Russell & Atwell Launch Limited Edition Heart-Shaped Cherry Lush Fresh Chocolates for Valentine's Day

Innovative fresh chocolate makers Russell & Atwell are introducing a special limited edition heart-shaped Cherry Lush chocolates in time for Valentine's Day. 

Each hand-finished smooth milk chocolate is filled with ethically sourced cocoa and organic double cream expertly blended with bold and juicy morello cherries.

Co-founder and chocolate scientist, Steve Russell told That's Food an Drink: "We're excited to introduce this romantic twist to our collection of fresh chocolates. 

"The outstanding morello cherry jam we use is a special bespoke blend made exclusively for us by The Artisan Kitchen in Gloucestershire and it's really unlike anything we've ever tasted before. 

"We adore its intense, natural fruitiness that pairs beautifully with our velvety fresh ganache. We always use real ingredients like organic British double cream and wildflower honey and these heart-shaped chocolates reflect our philosophy that fresh is always best."

Steve went on to explain: "Unlike long-life chocolates, Russell & Atwell's creations are made fresh, designed to be stored in the fridge for up to 12 weeks. By replacing artificial preservatives with organic British double cream, wildflower honey and a little sugar, the result is a chocolate that's as pure as it is delicious.”

"Chocolate has been stuck on supermarket shelves for far too long," added Giles Atwell, co-founder. "People are choosing fresh food in every other category, from pasta to juices, so we thought why not chocolate? Freshness means better taste, better quality ingredients and a more indulgent experience."

Cherry Lush builds on Russell & Atwell's reputation as leaders in artisanal, sustainable chocolate-making. Their chocolates are celebrated for their iconic 'double crack' sensation: that starts with a thin, crisp chocolate shell that gives way to a smooth luxurious deeply indulgent centre.

Russell & Atwell fresh chocolates are made using the World's finest fino de aroma cocoa, ethically sourced from co-operatives in Colombia keeping more money at source by starting the making process there too. The raw chocolate is then expertly blended with Organic double cream, wildflower honey and hand finished all in the UK.

Their packaging is eco-friendly, with recyclable pouches and refillable glass jars that come with recyclable paper refills on demand.  Each pouch/jar you buy also supports the Buglife charity's efforts to protect pollinators by planting wildflower B-Lines across the UK.

These limited edition chocolates are the perfect way to show love this Valentine's Day. Available now at russellandatwell.com.

Impress your Valentine with Kamado Joe's Valentine's Day Barbecue Recipes

You'll be able to really impress your Valentine with a creamy, crunchy arancini with sweet lobster-meat and a silky smooth pea puree. 

Followed by the sexiest of desserts, a molten chocolate pudding. If this doesn't make your evening end successfully, then nothing will… All cooked on your Kamado Joe - how cool is that?

Lobster and truffle arancini with pea puree

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cooked lobster (about 600g)

300g butter

100g Parmesan, grated

175g arborio rice

A few drops of truffle oil - depending on strength

400g frozen peas

1 onion, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 glasses white wine

1 litre veg or fish stock

2 eggs, whisked

200g flour

200g panko breadcrumbs

Oil for deep frying

Method

Set your barbecue to 150c direct heat. Remove all of the lobster meat from the shell and claws, chop into chunks and set aside.

In a cast iron pan, add a good glug of olive oil, then the onions and garlic. Cook gently for 15 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated with oil. Add the wine and cook until it is completely reduced, stirring all the time. Add the stock a ladle at a time, whilst stirring regularly until the rice is just tender. Add 100g of the frozen peas, the lobster, half of the butter, the Parmesan and a few drops of truffle oil to taste - then stir well until melted. 

Pour the risotto into a baking tray and leave to cool - ideally overnight. When chilled, form the risotto into balls, roll them in the flour, dip in the egg and finally the panko breadcrumbs.

Set your barbecue to 250c and heat the oil in a pan to 180C. Fry the arancini until golden brown and piping hot in the middle. Cook the rest of the peas in boiling water and blitz in a food processor with the remaining butter. Serve with the arancini. 

Molten chocolate fondant

Serves 4

Ingredients 

25g melted butter

1 tbsp cocoa powder

100g 70% dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

100g butter, cut into small cubes

100g caster sugar

2 eggs and 2 egg yolks

100g plain flour

4 chocolate truffles

200ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

1 tsp vanilla paste

Icing sugar to dust

Method

Set your barbecue to 180C indirect heat. Paint the inside of four ramekins with the melted butter and divide up the cocoa powder into each mould before tipping out the excess to ensure all of the butter is well-dusted. 

