Crumbs to Crunch

It's no secret that we're crazy about hot chocolate. We've traveled the world in search of the world's greatest cup. Our journey has taken us to many wonderful cities, such as  Winchester ,  Lyon ,   Paris , and  Dublin . However, we thought that it was about time to take our search out of Europe. It was time to taste the hot chocolate of Mexico.  We headed to Oaxaca (pronounced wah-ha-ka), a city about 300 miles south of Mexico City. It's a fascinating place with a real mix of cultural sights. You can admire colonialist architecture (our favourite was the stunning gold interior of the church of Santo Domingo de Guzman), visit Zapotec archaeological sites or browse through the wonderful artisan markets. The surrounding area is also very scenic. For example, many tourists enjoying going to Hierve el Agua, an amazing petrified waterfall. Despite our obvious enjoyment of these many touristic excursions, our primary interest when we travel is that of foo...

It is no secret that at Crumbs to Crunch do love their afternoon tea , so you can imagine my joy when I came across a chocolate afternoon tea. Chococo is a brightly coloured chocolate café just a stone's throw from Winchester Cathedral. Here you cannot simply ask for a hot chocolate. Oh no, you need to consider several factors - the percentage of cocoa, where the cocoa beans are sourced as well as extra syrups. I was feeling particularly extravagant so I ordered the chocolate afternoon tea. My hot chocolate was of the Madagascan variety, 70% cocoa flaked chocolate. This luscious drink was rich and creamy yet not too sweet nor bitter. It even came with a little chocolate. Instead of your average scone, I received a warm scone dotted with melted chocolate chips, smothered in thick dulce de leche and clotted cream.  The chocolate afternoon tea was a decadent delight. However, this amount of chocolate is not for the faint-hearted, only chocoholics need apply!  ...

Several years ago, an Italian lady gave me her wonderful chocolate cake recipe. This cake is one of my favourites because its texture is lighter than a brownie but fudgier than a normal cake. What's more, this cake is super quick and easy to make! As Valentine's Day is coming up, this cake could be a decadent treat for a loved one (or yourself)! After all, the way to this girl's heart is through her stomach...  Ingredients - 4 eggs separated into eggs and whites - 4 tbsp caster sugar - 1 tbsp self raising flour - 100g butter - 200g dark chocolate - icing sugar for dusting Method 1. Stir the yolks and sugar in a bowl. 2. Melt the chocolate and butter either over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 20 second bursts until melted. 3. Mix the melted chocolate and a spoonful of flour with the egg yolks and sugar. 4. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until you get soft peaks. 5. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. 6. Pour ...