Ingredient: Chocolate

Bread and Butter Pudding is a novel favourite when it comes to British classic desserts. The combination of chocolate and orange gives the pudding a balance of richness with fresh, zesty tones.

Grease the base and sides of a deep baking dish (roughly 25 x 20cm).
Mix the melted butter with the marmalade. Use this to brush both sides of the brioche slices, and then slice them in half diagonally. Arrange the slices in the baking dish and scatter over half of the chocolate chips. Use a Pinch of Maldon Salt to sprinkle over the dish for taste.
In a large bowl whisk together the double cream, whole milk, eggs, caster sugar, orange zest and cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the brioche slices and then leave the mixture for 30 minutes for the brioche to absorb the custard.
Preheat the oven to 180c.
Once the pudding has sat for 30 minutes it is ready to bake. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips and the demerara sugar then place into the preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes until golden brown on top and the custard has just set.
Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before serving with some extra cream.

This recipe is for dark chocolate corn flakes cakes but a more luxury version with the inclusion of toasted pecans and a sprinkle of Maldon Salt. If stored in the fridge, these will keep for up to two weeks.

Place the butter, chocolate and golden syrup into a heatproof bowl and place onto a pan of simmering water. Heat this gently until the chocolate, butter and golden syrup melt together to a smooth mixture. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a separate bowl mix together the cornflakes and toasted pecans. Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture over the cornflakes and mix well together so everything is evenly coated.
Place 12 cupcake cases onto a tray and carefully fill them with the mixture. Once filled, place into the fridge and allow them to set for roughly 30 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle over some Maldon Salt and enjoy!

This rich, dark chocolate torte is made with a short and buttery dark chocolate pastry and a creamy ganache filling. The Maldon Salt on top pairs perfectly with the rich, dark chocolate for a sophisticated dessert.

Start by making the pastry.

Beat together the butter and caster sugar together until combined – you don’t need to whip until it’s light and fluffy though, only until the two are combined. Next add in the egg and mix until combined. In another bowl mix together the plain flour and the cocoa powder, then sieve this in batches to the butter mixture. Bring the pastry dough together until smooth and cohesive and then clingfilm and place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
After it has chilled for 30 minutes, take the pastry out of the fridge, and carefully line a 23cm fluted tart tin and prick the base with a fork. Place the lined tart tin into the fridge and chill again for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Fill the chilled tart case with baking paper and baking beans, and place on a tray in the oven to blind back for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and then return to the oven for a further 5 – 10 minutes until it has a chalky texture and is no longer greasy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

To make the filling:

Put the cream, sugar and Maldon salt in a pan and bring to scalding point. Once the sugar has dissolved but before the cream starts to boil, take it off the heat and add the butter and broken chocolate. Allow it to sit for a minute before whisking it together to form a smooth ganache. Then add the milk and stir again, it should be lovely and smooth and glossy.
Pour the filling into your tart case and use the back of a spoon to create peaks in the chocolate. Allow the filling to set at room temperature for approximately 1 hour. Once set, sprinkle over some remaining Maldon salt for garnish and then serve.

There’s something truly special about baking cookies that feel both indulgent and nourishing – and these homemade oat cookies are just that. Packed with wholesome rolled oats, rich dark chocolate, chewy dried fruits and a medley of chopped nuts, they’re bound together with creamy cashew and almond butter for a decadent texture and taste. The magic touch? A pinch of Maldon Sea Sat flakes, which enhances every flavour and adds a subtle crunch.

Finished with decorative chocolate swirls on top, these cookies are perfect for cosy autumn gatherings, thoughtful homemade gifts, or simply treating yourself after a long day. Every bite is a celebration of comfort, craft and a little salty-sweet sophistication!

How to Make Oat Biscuits With Dried Fruits, Nuts and Chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, Maldon Sea Salt, baking powder, chopped nuts and dried fruit. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, mix together the cashew butter, almond butter, maple syrup and coconut sugar. Stir until well combined and the coconut sugar has dissolved.
Pour this wet mixture into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together until well distributed and combined.
Take a small amount of the mixture and roll together in your hands – roughly the size of a golf ball. Place onto the lined baking sheets with a 2inch gap in between and press down gently to flatten slightly. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets.
Once cool, use the melted dark chocolate to drizzle across the tops of the cookies. Sprinkle with a final pinch of Maldon salt and then allow the chocolate to set before serving.

FAQ

Why add salt to biscuits?