Place a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate and butter. Stir until melted. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Then mix in flour and beat well. 

Slowly add the chocolate to the egg mixture and beat until fully incorporated. Divide the mix equally between the moulds and pop a truffle in each one so fully submerged in the batter. Place on a baking tray and cook for 12 minutes. Leave for 1 minute then gently ease out onto a plate - using a knife if you need to. Add the vanilla to the cream and mix. Serve with the fondant and sprinkle with icing sugar.

https://international.kamadojoe.com

Galentine's Day: Chocolate and Sweets Are the Most Wished for Gifts

Celebrating female friendship has become a phenomenon according to gifting website DrawNames which has seen a 55% growth in friendship gifting.

Galentine's Day will occur on Monday 13th February this year and was first made famous by the cult classic comedy show Parks and Recreation.

The premise is female friends getting together to celebrate friendship, unity and individuality through thoughtful, anonymous gifts.

The number of visitors to DrawNames over the February period has more than doubled in the last year with users picking names and making gift lifts for both Galentine's and Valentine's Day. The DrawNames Galentine's top most wished for gifts include:

Chocolate and sweets

Skincare

Yankee candles

The DrawNames data shows users' exchange on the 14th (61%) and 13th (16%) of February.

Emma Shaw from Leeds has been running a Galentine's event since 2020, she said: “The pandemic was the perfect reason to create an event to look forward to. We gathered our single friends to create a gift exchange but our female friends in a relationship wanted to get involved so we now have a mixture. 

“The thoughtful gifts we've exchanged include photo albums, handmade crafts and food at home. We used DrawNames to ensure everyone was completely anonymous which made the gift exchange so much more special.”

Arjan Kuiper, co-founder of DrawNames, said: “There is no better reason to give someone a gift than to celebrate friendship and unity. 

“Galentine's is growing in popularity and it's easy to see why! Using a gift exchange website means everyone involved can enjoy the surprise and enjoy the day." 

To find out more head to https://www.drawnames.co.uk/secret-valentine-generator.

Show them you love them with Baruzzo Fine Chocolates

Baruzzo Fine Chocolate has launched a new box of hand-made chocolates for Valentine's day. The chocolates are heart-shaped, with a smooth salted caramel soft centre and an aromatic powerful dark chocolate coating. The chocolates are hidden in a simple brown box, to conceal them and to help lovers to surprise each other on Valentine's day.

The idea of concealing the surprise inside something non-colourful and non-flashy was inspired by Roald Dahl who once said, “The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

Raffaella Baruzzo, founder of this young, London-based company, seems to believe that magic can happen: “I wish to prepare something nice for lovers and chocolate lovers. I think giving a secret heart for Valentine's is intimate, meaningful and sweet. Valentine's Day celebrates the sweetest thrill one can experience. We should never forget it: it is a day made of caramel.” (EDITOR: This is probably the most sensible, true thing I have ever read about Valentine's Day!)

The Chocolate Caramel Heart Boxes are available online (www.shop.Baruzzo.co.uk) and in shops. They come in boxes of 5 or 16 pieces. Price starts from £7.50

Sassy & debauched: the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulgence for Britain’s busy women

Pretty Idle Artisan Chocolates

Need a little last minute luxury for the gorgeous, busy woman in your life this Valentine’s Day? Or celebrating solo and want to lose yourself in a universe of shamelessly selfish indulgence? New British luxury relaxation label, Pretty Idle, is here to save the day with its first blissed-out collection of artisan chocolates.

Presented in a sumptuous drawer-style box with a black velvet tab, each chocolate sparkles for attention and has been individually created by Pretty Idle’s own London-based chocolatier, Madame Coco, using her personal favourite flavour-combinations from around the globe. These chocolates are unapologetically sassy, shamelessly indulgent and deliciously immoral. A veritable treasure trove of chocolate hedonism, designed for women by women, the box contains twelve opulent treats:

Pretty Idle Spice – A secret blend of decadent spices in velvety dark chocolate
Gem de la Mer – Sexy sea-salted caramel encased in shimmering milk chocolate
Passion Rocks – Glitzy little squares of indulgent passion-fruit praline
Boozy Floozy – Fabulously retro cognac and raisin in deep, dark chocolate
Ooh La La – Sumptuous layers of Parisian praline, feuilletine and white chocolate
Ruby Rouge – Raspberry ganache with a shameless pinch of saffron

Pretty Idle Artisan Chocolates are available exclusively from http://www.PrettyIdle.com for £18. Order by 11 February for guaranteed UK delivery for Valentine’s Day.

Inspired by the vintage Hollywood glamour of Marilyn Monroe and Mae West, spiked with a cheeky modern twist of style, wit and an inherent understanding of what it feels like for a girl, Pretty Idle is Britain’s newest luxury relaxation label, dedicated to delivering slivers of bliss to busy women who spend their lives putting others first.

Created by ultimate busy girl, Jacqueline Day, and award-winning West End performer, Frances Ruffelle, Pretty Idle is here to bring hedonism into your homes with little touches of opulence that make all the hard work worthwhile.

2012 will see the label launch its exclusive first collection of limited edition chill-out accessories such as cashmere blankets and socks and luxe aromatherapy candles and bath oils, all designed and created in the UK. Discover more at http://www.PrettyIdle.com

Parma Ham And Caramelised Red Onion Valentine's Tart

Treat your special someone this Valentine’s Day with this recipe from Parma Ham. These adorable heart-shaped pastry cases filled with Parma Ham are fantastically easy to make and deliciously romantic. Simply cut two heart shapes out of puff pastry and bake in the oven until beginning to brown.

Add caramelised red onions, chunks of feta cheese and fresh rosemary, and serve with balsamic figs and delicious, sweet Parma Ham. The perfect way to show your love on February 14th!

Parma Ham is a completely natural food with nothing added except salt. Making a Parma Ham is a long and painstaking process. The curing is controlled carefully so that the ham absorbs only enough salt to preserve it to retain its distinctive sweet flavour.

Prosciutto di Parma is produced in the hills surrounding the Italian town of Parma. The air is unique, dry and sweet-smelling with breezes from the Apennine Mountains, creating perfect environmental conditions for a natural “drying” of the hams.

The unique taste of Parma Ham is dependent on the traditional production process passed down from Roman times, carefully controlled by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. Only hams that have passed stringent curing regulations approved by the EU can be awarded the stamp of the Ducal crown – a five pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre which is branded onto the ham’s skin. The Ducal Crown is now a certification trademark.

Staying home is the new dining out. So long as you have a bottle of Harveys!

Forget fancy restaurants that might leave your stomach full but will certainly empty your wallet empty, this Valentine's Day Harveys is encouraging the nation's love birds to stay away from clichéd dining experiences and relax at home with a romantic meal for two and a glass of sensationally smooth Harveys VORS Pedro Ximénez (PX).

The award-winning Harveys PX is a lusciously sweet dessert wine made from dried Pedro Ximénez grapes, giving it a delicious concentrated flavour of raisins, liquorice, black treacle and chocolate - the perfect accompaniment to your romantic evening.

Add the rich and luxurious taste of Harveys PX to your dessert menu and you have a truly sensory sweet treat for you both to snuggle up and enjoy.

Seduce your sweetheart's palate with one of the following dessert options:

A chilled glass of velvety Harveys PX paired with decadent dark chocolate for a sumptuous after dinner treat
A generous drizzle of Harveys PX over creamy vanilla ice cream best served in one bowl with two spoons to share

Steamy hot sticky toffee pudding dripping with Harveys PX enjoyed whilst curled up on the sofa with a romantic film.

Produced from PX grapes grown at Harveys' own vineyards, Harveys PX is blended in the traditional method at its bodegas in Jerez in southern Spain. Steeped in heritage, Harveys PX is a Very Old Rare Sherry (VORS), with an average age of at least 30 years. This wine is full bodied with a lovely sweet balance and a long lasting finish.

Harveys VORS Pedro Ximénez (50cl RRP £20.98) is available from Waitrose, Booths, Morrisons, Gordon & Macphail and TheDrinkShop.com. For more information visit www.harveyshalfhour.co.uk

Entice Your Valentine With Help From Leiths

Avoid the quintessentially kitsch, predictable, Valentine's day restaurant dinner this year with two special workshops designed to let you dine in comfortable seclusion with your own special menu for two.

This February Leiths will be hosting two special Valentine's classes, the first of which will guide you through a fresh and impressive menu featuring Spiced Roast Quail followed by Champagne and Passion Fruit Jellies, guaranteed to impress. This exciting but relatively fuss-free menu will allow you plenty of time to enjoy each other's company.

