I went to Gail’s bakery across the street from Paul A Young and bought myself some of the brownie iterations on offer there. I thought that I’d give them a try. The newest Gail’s bakery is in Soho right across from Paul A Young and so as I was in the neighbourhood buying some choccies I thought I’d try the rival from across the street. Should Paul be worried? Should this new addition using more than one kind of chocolate worry him?

The staff at Gail’s are great. They are full of fun and seem quite enthusiastic. The gentleman who served me spoke about how the chef wanted to change the brownie recipe and he simply would not let him. But that visit is not what I’m writing about. I’m writing about the brownies and flourless chocolate cake Gail’s kindly sent me for review after I contacted them about the brownies I bought.

The four Valentines brownies in a box, each with a single letter was the first thing I tried.  This is a fudgy chocolate brownie with a proper brownie top. These brownies have a moist consistency and are quite nice. The chocolate has a distinctive taste and anyone familiar with the various couvertures will recognise the distinctive flavour notes. The brownies are also quite large – around the size of a BlueBasil brownie – and so it did take me a long time to finish one

The smaller pistachio brownie bites had a completely different consistency. They are more chewy than fudgy and have a much stiffer consistency. The chocolate flavour is quite dark and when shared with the office they were not as decimated as the LOVE brownies were so the office absolutely liked the fudgy brownies more.

The final baked good was an extremely chocolaty flourless chocolate cake. It was HUGE and this was absolutely perfect for the office. The moist centre with a firm outer crust and lack of wheat was perfect for me and I took such a big slice I couldn’t finish it all! The cocoa dusting was the perfect finishing touch for the cake. It didn’t taste particularly nutty and so was the perfect chocolate cake.

All in all these were really lovely baked goods. If I was off to a party I’d definitely buy the flourless chocolate cake as not only was it absolutely massive, it was delicious and so I’d know it would both be a big it and still have enough left over for the hosts.

It is now only two short weeks until Valentine’s Day and I know husband will buy me some supermarket roses if I’m lucky. I, on the other hand, will agonise from now until the day itself to find the perfect way to tell my husband of 15 years in a new way that I love him more than life itself.

Of the many things on offer this Valentines, some of you may be lucky enough to get a packet of these beautiful bites of alcoholic loveliness. While they may just be sponge cakes soaked in liqueur with a chocolate filling, they are still delicious and perfect for one or to share.  The smell through the packet of alcohol tells you that these are going to be strong but that strong scent is not actually offensive – just strong.

Coated in quite coarse sugar, they have a crunchy outer shell from that sugar and the pink colour is from the liquor which is soaked half way through the cake. The chocolate filling is quite solid without being hard so it is easy to cut but also easy to eat. The cake does not particularly stand out as something extreme but that makes it even more appealing. It means that these will be easier for more people to love (except those who don’t like liquor as I found out at the office – who doesn’t like liquor-soaked cake? Weird!) and hopefully make it a tipsy affair.

These are delicious and quite addictive and at less tha a fiver a really good deal. Anyone who gets a packet will be loathe to share!

I was lucky enough to be part of the Haagen Dazs tasting club. Not only does this mean I can pop in to the Leicester Square location and get the VIP treatment (one free ice cream per day) but it also means I get some sweet treats sent to me.  This time, it was some new Haagen Dazs ice creams and shockingly I liked the non-chocolate one better.  I know – SACRILIDGE!

According to the PR bumf, Häagen-Dazs just got a little bit saucier, launching its new Secret Sensations range with two truly indulgent flavours: Chocolat Fondant and Crème Brûlēe. Now, I don’t know if they will do more but it is definitely an interesting move. Husband is still waiting for them to release coffee here too…

Secret Sensations is, apparently, the ultimate indulgence. Inspired by two of the world’s most decadent desserts, they combine delicious, creamy ice cream with a ‘heart’ of rich sauce. I actually had trouble finding a specific ‘heart’ of gooey sauce in the chocolate but there was a lot of chocolate inclusions. The sauce hidden within all Häagen-Dazs Secret Sensations mini cups, has apparently been created using patented technology and they say that this represents a true innovation in the luxury ice cream market. As a girl who has had central shafts of gooey liquid sauce before, I’m not sure…

They think that chocoholics will adore Chocolat Fondant, a blend of delicious chocolate ice cream with soft brownie pieces, surrounding a rich chocolate sauce centre and it was yummy.  The brownie pieces were not too large and really given my experience I didn’t expect to like the Crème Brûlēe and assumed I’d dislike it do didn’t take pictures.  I was wrong.

