The Hot Chocolates Blog

Lemon and White Chocolate Cupcakes

sharon — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:26:37 +0000

Lovely lemon and white chocolate cupcakes. Buy online at www.hotchocolates.biz

Strawberries and Cream Handmade Chocolates

sharon — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:24:47 +0000

Enjoy the British Summer with our Strawberries and Cream handmade chocolates covered in smooth milk chocolate – the best of British. Sublime!

Jubilee White Chocolate Cake

sharon — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:02:25 +0000

Celebrate the best of British this year with our gorgeous Union Jack white chocolate and berries cake topped with buttercream. Homemade using pure Belgian white chocolate. Moist, dense and very satisfying. Serves 10 – 12 people.

Basic Buttercream

sharon — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:28:09 +0000

I have been asked for a basic buttercream recipe so here goes:
The basic butter cream recipe – from my old school book is 2oz of butter/marg to 4oz icing sugar, a few drops of vanilla essence. Which in new money is approx. 50g to 100g – always use half the amount of fat to sugar, you can make much more as long as you keep the proportions. Cream butter and sifted sugar together and then add vanilla or other flavouring. You will get a much stiffer mix with butter than marg or one of the spreadables but for piping on to cupcakes rather than putting in a sponge I would always use butter but the make/type shouldn’t matter. If it is too soft pop it in the fridge to cool and then put into the piping bag. Let me know how you get on.

Melting Chocolate in the Microwave?

sharon — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:34:44 +0000

It is very easy to overheat chocolate in the microwave. Believe me I’ve done it. I’ve been lulled into a false sense of security because I think I know what I’m doing but the chocolate has other ideas. Because microwaves heat things unevenly you can burn the chocolate without realising. This will cause grainy bits and the chocolate can sometimes become paste like and completely unworkable. I would always heat my chocolate over a saucepan with hot water in it that you have taken off the heat. Keep returning the pan to the heat if the water is too cool but leave the chocolate bowl to one side and then put it over the water once off the heat again. This may seem over cautious but it works! I would also never use chocolate unless it contains 100% cocoa butter. Chocolate that has had other fats/oils added to it is difficult to melt successfully without problems occurring such as those above.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread

sharon — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:56:19 +0000

If you do nothing else this weekend you must make this shortbread. Calling this chocolate chip shortbread does not do it justice. It has the most light, even consistency and the rich toffeeness of the organic milk chocolate makes it irresistible.

• 225g softened salted butter
• 115g sifted icing sugar
• 225g plain flour
• 115g cornflour
• 125g hot chocolates organic milk chocolate buttons chopped
• caster sugar to dredge

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 3.
Grease a 13 x 9 in swiss roll tin.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until creamy. Sieve the flour and cornflour into the bowl and beat into a solid mass, add the chopped chocolate and beat again. Turn the stiff mixture out on the tin and flatten evenly with the back of a spatula. Prick all over with a fork and place in the oven. The shortbread should take between 40 – 50 mins, test with a skewer. Only dry crumbs should stick to the skewer, no soft mixture. Dust with caster sugar and cut into squares. Leave in the tin to cool for ten mins before turning out on to a cooling tray.

IB TIMES CHOCOLATE REVIEW

sharon — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:19:34 +0000

Hot Chocolates has absolutely outdone itself with truffles that are fine and velvety and highly sought after in the office. We loved its confectionery and were pleased with the price too, averaging under £1 per individual but disappointed we didn’t have more to sample. A very solid chocolatier.

Valentine’s Chocolates

sharon — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:31:41 +0000

Raspberry and Orange Brandy, Rose and Cointreau, Tayberry or Single Malt? Which ever you choose this Valentine’s Day you are going to make someone love you even if they don’t already!
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Competition! Win a box of delicious handmade chocolates

sharon — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:54:50 +0000

Facebook – like our Hot Chocolates page and update your status to “I want to drown in Hot Chocolates. Like Hot Chocolates to win a free box.”

Twitter – follow hotchocshop and tweet “I want to drown in Hot Chocolates – retweet and follow hotchocshop to win a free box.”

Join our mailing list – email me Sharon with the message “Sharon, I want to drown in Hot Chocolates!”

Why not do all three and triple your chances of winning! Competition closes Tuesday 31st January at midnight. Open to UK residents only.

Rose and Cointreau Truffles

sharon — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:01:20 +0000

Special edition twelve rose and cointreau handmade chocolates covered in dark chocolate – the best of British and French – gorgeous!