MORNING TO MIDNIGHT: A BOOK OF CHOCOLATE RECIPES FOR THE WHOLE DAY AND NIGHT

by Hotel Chocolat (Hotel Chocolat Limited, 2007)

The chocolate section in my library is gratifyingly large, but as everyone knows, there is no such thing as too much chocolate, so it's always good to add to it. This volume has many tempting recipes, but I just had to showcase this classic from Mark Hix.

Mark Hix's Iced Berries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce

Simple and irresistible - probably more so than any other pudding you'll make - a dinner-party classic.  Either buy a bag of mixed frozen berries or raspberries, or freeze your own selection.  Larger berries, such as strawberries and big blackberries, are not recommended, as they don't defrost quickly enough.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

• 1 kg mixed frozen small-medium berries, or just raspberries
• 600g good quality white chocolate buttons
• 600ml double cream

METHOD

1. To make the sauce, put the white chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water for 20-30 minutes, stirring every so often, until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is hot. Stir until smooth.
2. Five minutes before serving, divide the berries among dessert plates and leave at room temperature, so they lose a little of their chill.  Transfer the chocolate sauce to a warm serving jug.
3. Place the berries in front of your guests and pour on the hot chocolate sauce at the table, covering the berries generously.

Posted by Nigella on the 14th Mar 2012