Salt is great to add into cookies and baking recipes as the salt helps balance the flavours, especially when using sweet nut butters, syrups and chocolate.

Do you want to find out how to make the best hot cross buns? Well look no further – We’ve created a delicious recipe with a fun twist from the classic hot cross buns!

Using chopped dark chocolate and cacao powder in the dough, these buns hold a fantastic, rich flavour whilst also being super soft and dense in texture. We also infused mixed spiced and peel to give a comforting warmth to the bun. Once gently baked in the oven, the chocolate pieces and citrus fruits ooze with flavour, making it the perfect addition to your Easter Sunday Brunch when slathering a generous helping of butter on to the sweet treat!

If you want to become more creative in the way you make your hot cross buns, check out our delicious Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate Hot Cross Buns to really impress your guests this Easter.

Why add Maldon Salt to your Hot Cross Buns?

Adding a pinch of Maldon Salt as a topper to your hot cross buns will allow the sweetness of the dark chocolate and raisins to enhance, whilst counteracting the bitterness of the citrus peel that is mixed within the dough.

A sprinkling of Maldon Salt will also give a gentle crunch of texture once you bite into these fluffy buns, creating a wonderful treat to be enjoyed amongst family and friends this Easter.

How to Make Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

In a small saucepan, heat together the butter and milk gently until the butter is melted and the mixture is lukewarm. Set aside to cool down.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice, Maldon Salt and yeast.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly pour half the butter and milk mixture. Mix this together and then add the beaten egg. Now, begin mixing with your hands to form a soft dough.
Either tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.
In a separate bowl, lightly oil the inside and place the dough into it. Cover with clingfilm and allow it to prove for 1 hour in a warm place, or until it has doubled in size.
After 1 hour of proving, remove the clingfilm and knock the air out of the dough.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and add the chopped chocolate, raisins and citrus peel by stretching and folding the dough to incorporate, making sure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout.
Now divide the dough into 12 equal size balls. Shape them by rolling between your palm and the surface so they are smooth and even. Place the balls onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and space them with roughly 2 – 3cm gap between them.
Loosely cover the tray with clingfilm and leave again in a warm place for 45 – 60 minutes until they have doubled in size again. They should be puffed up and just touching.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Make the flour mixture by mixing together the plain flour, olive oil and water. Beat together until it forms a smooth paste and then transfer into a piping bag.
Once the buns have proved and risen, carefully remove the clingfilm.
Pipe the crosses across the top of the buns. Then place into the middle of the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and brush the tops with golden syrup so they are glistening and then sprinkle with Maldon Salt.
These buns are best served slightly warm so the chocolate chunks are oozy and melted.

Why do you put crosses on hot cross buns?

Did you know that the humble hot cross bun became a commemoration for Good Friday? As a result, the piped flour mixture on the top of the buns represents the crucifixion of Jesus, with the spices inside symbolising those that were used to embalm Jesus at his burial. It is for this reason that hot cross buns are traditionally eaten over the Easter religious Christian holiday.

You can even use an icing cross instead of a flour cross, however these would need to be done to each bun after the baking process.

What topping ideas could you use for hot cross buns?

If you like traditional things in life, then a generous slathering of butter can do no wrong! When you heat your hot cross bun, spread a layer of good, hearty butter to give a delectable creaminess and slightly sweet tasting effect when you take your first bite.

If you would like to become more creative in the way you eat your bun, then we highly recommend following our Homemade Fig Jam or Xanthe Gladstone’s Homemade Blackberry Jam to spread over the baked good. It will give both a sweetened flavour whilst adding texture to the mixed fruits within the jam…delicious!

How to create:

Cut 185g unsalted butter into small cubes and tip into a bowl. Break 185g dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl.
Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl on top so it rests on the rim of the pan, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them.
Remove the bowl from the pan. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn the oven on to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cut out a square of non-stick baking parchment to line the base. Tip 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl. Tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.
Chop 50g white chocolate and 50g milk chocolate into chunks on a board.
Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar. They will look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you’re there.
Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Plunge the spatula in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle. Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air, so be as gentle and slow as you like.
Hold the sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly.
Gently fold in this powder using the same figure of eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first, and a bit unpromising, but keep going very gently and patiently. Stop just before you feel you should, as you don’t want to overdo this mixing.
Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they’re dotted throughout.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it. Sprinkle with Maldon Salt.
Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 mins. When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the cake wobbles in the middle, it’s not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.
Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then lift out the cake with the foil. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares.