Issue 001 Dec 2021
Sweet
talk
Letter from Farhi HQ Welcome to the first edition of Sweet Talk. Here to welcome you into our world and offer you a little slice of luxury. With regular gift guide round-ups, fashion, homeware, beauty and travel ideas, Sweet Talk is the little slice of escapism we all need. We’ll also let you know everything that’s going on at Rita Farhi. From product launches and new stockists to a deeper dive into some of our key product lines, as well as recipe ideas that will help you get more from your Rita Farhi products. In this first issue, we’re focusing on our favourite, festive time of year. Chocolate and Christmas go hand in hand, which makes December a big deal here at Farhi HQ and we start talking about it from as early as April! Rita Farhi is synonymous with celebration and gifting, so of course we’ve compiled a selection of gift guides, to help you get the perfect present for those special people in your life. Whether it’s for a partner or your Christmas dinner host or hostess, we’ve got ideas that are sure to put a smile on recipients’ faces.
But this issue isn’t just about the perfect present. Although our items come ready to gift, we also show you how to become the ultimate present wrapper, so that when you’re surrounded by tape and paper, sorting all those gifts is an absolute breeze. Whether you’re new to the brand or you’ve been shopping with us for a while, we want you to get more from our delicous chocolate covered fruits and nuts. In each issue of Sweet Talk we will be talking you through some perfect product pairings, from which of our caramelised nuts work best with whiskey, to which chocolate covered fruit works perfectly with your after-dinner coffee. In addition to this, we’ll be giving you recipe ideas, showing you just how to get the most out of your Rita Farhi products. From cake toppings to decadent hot chocolate decorations, here at Rita Farhi we want to elevate those sweet moments. Each issue will include a deep dive into some of our key lines as well as an open discussion on sustainability. It’s a hot topic amongst world leaders right now,
and here at Farhi HQ we’re constantly working towards a more sustainable future for our brand and our products. It’s not a change that happens over night but it’s certainly a journey that we’re headed on and we want to take you right along with us. We aim ‘to do better everyday’ and we’ll be taking you through some of the small and big changes we have and are making as we go. We hope you enjoy the first issue of Sweet Talk. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for our latest product offerings and follow us on social media @ritafarhiuk to keep up with all our latest posts and offerings. There’s a lot of pressure at this time of year, so don’t forget to take some you time and enjoy the festive season, the food and the downtime. Whoever or however you’re spending the month of December, enjoy!
The Rita Farhi Story Rita Farhi is a family business selling luxury chocolate covered fruits and nuts. Tracing their roots to Turkey and the wider Mediterranean, Farhi is named after their beloved family matriarch, Rita. Steeped in heritage, Farhi fuses traditional recipes with modern techniques, to create luxurious, exquisite, food items that are beautifully presented and ready to gift. With an importance placed on ingredients provenance, Farhi’s chocolate covered fruits and nuts use produce from all over the world. From hand-picked Bolivian Brazil nuts to juicy Spanish oranges, and plump Chilean raisins to sun-kissed Californian almonds, all of which are then dipped or enrobed in rich Belgian chocolate for sweet treats that are carefully and lovingly crafted, so that you can enjoy and gift luxury in every box. Whatever the occasion, let the magic of Rita Farhi enhance your celebration.
Letter from Farhi HQ.............................................................. 2 What’s New At Farhi............................................................... 4-5
contents
Does Chocolate Percentage Matter?................................... 6-7 Gift Guide For Him.................................................................. 8-9 Gift Guide For Her................................................................... 10-11 Gift Guide For Hosts............................................................... 12-13 Stocking Fillers........................................................................ 14-15 How To Wrap Christmas Gifts............................................. 16-17 Tablescaping and Favours................................................... 18-19 Sweet Treats: Hot Chocolate Ideas..................................... 20-23 Grazing Tables........................................................................ 24 Chocolate Orange Cake......................................................... 25 A Perfect Pair........................................................................... 26-27 How To Be More Sustainable This Christmas.................. 28 In Focus: Our Dates................................................................ 29 Dates For Your Diary............................................................. 30 Next Issue................................................................................. 31
Rita Farhi is synonymous with celebration, but we don’t always want to wait for a special occasion to enjoy some of our favourite chocolate covered fruits and nuts, so we created the Rita Farhi snack box range. We’ve packaged up two portions of some of our most loved products into handbag sized, compostable boxes so you can enjoy Rita Farhi on the go. The range is also palm oil free with a mix of vegetarian and vegan friendly products. Snacking just got better.
WHAT’S NEW AT FARHI Truly scrumptuous, our stuffed dates dipped in chocolate have been a huge hit. One of the newest lines to launch at Farhi, our juicy dates are stuffed with candied fruits and delicately roasted nuts for an incredible taste sensation. Dipped in a selection of dark, milk or white chocolate, this selection box has something for everyone. A best seller, we’ve created a vegan friendly option too. Packed with fruits and nuts, dates are dipped in velvety smooth, dark Belgian chocolate, making them a wonderful dairy-free treat. Available in our signature selection box, they make a show-stopping centrepiece for after dinner or any family get-together and are also a great option for gift-giving this festive season and the whole year through.
Discover our magical bonbonnières this season. A beautiful and unique gift, each bonbonnière is handmade and no two are ever entirely the same. Using papier mache, a wire frame is created by Kashmiri artisans, before the bonbonnière is painted by hand. This amazing craftsmanship has been handed down from generation to generation and these exceptionally creative and beautiful boxes will still be enjoyed long after the chocolate inside has been finished. The bonbonnière contain a variety of our favourite lines, from chocolate coated coffee beans to chocolate enrobed crystallised ginger and more. A real talking point, our bonbonnières will look great after-dinner and also make for a perfect gift for any host and hostesses this festive season. Let the magic of Rita Farhi enhance your celebration.
