Dear Readers

A short break in the chocolate schedule to bring you a reminder about the books I mentioned last summer that have been keeping me so busy.

I hope you have been enjoying the interviews with wonderful chocolate people, and more importantly that you have enjoyed some of their delicious creations! I have more great interviews on the way over the coming months. If you are in the UK you might well want to know the results of the International Chocolate Awards British 2016 heat. I always discover delicious new things, and talented new makers. My time in York judging this heat was my first visit to the city. It is well worth visiting York for its beauty as well as its rich history with chocolate. The York Cocoa house that partnered the awards to assist the judging organisation is a great place to visit.

If you are elsewhere in the world keep an eye on the results of your regional heats on the International Chocolate Awards site. It is a great way to discover what is really hitting the spot in your part of the world, and then you can watch your favourites go on to meet all the award winners worldwide at the world finals at the end of October. I will be there alongside the rest of our international Grand Jury, thrilling to the immense talent there is in chocolate. It gets more exciting year on year.

As you know I wrote two books last year, and I just wanted to remind you of them, now that both are published and on sale.

Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls – FACE Publications 2015

My book co-written with Michelin starred chef/patron of The West House restaurant Graham Garrett was published by FACE Publications last November. It is both an autobiography of this extraordinary man – an stadium filling rock drummer in the 80s and now multi-award winning chef – and a recipe book including some of his favourite dishes. Writing the book was great fun and a huge privilege. He had many hair raising stories to tell, and has a unique and entertaining take on both the worlds of music and fine food. And the recipes are all delicious!

Here is the link to the book on Amazon.

Here is a link to my publisher’s website, a treasure trove of chef’s books. 

White chocolate dipped lemon digestives from The Great British Bake Off – Bake it Better – Chocolate

The second book of my 2015 was a book on baking with chocolate for the television show The Great British Bake Off. In The Great British Bake Off – Bake it Better – Chocolate, published by Hodder & Stoughton in March this year, I had the opportunity to set down my top 40 definitive chocolate baking recipes. There are classics – such as my much honed recipes for brownies, fondants and chocolate chip cookies. I have reworked some classics – such as these White Chocolate Dipped Lemon Digestives. There are easier-than-you-might think recipes for chocolate ice creams, truffles, flourless cakes, custard, caramels and sauces. And there are flights of fancy, multi-layered cakes and plated desserts, for when you want to push really push the boat out.

Here is a link to the chocolate book on Amazon. 

Have a good month all. Happy reading, happy baking, happy chocolate eating.

Cat

xx