World Chocolate Week
It’s World Chocolate Week which means we can discuss one of our favourite topics. At Cookery School we have one huge proviso when it comes to chocolate – it has to be 100% slave free. Sadly this is still a major issue for many chocolate brands and is why the chocolate that we use at Cookery School is always ethical.
Our favourite chocolate is Original Beans. Be warned, you will become addicted. As well as delicious chocolate they have some wonderful tales to tell. We particularly love the story of Udzwunga in Tanzania, where they were plagued by elephants on the cacao plantation. They found a great ecological solution in the form of bees, which elephants don’t like! They surrounded the plantation with beehives and, lo and behold, instead of walking through the plantation and trampling all in their wake, the elephants now give the plantation a wide berth and walk around it.
Duffy is another ethical chocolate favourite of ours. They specialise in bean to bar chocolate and it is, using a cliché, ‘to die for’.
A Masterclass in Chocolate
In our chocolate making masterclass, taught by the wonderful Jon Hogan, experienced chocolatier, bean-to-bar chocolate maker, and pastry chef, we start the day with a tasting of different ethical chocolates. After this eye opening introduction everyone learns the tricks of a chocolatier so that they can have fun making their own.
An exciting part of the day is watching the transformation from bean to bar, where chocolate nibs are ground to a smooth paste. Most importantly, apart from having had loads of fun, they leave carrying with them the message that their chosen chocolate ought to be ethically produced.
Join us for our annual Christmas Chocolate Masterclass Our Ultimate Baking Course includes a fair bit of dabbling in chocolate. The course includes making pain au chocolat and chocolate macarons to chocolate ganache and cake decorating.
Why not have a go at making our chocolate and olive oil mousse at home. It Is not only delicious but feeds the good bacteria in your gut so it’s healthy too!
