Cooking and Baking

At first glance, melting chocolate might seem to be a simple undertaking. But take it from an expert; it’s somewhat more complicated than it initially seems! With extensive experience handling liquid chocolate daily, here at Whitakers, we have gained valuable insights. That’s why we’ve compiled this infallible guide featuring top advice and techniques for melting chocolate, enabling you to indulge in luscious, melted goodness. Continue reading to master the art of melting chocolate like a true professional! How to Melt Chocolate (Without Ruining It!) The process of melting chocolate is... Read More

In the world of chocolate, there is a big difference between tempered chocolate and melting chocolate. If you are following a recipe that asks you to temper the chocolate, it doesn’t just mean melting the chocolate down. The process of tempering is far more involved and makes a massive difference to how the chocolate looks and tastes. This article will give you all the information you need to know about tempering chocolate and how to do it successfully. What is Tempered Chocolate? Tempering is a term used to describe the... Read More

There are around seven different types of chocolate available for eating and cooking with, from baking and bittersweet to couverture chocolate. So working out what’s best to use for what purpose can be a little mind-boggling, to say the least! “Is baking chocolate the same as couverture chocolate?”Can I use normal milk chocolate in baking?” This post will look at chocolate couverture in detail so you know what it is and what it is used for. What is Couverture Chocolate? Couverture chocolate is the name given to high-quality chocolate. It... Read More

With so many different types of chocolate available, from white to dark and milk to ruby, plus all the flavour combinations and dietary variations (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.) It can sometimes feel like a minefield when deciding what chocolate is best to use, especially when cooking and baking. So that is why this blog exists. To help you find the right chocolate or the right occasion. Let’s talk about plain chocolate. What is Plain Chocolate? Plain chocolate, also known as dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, is a type of chocolate... Read More

Let’s face it, we all love chocolate and the many different ways it can be eaten, drunk and enjoyed. So whether you’re a master baker or simply experimenting with melting and dipping fruit or pretzels, knowing the do’s and don’ts of melting and hardening chocolate is a must. To make life easy, we’ve answered all the questions you need to know about setting chocolate! How Long Does It Take For Melted Chocolate To Harden? Generally, chocolate takes 20-30 minutes to harden and set at room temperature. Using a fridge or... Read More

We all love a bit of chocolate cake and if you fancy having a go and making this delicious vegan and gluten free chocolate bundt cake then you should. Even if you are not a natural or confident baker, we have been told this is the easiest recipe in the world to follow! So, let’s get ready and get baking (we’d love to see your final cake, so tag ‘whitakerschocolates’ in on social media!) Easy Double Chocolate Bundt Cake (GF, DF & V) Servings: 10 /12 A delicious chocolate Bundt cake... Read More

Have you ever opened up your favourite chocolate, seen it has a strange white residue and think, what’s wrong with my chocolate? Don’t worry, this has happened to us all and we’re here to explain what it is and why this happens. What is chocolate blooming? Chocolate blooming is the term we use when we see that the chocolate has a dusting or streaking across the surface. There are two types of blooming – fat bloom and sugar bloom. (If you’re reading this now, with your opened bar of bloomed... Read More

This recipe is based on a traditional chocolate with a Violet twist…(using Whitakers Chocolates delicious Violet Creams!). It’s also a very regal looking cake that will go down fantastically over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations! Violet and Chocolate flavours taste terrific in this variation of a classic favourite, covered with chocolate-flavoured marzipan. So, here’s the all important recipe… RECIPE Violet and Chocolate Battenberg Cake (GF, DF V) Servings: 10/ 12 It’s made in the Silverwood Battenberg Tin, with its clever dividers to make four even strips of cake, which are then... Read More