For the less confident cooks, join the Leiths chefs in the kitchen on Valentine's day itself. We have devised a special class to guide you through cooking a Valentine's meal for two, which you will take home for you and your dinner guest to enjoy. Highlights on the menu include Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with Fondant Potatoes, light and airy Meringues with Passion Fruit Cream and indulgent Chocolate Truffles. Dining in is the new dining out. The teachers will give you all the cooking tips and presentation ideas you need so you just have to add the finishing touches at home, lay the table and pour the Prosecco.

Why not extend the celebrations and treat your Valentine to a Champagne Tasting Class. Taught by Champagne Ambassador of the Year, Richard Bampfield (MW), this is a fun, informative tasting of the world's most desirable tipple. Through a tasting of 6 Champagnes, you will learn to appreciate the differences between vintage and non-vintage, white and rosé. As well as learning the attributes of higher quality Champagne, you will discover what sort of foods and canapés tends to be the best match. "In defeat, you need it; in victory, you deserve it". Sir Winston Churchill neatly summed up Champagne's unique ability to refresh, revive and add sparkle to any celebration.

At Leiths there are many courses for your food-loving Valentine so why not purchase a gift voucher and let them choose from the extensive array we have to offer. There is everything from effortless entertaining to knife skills workshops and food writing to matching food with wine.

Valentine's Day Workshop
Saturday 11th February
10am-2pm Price: £130

Dinner for Two - Valentine's Special
Tuesday 14th February
10.15am - 2.30pm Price: £130

Champagne Tasting Class with Richard Bampfield MW
Tuesday 28th February 2012
7pm-9pm Price: £12

About the School Leiths School of Food and Wine is a first-class training school for chefs, attracting students of all ages from all over the world. With its dedicated teaching and friendly atmosphere, Leiths' guiding principle is to impart enthusiasm for the trade and instill a lasting love of good food and wine. This is not restricted to career cooks - many enthusiastic amateurs attend the varied programme of courses and diverse range of special events, from food and wine matching evenings to chocolate workshops and carving demonstrations.

For those with professional ambitions, the Leiths Diploma in Food and Wine is highly respected in the culinary world and can be achieved in three terms, starting in September of each year, or in two terms, starting in January. Students learn menu planning, budgeting and wine appreciation and attend daily demonstrations and practical classes, as well as lectures by leading gastronomic celebrities, famous retailers and head chefs from leading hotels and restaurants. Throughout the year, visits are organised and students get the chance to undertake work experience in leading London restaurants.

For those keen to learn the basic skills needed to become a confident, capable, efficient cook in just four weeks, the Leiths Essential Certificate takes place late summer every year, making it especially suitable as a summer course for amateur cooks at the start of a gap year.

Leiths excels on both the theoretical and the practical sides of cookery, benefiting from over 35 years' experience, whilst remaining fully abreast of contemporary techniques, styles and methods. Leiths is run by Managing Director Camilla Schneideman and is owned by Sir Christopher Bland.

www.leiths.com

There's "Bean" a new way to say "I Love You!"

For those who want to say I-love-you with great taste, Jelly Belly have created a beautifully romantic Valentine wrap for their ever popular 10, 20 and 40 flavour gift boxes. Decorated with elegant hearts and heartstrings they make the perfect Valentine present.

Jelly Belly are also available in individual flavours - over 50 in all - and each one can convey its own personal message. Lovers can create their own special story using their favourite flavours.

For instance:
I think you are totally, gorgeously sexy - Sizzling Cinnamon, You're the best - Top Banana, Your place or mine? - Cappuccino, I fancy you - Very Cherry or Tutti-Fruitti, You are totally delicious - Strawberry Cheesecake orJuicy Pear, Let's run away together - Island Punch, You're the apple of my eye - Green Apple or Red Apple, I've got a crush on you - Crushed Pineapple, You're my peach - Peach, I feel comfy with you - Chocolate Pudding, Let's stay in tonight - Toasted Marshmallow, Let's stay in tonight and watch a movie - Buttered Popcorn, You add spice to my life - Chilli Mango.

Each Jelly Belly jelly bean contains just 4 calories and is free from fat, wheat, nuts, gluten, dairy and gelatine. They are certified OU Kosher and are suitable for vegetarians.

www.jellybelly-uk.com

Jelly Belly beans are available nationwide in Sainsbury, Waitrose, Tesco and all the best department stores and confectionery shops in the UK.

