Breakfast Treat: Perfect Chocolate Spread

Posted by Coralie on Aug 26, 2011 in News | 0 comments

Most mornings are always rushed – get the kids ready, prepare a lunchpack for everyone, hurry to work. How many times have you gulped down your coffee and walked around the house with a piece of toast in your hand because you indulged in those 10 extra minutes of sleep?

But weekends – ah, now you can take your time, put all your favourite things on the table, chat for ages, read the paper while sipping on your latte. I love thick slices of brioche with chocolate spread. Did you know that you can make them yourself ever so easily and in a variety of flavours?

The trick is to choose the best quality of chocolate available. No need to blow the budget, even supermarkets have pretty good ones on offer. Just look at the percentage of cocoa – the higher the better.

Here is how to create the classic basic one:

Bring 200ml cream and a pinch of salt to the boil.
In a bowl, put 200g chocolate and 50g unsalted butter cut in small pieces.
Pour the hot cream into the bowl.
Wait a couple minutes to allow everything to melt and mix until very smooth.
Leave to rest for 15mn, and then transfer to the cutest jar in the house.

If you wish to flavour the spread, you can infuse the cream with cinnamon, a little coffee, cardamom, coconut, citrus zests when heating it. You can also add nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecan!) – just put them under the grill for a minute or two and add to the mix at the very end.

Those make lovely gifts at Christmas – cover the top with a paper doily (which the kids can help decorate), add a silky ribbon, a label and place a tasting selection in a basket. Alternatively, why not use this as icing for cupcake. Or add to ice cube trays, plant a spoon and leave in the fridge to set: you can just add them to a warm mug of milk whenever you feel like a luxurious hot chocolate…

Photography by Anshu_si, DJW Two, and Beth Fortune