It’s Chocolate Week in the UK – what a brilliant idea!!

A national chocolate week, I hear you gasp!  Yep.  That’s what they’ve got, the lucky sods.  A whole week to celebrate all that is blissful, tempting and new in the world of chocolate.  This event involves the participation of some of the best chocolate shops and chocolatiers from around the world and includes exhibitions of chocolate art, chocolate tasting sessions, seminars and competitons.

Chocolate Week is the brainchild of Kate Johns, a food industry PR maven, who was inspired by  a trip to Belgium and her discovery of the respect – utterly warranted – with which they treat fine chocolate there.  The first Chocolate Week was held seven years ago and involved the participation of a grand total of four chocolate businesses.  Since then it has grown steadily to this years model which enjoys the support of over thirty chocolate businesses, chocolatiers, authors, agronomists and business leaders.  Kate’s idea has clearly hit the spot – in fact, there were more chocolate shops opened in the UK last year than in any other country in Europe!

This year’s event has seen the creation of the world’s largest chocolate truffle, weighing in at 254.9 kg and made of Callebaut chocolate, the “Academy of Chocolate” conference with presentations from chefs, agronomists who specialise in cacao and Craig Sams – the founder of Green & Black’s chocolate.  There will be chocolate workshops, chocolate personality readings, sample tastings of new products in stores all around the country and an event in London called “Chocolate Unwrapped” with specialist tastings and new product launches.  All of which leaves me weak with desire and wretched with envy.

In an effort to console myself  and come to terms with recognition of the fact that the lack of any Australian national celebration devoted to chocolate leaves a deep abyss in my life, I had a little wander through the pages of yet another new cookbook.  This one is called “Fat Witch Brownies”by Patricia Hedling and published by  Rodale, and is a collection of recipes from the noted “Fat Witch Bakery” in New York.  Much of my last 20 years has been spent in happy pursuit of the “perfect” brownie – a search which has no anticipated end – so this was a title that was always going to hook me in!  Full of wonderful brownie and slice recipes made with real butter, chocolate and nuts, this is a very comforting book and is already very popular amongst the sullen teens who languidly drape themselves around my house.

One recipe which caught my eye called for white chocolate.  Now, technically, white chocolate isn’t – chocolate, I mean – because it has no cacao solids.   But good, off-white or ivory coloured white chocolate is made from sugar, cocoa butter, a hint of vanilla and some dairy solids.  The whiter, cheaper varieties have done the reputation of white chocolate no favours with their sickly sweet taste weighed down with vegetable oils, so be sure to read the back of the wrapper and make sure you are getting a product containing a fair whack of cocoa butter.  Patricia Hedling, the owner of “Fat Witch” and recipe author, says that these bars are one of her top sellers and, having tried them, I can certainly see why.  I followed the recipe to the letter and was rewarded with sweet, slightly chewy bars that received approval from the tribe!

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS

170 gms good quality white chocolate, chopped (I used Green & Black’s)
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla paste)
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Grease and line a 9 inch square pan.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Melt the white chocolate and butter together gently over a low heat or in a microwave. Remove from heat before completely melted and stir to melt any remaining lumps of chocolate. Set aside to cool.
Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla together in a large bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and combine.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt directly into bowl, mix well and spread mix in prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is light brown and cracked. Turn off oven and leave in for a further 8 minutes.
At this stage, a toothpick inserted into the centre should come out dry, with no batter on it.
Cool in pan and slice into squares when cold.

Printable recipe WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS.

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