food/drink
RECIPE
Spiced Toasted
Teacakes
5
words RUTH JOSEPH
www.ruthjoseph.co.uk
www.veggischmooze.blogspot.com
OF THE
BEST... Welsh Chocolatiers
pic: DAVID LEGGETT
As Easter Sunday, the day of egg-shaped treats,
approaches Tom Bamford checks out what
chocolatey delights Wales has to offer.
CHOCODRAGON
Brynallt Terrace, Llanelli. Info: 07783 726665 / www.chocodragon.co.uk
Offering a Welsh-only range of bespoke chocolate, Chocodragon’s ethos is creating lovingly
prepared chocolate using only the finest ingredients. They even have an option to order chocolate
that comes in a chocolate box (because you can never have enough of the stuff).
THE CHOC FACTORY
Kingsway, Swansea. Info: 01792 561617/ www.thechocfactory.co.uk
Michelle and Tom Wadley initially began making atypical, novelty confectionery when they
moved from South Africa to the UK. Twenty-three years later, they run a top of the range novelty
confectionery company that is now Wales’s leading chocolate factory. Public tours run Monday to
Friday – book in advance to see for yourself! (No oompa loompas though, unfortunately.)
COCO CARAVAN
College Road, Cardiff. Info: 07454 813227 / www.cococaravan.co.uk
If (sort of) guilt-free chocolate gluttony is your thing, then Coco Caravan is certainly the place for
you. CC offers vegan, dairy/egg/gluten-free, fair-trade and organic options, also stocking the RollsRoyce of cacao beans, the crillo. Aiming to please all tastes, their website claims, “If you cannot
find the flavour you’re after... we are flexible, we will invent it for you.” (What’s wrong with the
flavour of chocolate?!)
THE CHOCOLATE HOUSE
Trefforest Industrial Estrate, Pontypridd. Info: 01443 844221 / www.chocolate-house.co.uk
Travelling to Belgium elucidated a niche in the market for married couple Karl Evans and Bethan
Mainwaring. They began to experiment making their own chocolate in their kitchen and hey presto!
They now supply throughout the UK offering innovative chocolates such as strawberry and black
pepper truffles and Dark Cherry & Kirsch. Prepared by people with a genuine passion for chocolate.
CASTLE CHOCOLATES
What could be better on a spring day than
filling the house with spicy dough smells and
afterwards sitting with friends and serving
these delicious teacakes toasted with butter?
After baking and tasting I wondered why I’d
never made these bad boys before! So much
better than shop cakes and so cheap!
MAKES 12 tea cakes
INGREDIENTS 650g strong flour / 10g dried
yeast / 50g fair-trade soft brown sugar / 365ml
tepid milk (plus extra for brushing) / 1 tbsp
golden syrup / 200g basic mixed dried fruit /
105g butter-type margarine / 1 tsp salt / 2 tsp
mixed spice / juice and zest of 1 tangerine
PREPARATION
• oven on 200°C/gas mark 6 and line two
Set
large baking sheets with baking paper.
• the dried fruit to soak in a small bowl with the
Put
tangerine zest and juice.
•
Measure 100g of the flour in a bowl with the
dried yeast, the sugar and the milk. Whisk
well until all the yeast has dissolved and leave
to sponge in a warm place for approximately
20 minutes.
•
Now place the rest of the flour in a large bowl
with the butter-type margarine, salt and spice.