4 Foolproof chocolate ‘bite’ recipes + info on Cacao Barry and Valrhona Chocolate available from thefcdeli.co.uk

Here are 4 recipes all involving chocolate!! Each recipe results in a bunch of tasty bites you can either wrap up in an attractive bundle as a present, make for a party or just make for yourself and friends! I've created all the below recipes and had no problems, the methods are very easy to follow.

For all of these recipes you can use cocao barry chocolate or valrhona chocolate. Both brands of chocolate use high percentages of cocoa. Below is some information and history about these fantastic chocolate makers!

CACAO BARRY is renowned for its vision of the chocolate-maker’s craft as an art form.
Producing and selling the finest-grade chocolate in the world, Cacao Barry has a wide
product range that’s a real favourite among the leading chocolate professionals.

1842, starting in business with tea and coffee, Charles Barry, a true innovator with a passion for chocolate, travelled to Africa to seek out a selection of cocoa beans that would enable him to create his very first connoisseur’s chocolate.

1923 : Alexandre Lacarré carries out the ambitious projects of the company.

1952 : Cacao Barry is active from bean to gourmet chocolate.

1963 : Creation of the Baking Sticks and simultaneously the so famous “pains au chocolat!”

1973 : “Your demonstration partner” first brand to introduce personalized assistance & support to professionals.

1994 : Creation of the Pure Origine of Cacao Barry.

1996 : Joint Venture with Callebaut to give birth to Barry Callebaut.

2005 : Creation of the complete internet site www.cacaobarry.com

2006 : New Logo to celebrate our founder Charles Barry.

Cocoakit

The cocoa tree – Theobroma Cacao – grows in the warm and humid equatorial belt within 10°N and 10°S of the equator. Although the origins of the tree are disputed, it can be traced to the tropical regions of Venezuela, Honduras and Mexico. Some believe that it originally grew in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, others in Mexico. Scientific proof indicates more and more that the real cradle of cocoa and chocolate lies in the Ulúa valley in Honduras. Today though, cocoa is cultivated globally, albeit in a narrow belt around the equator: in carefully grown plantations in the tropical rainforests of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The hundreds of cross-breeds that exist today, go back to these 3 basic botanic cocoa species.
Cocoa is cultivated worldwide on the tropical belt between 10° north and south of the equator. All over the world, our cocoa tracers track down the finest cocoa beans, even in the most remote areas and plantations.

Criollo
Criollo yields extremely rare cacao with an exceptional flavor. It represents less than 2% of the world’s production. Criollo is found in the Caribbean and Latin America, in particular Ecuador.

Forastero
Forastero is a very robust cacao tree, easier to cultivate. It yields “bulk cacao” that gives chocolate its familiar basic taste. Almost all African plantations consist of Forastero varieties.

Trinitario
Trinitario combines the best of Criollo and Forastero. This cross has fairly good resistance to plant diseases and strong wind.

Cocoa is cultivated worldwide on the tropical belt between 10° north and south of the equator. All over the world, our cocoa tracers track down the finest cocoa beans, even in the most remote areas and plantations.

Valrhona Chocolate

Famous with chefs the world over, Valrhona formerly known as La Chocolaterie de Vivarais - was founded by M. Guironnet, a pastry chef from the Rhône valley in 1924. Known in the industry as a supplier of high quality raw chocolate for chocolatiers they took the name Valrhona (from ‘valley’ and ‘Rhône’ in the early 1950s.

Valrhona pioneered the production of high quality chocolate from carefully controlled sources and started the trend of featuring the percentage of the cocoa solids in chocolate. With the introduction of their ‘grand cru’ chocolates in the eighties they led the way towards chocolate from known origins and quality beans.

Valrhona created the “Grand Crus” in 1984 and the “Chocolates du Domaine” in 1999. The chocolate “grand crus” are created from beans issued from a given geographic region but from different plantations: Guanaja, Caraibe and Manjari.
The “Chocolates du Domaine” correspond to a single harvest and come from selected lot of a given plantation where the quality of the beans is highly exceptional. They carry the name of the domain and vintage of their harvest.

Both of these fantastic chocolate brands plus all the ingredients needed to make the below recipes can be found at www.thefcdeli.co.uk and start baking!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares – makes 20

Ingredients

300g milk chocolate

350g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

175g rolled oats

70g chopped mixed nuts

1 egg, beaten

400g canned condensed milk

70g crunchy peanut butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 180’C/350 F/ Gas Mark 4

Finely chop the chocolate. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter to the flour mixture and rub in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, rolled oats and nuts.

Put a quarter of the mixture into a bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Set aside.

Stir the egg into the remaining mixture, the press into the base of a 30 x 20-cm/ 12 x 8-inch baking tin. Bake in the preheated over for 15 mintues.

Meanwhile, mix the condensed milk and peanut butter together. Pour the mixture over the base and spread evenly, then sprinkle the reserved chocolate mixture on top and press down lightly.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes, until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares.

These peanut butter squares are soo tasty, just like a chewy snickers flavoured flapjack!

Chocolate Chip Flapjacks- makes 9

Ingredients

115g butter, plus extra for greasing

60g caster sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup

350g rolled oats

85g plain chocolate chips

85g sultanas

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark4. Lightly grease a 20-cm/8-inch square shallow cake tin.

Place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is well combined.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the rolled oats until they are well coasted. Add the chocolate chips and the sultanas and mix well to combine everything.

Transfer to the prepared tin ad press down well. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mintues. Cool slightly, then mark into squares. When almost cold, cut into squares and transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Always a tasty option! And so easy to make!

Caramel Chocoalte Shortbreat-makes 12

Ingredients

115g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

175g plain flour

55g golden caster sugar

Filling & Topping

200g butter

115g golden caster sugar

3 tbsp golden syrup

400g canned condensed milk

200g plain chocolate broken into pieces

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 23-cm/9-inch square shallow cake tin.

Place the butter, flour and sugar in a food processor and process until they begin to bind together. Press the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes very thick. Remove the shortbread base from the oven, pour over the filling and chill in the refrigerator until firm.

To make the topping, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly, and then spread over the caramel. Chill in the refrigerator until set. Cut it into 12 pieces with a sharp knife and serve.

homemade caramel shortbread will impress anyone you give it to!!

Chocolate chip shortbread-makes 8

Ingredients

115g plain flour

55g cornflour

55g golden caster sugar

115g butter, diced, plus extra for greasing

40g plain chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 160C/235F/ Gas Mark 3. Grease a 23-cm/9-inch loose based fluted tart tin.

Sift the flour and cornflour into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, then add the butter and rub it in uring your fingertips until the mixture starts to bind together.

Transfer to the prepared tart tin and press evenly over the base, prick the surface with a fork. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and press lightly into the surface.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked but now brown. Mark into 8 portions with a sharp knife. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

mmmmmm warm shortbread from the oven gives off the most mouth watering of smells!

Hope you enjoy your tasty treats!! Please leave any comments if you desire anymore information or chocolate related recipes!