Chouchoute and Lindt: more chocolatey fun in Birmingham

In Birmingham recently, after visiting Cadbury World on our first day, our trip unexpectedly continued its chocolatey theme on the second day. While we were exploring Birmingham we came across the Lindt Easter egg hunt which sent us on an interesting tour of the city centre, with some eye-catching things to look out for and some yummy Lindt freebies thrown in. Result!

What delighted me, though, while looking out for the large decorated eggs, was spotting a little gem of a chocolate shop, Chouchoute, in Great Western Arcade close to the cathedral. Owner, Pierre Soualah trained as a traiteur at Fauchon in Paris and Selfridges in London and produces glamorous handmade chocolates with a fine, silky texture and fresh flavours that really build on the palate. I particularly liked the 'palet menthe' and 'palet bergamot' ganaches. His cerisettes and orangettes were also rather special. After the disappointment of Selfridges food hall in the Bullring, this was a really welcome discovery.

Chouchoute
40 Great Western Arcade
Birmingham
B2 5RH
Tel 0121 233 1300

Easter: treat yourself to fine chocolate

You've got to love Easter. It's an especially long bank holiday weekend – good food, drink and company and the chance to relax. And, of course, there's chocolate. On Good Friday, after enjoying hot cross buns for breakfast, I headed out to Borough Market to catch up with a friend and her baby. Returning home, I had to make a little detour to the Angel for some important shopping.

I had to visit my favourite chocolate shop, Paul A Young to pick a few little Easter treats. So far, we haven't enjoyed them all – we have yet to turn our attention to my husband's wine inspired treat (he's always sickeningly self-controlled), but we've already had mine – utterly gorgeous to look at and perhaps my most delicious Easter egg ever.

It was a couple of inches tall, exquisitely decorated and made of fruity tasting dark Madagascan chocolate, filled with salted caramel and a pistachio foam. A work of art.

I can't remember precisely what it cost as I've lost the receipt, but it was probably about £5 – I spent the same amount in Sainbury's for three standard Cadbury Easter eggs. Indulgent, yes, but this was like having a Fabergé egg that you can eat. But it's gone now. At least there's hubbie's Château Civrac 2006 Ganache Grapes still lurking in the cupboard and a packet of Lindor mini eggs left over from our Easter egg hunt. Great stuff.

Hot cross buns

It's been like high summer this week in London – very un-Easter like – and I had the surreal experience of making hot cross buns in such unseasonal conditions. Their spicy comfort seems much more suitable to cool weather, yet I forged ahead and gave them a whirl.

I used Daniel Steven's recipe from the River Cottage Handbook as for the soda bread I made earlier and was surprised how easy it is to bake hot cross buns yourself using a food mixer and dough hook.

Makes 8

250g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
250g plain white flour
125ml warm water
125 warm milk
5g powdered yeast
10g salt
50g caster sugar
1 medium free-range egg
50g butter
100g raisins, currants or sultanas (or a mixture)
finely grated zest of half an orange (I doubled this)
1 tsp ground mixed spice (I used mainly cinnamon with some ginger and cloves)

For the crosses:
50g plain white flour – I kept adding more flour as the paste was too runny and it was still too runny!
100ml water

To finish:
1 tbsp apricot or other jam, sieved (I used quince jelly)
1 tbsp water

Combine the flours, water, milk, yeast, salt and sugar in the bowl and fit the dough hook. Add the egg and butter and mix to a sticky dough. Now add the dried fruit, orange zest and spice and knead on a low speed until silky and smooth.

Cover the dough and leave to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

Knock back the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape into rounds and dust with flour. Place on a floured board and leave to prove, covered with a linen tea towel (or in a large plastic bag) for about 30 minutes until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and make the paste for the crosses by beating the water into the flour until smooth (add enough flour to make a fairly thick piping consistency – mine was too liquid). Transfer the paste into a piping bag or plastic food bag and snip off a corner to make a small hole.

Pipe crosses on to the risen buns and bake for 15–20 minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt the jam with the water. Brush over the buns to glaze them while they are still warm. Allow them to cool on a wire rack and serve warm, cold or toasted (and, ideally, spread with decent butter).