The  Crème Brûlēe Secret Sensations combines smooth ice cream with small, crunchy caramel biscuits pieces and a smooth caramel sauce centre.  This was awesomeness. I just loved it and could have eaten another one but husband had already eaten the other one of the box

All in all, shockingly I liked the Crème Brûlēe best but the chocolate was really lovely as well. I’ve been waiting for them to come in to my local Sainsbury’s so I can get more!

I love me a good brownie and so I was delighted when Say it With Brownies got in touch and offered me the chance to try some of their brownies.  Of course I didn’t know quite what to expect but I thought, what the heck, lets be adventurous.

Having chosen fudge brownies I knew that I was going to get something very sweet.  It really is inevitable but what I was curious about was other elements of the brownies like would they be cakey or fudgy or chewy.  I have to admit I’m not as much of a fan of cakey brownies and thankfully these are not cakey but moist and fudgy.

The brownies arrived in a box and within the box they are a block of brownies that are half cut through to help you subdivide them into their intended 12 pieces but as they are not all in pieces it makes them easier to handle.  Interestingly they are moderately dusted with sugar before cutting, leaving icing sugar on all sides and top.  Where the cut marks are, the brownie has developed a little more protection for the precious moistness beneath.

The brownie itself is, of course, sweet.  The fudge, a distinctively flavoured addition to the brownie, is generously distributed within each block you cut.  If you are a fudge fan be not afraid as there is a lot of fudge.  I have to admit I thought of fudge box’s fudge and thought of which fudge flavours I might pair with the brownie.

With this brownie you get both edge pieces and middle pieces so no more arguments.  Edge lovers can get their favourite pieces and middle lovers can get theirs.  I am a middle lover, of course but I realise not everyone is.  I also know that most people have a sweeter sweet tooth than I do and I try and keep this in mind when I try things like these brownies.

All in all, these fudge brownies have a lot of fudge all the way through and they are quite sweet.  Because they are not cut completely through before they arrive, they remain as a solid block until you choose to cut a piece off although they are partially cut through to make it easy to also break a piece off if you’re famished. The brownies are quite sweet with the fudge and I am sure that will make them the perfect treat for many people.

While I was on business in San Francisco, I was sent a whole box of this delightful Devnaa honey and cardamom fudge and deeply regret I didn’t get it sooner. It is lovely and so many of my guests would have enjoyed them!

Devnaa have been making chocolates based on traditional Indian sweets for awhile and I’ve tried their bars and really liked them.  Having the opportunity of trying their fudge was exciting and while I’m not always in the mood for cardamom Devnaa always have something interesting to offer.

This box of fudge has been cut into smaller squares and the 16 squares of fudgy sweetness has been balanced by the dark chocolate.  The cardamom is a subtle addition – enough to be there but not completely overpowering. It is very easy to get too much cardamom in the mix but I think they’ve just gotten it perfect here.

I’m not sure if I can pick out the honey but the cardamom is easy and the fudge is smooth and soft. There are inclusions in the fudge from the cardamom I assume but that just makes it more authentic. The speckles you can see are cardamom and this just adds to the charm of this soft fudge. I must admit I picked the chocolate off one half of the fudge and just are it plain as well as I do enjoy a nice bit of fudge but I preferred it with the dark chocolate.

If you enjoy fudge, like cardamom and dark chocolate, this fudge will be perfect for you.

I know I know… You’re wondering what insanity would lead me to have an all Aldi Christmas dinner.  Well, I think you need to both be careful about what you buy and also take advice from me on what actually tastes nice.

Now, I think my first priority is bubbly. While I absolutely love champagne and have some Pol Roger to drink this holiday I also like a nice smooth and unsophisticated sparking wine I can add something to and which is drinkable like the Cremant du Jura I tried from Aldi. I love to add crème de casis to this particular sparkling wine to make kir royal champagne cocktails.

Now, with your cocktail you’ll want a nibble. Husband swears by Aldi’s mince pies and now will eat no others and given they won the top award I think you’ll like them too. Husband swears the pastry is perfect, the filling is flavourful and the combination is perfect. I don’t like Mince Pies so I chose Moser Roth truffles.

