Home Recipes Reviews Events About Contact

autumn chocolate pots.


i love autumn. pretty brown, orange and ochre leaves, crisp but chilly mornings, being able to wear all your favourite jumpers again and the feeling that my birthday is just around the corner. the rain, not so much. although at least if you've got a rainy sunday morning in, you can turn your hand to a spot of baking. 

this week is both national baking week and national chocolate week. what better excuse? this recipe mixes the two and isn't so difficult at all, so long as you have a bit of time on your hands.


shopping list. 
(makes four)
for the pots
♥ silicone moulds
♥ 100g white chocolate, melted
♥ a terracotta food colouring
♥ a pastry brush or similar

for the ganache filling
♥ 200g dark chocolate, melted
♥ 200g double cream

for the biscuit topping
♥ 50g self raising flour
♥ 40g caster sugar
♥ 40g butter, softened
♥ 40g dark chocolate, melted
♥ 10g cocoa powder

for the chocolate leaves
♥ an autumn leaf chocolate mould
♥ 200g white chocolate, melted
♥ various food colourings, i used spruce green and autumn leaf sugarflair


i picked up these denby moulds from tk maxx, a brilliant place for baking fanatics, which were just what i was looking for. i've seen circular style flower pot moulds in the likes of dunelm and lakeland too, although sadly don't live very near either. if i did, my bank balance would definitely suffer. 

i always get my sugarflair colour concentrates from ebay, with this new one aptly named autumn leaf. when you just use a smidge, it can be a good skin tone colour, then more of a terracotta, and then with more it becomes a richer mellow leaf colour. a great investment.


step one. melt your white chocolate for the chocolate pots. add a tiny bit of food colouring at a time until you get the desired flower pot colour.


step two. paint the inside of your flower pots. allow to set and repeat. you can use the fridge to speed things up but these will probably start to set straight away in this chilly weather. set aside.

step three. make the ganache by mixing the dark chocolate and double cream. when warm but not too hot, pour into the moulds. allow to set at room temperature, so the chocolate keeps its shine.


step four. now to make your leaves. i bought this autumn leaf mould again from ebay - it was just what i needed!


step five. you need to work super quickly here, so if you aren't sure then you can melt a colour at a time. i had some dark chocolate, spruce green and autumn leaf in two strengths. it's good if you try and keep them all melted together so you can mix them and create a mottled effect. your pastry brush can come in handy again here too!


you can of course turn it upside down carefully and have a little peak at the colours you've created. in my opinion, the more random the better. 

step six. smooth the back of the mould and allow to set.


step seven. now to make the chocolate biscuit. turn your oven to 190 degrees c, gas mark 5. 

step eight. mix together the sugar, butter and flour until it forms a dough. add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder.


step nine. add to a non stick baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. hooray for giant chocolate biscuits!


step ten. when cool, put the biscuit in a sandwich bag and crumble into your edible soil. sprinkle over your chocolate pots.


step eleven. carefully pop out your leaves, which should now be completely set. peel the silicone moulds off the flower pots too.


step twelve. lastly, assemble your leaves on top of your pots. ta daaa!


happy national chocolate week and baking week everyone. what will you be making and baking?

also topps tiles are getting people to think about baking week and autumnal desserts in their latest food blogger competition. find out more and watch this space for entries here.

10 comments:

  1. These are incredibly Emily! I've never worked with chocolate like this before but this is definitely tempting me to have a go. The leaves look absolutely amazing, so perfect for the season.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ahh these are so cute! At first I didn't know if I'd ever want to eat them cause they look so sweet.. but then I saw that melted chocolate and the ganache..., and finally i saw the biscuit...crumbled over the top. A perfect money shot. And boom. Yeah, now I'd take them all down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha! Chocolate dipped in chocolate with chocolate sprinkles is always a good idea...

      Delete
  3. No chocolate pot can be to sweet :) Lovely recipe Emily!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I loved how you explained the benefits of using worms in the composting process, and how they can help break down organic matter into nutrient-rich soil. It was also great to learn about the different types of worms that are used in vermicompost, and how to create the ideal environment for them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Its wonderful as your other articles : D, regards for posting .

    ReplyDelete
  6. Can I simply say what a relief to find somebody who really understands what they are discussing on the web.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks and Best of luck to your next Blog in future.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Vermicompost is highly beneficial for gardening and agriculture because it enriches the soil with valuable nutrients, improves soil structure, and enhances water retention. It also helps suppress plant diseases and pests. Additionally, vermicomposting is an environmentally friendly way to reduce kitchen waste and produce a valuable resource for sustainable agriculture.

    It's important to note that vermicomposting requires some care and attention to maintain the health of the worm population and ensure the process runs smoothly. However, it's a rewarding and eco-friendly way to recycle organic waste while improving the quality of soil for your plants or garden.




    ReplyDelete