For nearest stockist call freephone 0800 018 4416

A range of Jelly Belly product can be purchased at www.jellybelly-uk.com

PRICE LIST

30g fliptop box 61p

50g box £1.01

100g loose £2.04

100g assorted mix bag £2.24

The Big Bean £2.55

100g tube £2.66

150g assorted Window Box £3.22

20 Flavour tin £3.47

200g tube £5.11

200g Can £5.31

Cocktail Classics £5.36

Hello Kitty £5.36

10 Flavour Gift Box £5.36

300g assorted mix bag £6.38

350g Can £7.66

20 Flavour Gift Box £9.09

40 Flavour Gift Box £15.27

50 Flavour Gift Box £22.98

Petite Jelly Belly bean machine £23.48

Gold Jelly Belly bean machine £70.47

Loseley Valentine Cupcakes

Loseley Valentine Cupcakes

Give this Valentine’s Day a twist of sheer loveliness in the form of Valentine Cupcakes with Loseley Summer Meadow Butter.

These little delights will bring an element of light, fluffy love and happiness to the table on the key date of the year to unlock all hearts. (Makes 10 small cupcakes)

Ingredients:

For the Cakes:

Egg (free range please) 1
plain flour (or use self raising and omit the baking powder) 75G
Sugar 50g
Loseley Summer Meadow Butter 62g
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial 3 tsp
Pink food colouring (optional) few drops

For the Frosting:

If you will be spreading rather than piping your frosting you will need rather less.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter 75g
Icing sugar 250g
Pixley Berries blackcurrant cordial 1 – 2 tbs

Method:

Add the eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt to a bowl and beat with a hand whisk until blended. Add the cordial and briefly mix again. The batter should be loose enough to dollop off a spoon.

Line a bun tin with fairy cake cases. Fill each case 2/3 with batter and bake at 190C / GM 5 for about 12 minutes.

Chef’s Tip:

The secret to fluffy buttercream is to beat the butter really well before you add any sugar. The trick is to make the butter cream in the food processor to prevent the kitchen being covered in clouds of icing sugar. If you make it with a hand mixer you will need to add the icing sugar slowly to the butter.

Put the butter in the food processor bowl and process for a minute or so, until soft and fluffy. Pour in the icing sugar and cordial, put the lid back on and cover with a damp tea towel, and process again. Scrape the sides down adding more cordial or icing sugar if needed and process again.

Decorate your cakes, using sprinkles and love hearts.

Both raw cake batter and the frosting freeze well.

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter is packed in a 250g tub and costs £1.39p.

Loseley Chilled Foods are available from the chilled cabinet of local independent grocers, Waitrose and Ocado. Visit www.loseley.com for more information.

Honeybuns Brownies in a vintage cup for tea, when you eat this think of love from me.

There are few foods that evoke the sort of response that chocolate does. Honeybuns Milk Chocolate Brownie Vintage Teacup is the perfect way to enrapture and beguile your Valentine.

Available through the Honeybuns online shop www.honeybuns.co.uk/shop for only £9.95, this charming vintage china teacup and saucer is filled with two of Honeybuns gluten free Milk Chocolate Brownie mini’s handmade in their artisan bakery, an intense chocolate experience with a dash of coffee to intensify the chocolateyness.

With a beautiful Valentine gift wrapping service available including a free tube of Loveheart sweets, this Valentine gift will enamour any sweetheart.

Easy to order at the Honeybuns online shop, www.honeybuns.co.uk/shop, they also have an array of other delicious gluten free cakes, cookies and brownies to choose from, either individually or in specially selected Gift Tin collections.

· Free mini tube of Loveheart sweets (xxg) only available for Valentine Gift Set giftwrapping, while stocks last. · The two Milk Chocolate Brownie mini’s are individually wrapped.

· Due to the vintage quality of the cup and saucers, they may not be in perfect condition
· All Honeybuns products are gluten free (the only exception being the flapjacks).

· All Valentine’s Gifts ordered online are subject to the specific postage and packing instructions as stipulated on the website.

· For a Gift Wrapping Service, please refer to the website.

· Honeybuns holds an astonishing track record of National Great Taste Awards with the Guild of Fine Food. This thoughtful artisan bakery has won Supreme Champion, Best of British, Best Speciality from the South West and this year, three Great Taste Double Star Gold Awards.