the prized Theobroma Cacao tree.

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Miel y Cacao

SUNDAY 9th MAY:

It’s 4.45am on a Sunday and I’m running for a train to the airport with two backpacks strapped to me, trying to eat a banana and call a cab company. Uber have failed me!

I make the flight and set off on my most ambitious Chocolate Adventure yet. Having spent most of the last few years exploring some of the best chocolate shops in far-flung corners of the world, and having worked as a chocolatier, it was now time to get down to basics, to go right back to the beginning and discover what really goes in to creating one of the worlds’ most popular treats.

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An Inspirational Drink

ROCOCO CHOCOLATE’S HOT CHOCOLATE:

Rococo Chocolates in Motcombe Street, London, are famous for a variety of award-winning chocolate products, including their 70% House Dark drinking chocolate which is pure magic in a cup. Served in Rococo’s distinguishable china cups with the founder’s own blue stencil designs on them, everything about this hot chocolate drinking experience is pure perfection.

The chocolate they use is an organic 70% house blend using beans from a variety of origins, to add a little richness they have also added organic cocoa powder to the mix giving it a lovely strong flavour and velvety texture, it’s clear to see why this drink won them an Academy of Chocolate award! Sip it from their beautiful cups outside in the little wire chairs, inside the hustle and bustle of the shop, or in their little private magic garden downstairs at the back of the shop. Even after you’ve finished you will notice the heady notes of chocolate linger on your palette for a good few minutes! Aaah, bliss.

It’s not just their chocolates and hot chocolates that are inspirational, the founder herself, Chantal Cody is even more so. A strong minded business woman with a passion for style and chocolate, she founded Rococo Chocolates 33 years ago, the first female chocolatier in the UK to do so, as well as founding the Academy of Chocolate in 2005 alongside several other industry experts and chocolate aficionados. Legend also has it that it is Chantal and her Motcomb Street shop that inspired the book Chocolat by Joanne Harris.

Enjoy a fine cup of Rococo’s hot chocolate in a signature blue and white cup and explore the secret garden at 5 Motcomb Street, London, SW1X 8JU