So we’ve had a pre-dinner treat and now to dinner.  At their Christmas in July event, I had a lot of little nibbles and frankly I was shocked. I had the stuffed fresh turkey which was awesome. I had bacon wrapped sausages which were my favourite and this year I have refused to eat any other ones. I also had amazing roast parsnips from Aldi and frankly I think you really can’t go wrong with these.

To finish off I had their cheeses. Now they had a selection out and I tried a small amount of each and even though they were slightly warm by this point, they were delicious. I think it was the cheddar or red Leicester from the cheese board pack that I loved best.

Now, I was shocked by Aldi – pleasantly shocked. Not only are they reasonably priced but they are delicious but you really need to be careful. I was sent a selection of wines and they weren’t all as brilliant as the Cremant du Jura so stick to the list above for perfection. If you stray I can’t guarantee taste but at the Christmas in July event and what I’ve had since, everything was perfection.

Go out and get your holiday shopping at Aldi. Whether Christmas or New Year’s, you will be assured brilliant quality and taste if you choose wisely.

It has been awhile since I ate Jelly Bellies and I’ve been gifted some “Jelly Bean Factory” in the mean time and I forgot just how delicious genuine Jelly Belly mini jelly beans are.  When you think of candy and jelly beans, you don’t really think that flavours could be that different. Well, I was reminded by these that there *is* a difference.

The genuine Jelly Bellies I was sent had 50 different flavours and while I didn’t try all of them, I tried most of them – repeatedly. I loved the sweet but slightly sour flavour of the raspberry, the delightful cherry, the yummy blueberry and the fun pomegranate. There were so many flavours but what really struck me was how defined the flavours were and how strong.

The different mini jelly beans had quite different flavours with popcorn going quickly and getting lauded by the staff at the office. It seemed as though everyone had a different favourite and the box quickly was decimated because of the flavour.  The tutti fruity was genuinely a melange of fruit flavours, the chocolate did taste of chocolate (though was not my favourite) and the wild blackberry was absolutely delicious – much better than Vimto!

The blueberry was yummy but lemon lime was the perfect citrus acidic balance and it reminded me why I love genuine Jelly Belies.  There is just no comparison between genuine Jelly Bellies and their competitors. The flavour of the real thing means cherry cola tastes like cherry cola and not just synthetic chemicals.

I’m so genuinely grateful to have been sent these to remind me that there’s nothing like the real thing. Experience the real thing yourself and when buying mini jelly beans make sure you buy Jelly Bellies. You’ll discover what I rediscovered – there’s nothing like the real thing!

Tis the season to get baking and there’s no better way to get baking than with Dr Oetker. If you remember, husband preferred the Dr Oetker brownies and your family may as well so why not find out by entering to win these yummy goodies from the lovely folk at Dr Oetker!

I have to admit, I’ve started buying Dr Oetker to havein the house. A bit of oil, an egg, etc. and voila you have chocolate chunk cookies or chocolate chunk brownies or cake or more. It is just a whole lot of awesomeness in a box or a bag and in this lovely box of bountiful goodness is your key to holiday success.

Besides the great brownies I’ve already made and the white chocolate chunk brownies, you’ll also get some awesome goodies – chocolate and fudge chunks to use in cookies or on cakes or in cupcakes, some amazing sprinkles and mini marshmallows and chocolate beans plus some easy cupcake icing.

This is *EXACTLY* what you’ll need for the holidays and Dr Oetker are bringing it your way in a lovely hamper of baking goodness.  In fact, I’m so jealous I’m going to buy some cookie mix and make myself some cookies! You’ll get everything you see in the image and let me tell you it is a whole lot of awesomeness.  Why not try the earl grey tea cupcakes or the toblerone shortbread with the goodies you have? How about even more brownies or maybe chocolate cupcakes.

Whatever you try, make sure you pick up your extra baking supplies from the supermarket and take it from someone who has both been given and bought Dr Oetker baking supplies – they are a name I trust along with Betty Crocker

How to WIN these awesome goodies! You can enter one of 3 ways:
Leave a comment with your favourite recipe on this blog and why you like it (you don’t have to leave the whole thing)
Tweet “I’m baking with Dr Oetker and @mostlyaboutchoc this holiday & you could too – check out http://bit.ly/s3LNQY”
Comment on this post on Mostly About Chocolate on Facebook and tell me about a baking disaster you want to avoid by using these Dr Oetker goodies!

