Chocolate truly is the centerpiece of many dishes, desserts, and in some cases the make or breaking point of some relationships. Some say it is the perfect cure to a bad day and I couldn’t agree more. There is an endless amount of ways chocolate can be used and countless types of chocolate, making it one of the most versatile ingredients in anyone’s sweet drawer. From the seeds of the cacao tree to your luxurious charcuterie board, chocolate is truly a wonderwork.

The fascinating thing about chocolate is that it compliments so many flavours. Peanut butter, salt, fruit, and so many other elements blend perfectly with all the different kinds of chocolate. What would a freshly baked blondie be without white chocolate? Or beautifully dried Clemengold mandarins without a dark chocolate dip? Don’t even get me started on what churros would be without a creamy chocolate sauce. Food is a never-ending and ever-changing revolution hopeless without chocolate. It is simply impossible to list all the things that could be made using chocolate but here are some delicious chocolate recipes to get you started on making your chocolaty dreams come true…

Prep your Christmas feast with chocolate!

One simply cannot have Christmas without chocolate. It is on top of the list of things to give loved ones or serve to them during the festive season. A winner recipe that I used every year is my White Chocolate Cremora Tart. Here’s how to wow your Christmas guests…

White Chocolate Cremora Tart 

makes 1 big 30 cm tart

Ingredients

10 g gelatin

30 ml water

2 x 200 g Marie biscuits

150 g butter – melted

500 g Cremora 250 ml ice water

2 x 385 g condensed milk

250 ml lemon juice

zest of 1 whole lemon

5 ml vanilla extract or 10 ml vanilla essence

100 g white chocolate melted ( I melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water – please do not allow water to boil, the chocolate will become thick and hard)

500 ml assorted berries

Method

Sprinkle gelatin powder over 30 ml water in a small bowl and allow to sponge. In the meantime, place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until you have a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and mix. Spray a 30 cm springform pan with Spray ‘n Cook and press the crumbs in the bottom and the sides of the pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling. Place the Cremora and ice water in a mixer and mix. Now add the condensed and beat on high speed for 6-8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until the mixture is thick and luscious. Lastly, add the melted white chocolate while the machine is running. Melt the sponged gelatin in the microwave for about 15 seconds and pour it into the Cremora mixture while the machine is running. Pour the mix into the tart crust and allow to set overnight. Decorate with fresh berries just before serving.