I will use Random.org to choose between these 3 entry methods then I will use Random.org to select the winner.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

And to the rules:

1.Only one entry per method per household.
2.The competition closes on 15th December 2011 at 12 noon.
3.Only open to those 14 or over on 5th December 2011.
4.I’ll choose 1 winner randomly
5.Only available to UK addresses.
6.No cash alternative available.
7.Your details won’t be passed onto anyone else except the Dr Oetker folk who will be sending you the prize!

Mince Pie popcorn from Joe & Seph's

I’m a fan of popcorn.  As some of you may have witnessed by my trial to get someone to be my Black Jewell popcorn mule from the US to Canada for the TorCon III WorldCon, I’m a big fan of popcorn demonstrating flavour, texture and something different.  Comes from reviewing so much food

Given that fandom of the pure, unadulterated flavour of popcorn, you’d be unsurprised to find I am not a fan of sweet popcorn.  This style tends to have been created with a somewhat pathetic hint of some melted white sugar pathetic nothingness, adding absolutely nothing but calories to already flavourless bulk popcorn.  Bleck.

Unsurprisingly, I also rarely review flavoured popcorn.  What is often a lame attempt at tarting up an already bland confection often ends in something resembling a spice cupboard explosion with only a few notable exceptions.  So it was with a degree of scepticism that I tried some flavoured popcorn at the Joe & Seph’s booth at Speciality Food.  I figured I could smile politely and walk away having said a few encouraging words and just forget it.

Joe & Seph’s made it impossible to forget.  That first bite exploded on my palette and immersed my every tastebud in a differing sensation of flavour.  How could I after that first taste walk away, let alone not come back for more. So I agreed to review the popcorn and set about the difficult task of selecting a flavour.  Abandoning that as a lost cause, I checked their site and saw the recommended minimum purchase was 3 bags. I could narrow my focus to three with some difficulty and so I did – three flavours of the season…

Mince Pie – it’s like the filling without the wheat pastry. If you’re allergic to wheat like me (it won’t kill me but I’ll be unwell) then this is the answer to your mince pie cravings. There is just a tiny bit of dried fruit on some of the popped kernels and the flavour of the sugary coating which envelops most of the popped kernel is exactly the flavour of the inside of a mince pie with those complex spices melding with the dried fruit to create a flavour you’ll find nowhere else.

Macchiato Whisky – These kernels were again coated completely with the custom-made sugary coating.  This was a weird combination of coffee, sweet flavouring like a light brown sugar and whisky. This particular sample bag had a different texture – almost like crumbly brown sugar on the tongue but with a bit of something dusky at the end. This was delightful and the constantly shifting flavours in the mix made it even more fun to eat!

Toffee Apple Cinnamon – I can’t imagine how anyone could possibly not love this flavour. This was like apple pie in a popcorn. It had that dusty cinnamon with lush crisp apple flavour and sweetness and crunch of a toffee apple.  Of them all this was my favourite. The coating was complete, the flavours mixed well, unlike with the macchiato whisky where they constantly shifted and changed.  This is apple pie in a coated popcord (and thus without the wheat).

I don’t know if this is suitable for coeliacs but it doesn’t mention wheat on the label and it doesn’t seem to have set my allergies off so I heartily recommend investing in some for the holidays and let the wheat intolerant among your guests enjoy a bit of delicious dessert.

These are absolutely adorable with their babies holding fruits around the outside and bold gold bowl of fruit on the cover.  Prestat certainly knows how to make an impression with their boxes

I’m not sure how deliberate the pairings were.  I cut them all open to try and tell what I was eating but it was difficult to tell.  The blackcurrant was absolutely tart against the dark chocolate but I think I liked it better than the (I think) lemon in milk chocolate though the (I think) passion fruit in white chocolate was nice.

What I enjoyed about this box was the variety.  The flavours were, at times, slightly different than I had expected.  I have just had some Demarquette caramels though so I think this is slightly colouring my view of the flavours.  I’ve gone from something with a short shelf life to something you can safely give as a gift or take with you to deliver as a holiday gift.

Overall I think that for someone who enjoys a bit of fruit jellies in their lives, this is a beautifully presented box of delicious, tart but sweet jellies.  They are well made jellies, dissolving evenly in your mouth, and have strong flavours (though maybe not as distinct after eating five or six… whoops!).