Come visit us at Harrods Experience the luxury of Rita Farhi in-person and come visit us in Harrods’ Chocolate Room. Our beautiful new concession is a carefully curated selection of some of our most loved delicacies, all in our exclusive to Harrods Gold Range packaging. For a truly breathtaking treat, a gorgeous gift or a stylish after-dinner centrepiece, our Harrods edit includes our standout gift jars, sleek, signature selection boxes and of course our muchadmired, hand painted bonbonnières. From our traditional chocolate covered nuts and coffee beans, to our amazing candied lemon and orange slices dipped delicately into rich and creamy Belgian chocolate, there are some real treats waiting to be enjoyed. The Gold Range is also available at Harrods.com
Does chocolate percentage matter?
Image by Freepik.com
Ever been faced with two near identical chocolate bars but with varying percentages of cocoa inclusion? Confused about what bar to go for and how to make the right choice? You’re not alone. When it comes to cocoa percentages there are a lot of things to consider and it’s a bit of a minefield. Essentially the percentage you’re seeing tells you by weight how much of the chocolate bar is made from derivatise of cocoa beans. This however can be any part of the bean, both cocoa butter (the bit that makes your chocolate creamy) and cocoa solids (the non-fat part of a bean). While as a general rule a higher percentage means that the chocolate will be less sweet with a more intense flavour profile, this isn’t always the case. This is because the percentage of cocoa butter, vs cocoa solids, alongside sugar and extra ingredients such as vanilla can play a huge role in the overall make-up and final taste of the chocolate.
If a chocolate has a high percentage of cocoa but the majority is made up of cocoa butter as opposed to cocoa solids, the result will still be creamier than a bar that has the same percentage but with higher levels of cocoa solids.
law milk chocolate must contain at least 25% cocoa solids to be considered milk chocolate. In the US this is much lower, with just 10% cocoa being required, which is tiny. That is why American chocolate tastes very different to UK chocolate and is often much sweeter. Milk chocolate is sweeter and creamier than dark chocolate, both because of the milk or cream content and because it generally has lower percentages of cocoa in it. If you want a milk chocolate that is more chocolatey and less sweet, go for varieties that are 30% and up in terms of their cocoa content.
70%
The percentages however do give you a good indication on how much sugar a chocolate bar has. High percentages of cocoa generally mean lower percentages of sugar. This is because a high level of cocoa leaves far less room for other ingredients.
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate by its very name contains milk or cream alongside its percentage of cocoa beans and sugar. According to UK
graphics: Vecteezy.com
This image: Racool_studio at Freepix.com below centre: Vecteezy.com
White Chocolate
Big fan of white chocolate? You might be shocked to learn that white chocolate doesn’t contain ANY cocoa solids! The percentage of cocoa on a white chocolate bar refers to the amount of cocoa butter on the bar instead. The higher the percentage of cocoa butter, the creamier the bar will be. In the UK, white chocolate must have at least 20% cocoa butter. Percentages are a good indicator for the level of ‘other’ ingredients in your bar, whether that’s more milk or more sugar or other aromatics, but don’t get too bogged down in the details. It is a quantity measurement, but not necessarily an indication of quality. While higher percentages are synonymous with quality as they have fewer non-cocoa ingredients, you need to consider the end use of the product as well as your own preferred tastes.
Chocolate Scale
percentage of cocoa derivative was not an easy task. We needed to make sure the chocolate didn’t overwhelm and conceal the beauty of the nut or the fruit underneath. To choose the correct percentage of cocoa for our chocolate, we needed to do a lot of R&D. This consisted of lots of taste testing sessions and even blind taste testing sessions to ensure that we were only swayed by taste and not by what we thought the percentage should be. After many chocolate covered nuts and fruits had been consumed (all in the name of science of course), we decided that for covering fruit and nuts in chocolate, our dark chocolate needed to sit at 53%. Although this means our dark chocolate contains less cocoa than some chocolate bars you might be used to, this was the sweet spot for Farhi. The perfect balance of flavours between our rich Belgian chocolate and delicately roasted nuts. It meant that the tasting notes of the nuts and fruits were never overpowered by chocolate and the two sung in harmony together in every single bite. And while we could be a slave to the numbers, we wanted to make the best tasting product that respected the produce and ensured you got a truly delightful product.
53%
Here at Rita Farhi we have numerous avenues to consider when it comes to our chocolate. Although the consensus for a pure chocolate product is that more cocoa and less sugar is supreme, when it comes to chocolate covered fruits and nuts, there are other factors at play. When coating nuts or fruits in chocolate, you need to account for the interaction between your chocolate layer and the flavour profiles of the products they’re paired with. We want our nuts and fruits to have an equal chance to shine, so choosing the perfect
At 100% your chocolate is very pure and naturally much more bitter than the chocolate you might be used to. It will be dark chocolate that has no milk or sugar in it. It is entirely made from the cocoa bean. This isn’t for the faint hearted as the taste is pretty strong but at 100% you are getting the real benefits of the cocoa bean. High percentage chocolate is practically a health food. High in fibre and iron (which helps in the production of red blood cells) as well as copper and magnesium it is an amazing source of antioxidants, flavanols and polyhenois. According to some studies (very) dark chocolate can also help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow too. This is the average marker for most dark chocolates in the UK. Of course dark chocolate is anything above 50% but this seems to be the benchmark for most bars. This means that 70% of the bar you’re eating has been made from the cocoa bean and the other 30% is anything from sugar, vanilla and other flavour enhances. It won’t be anywhere near as bitter as 100% but it will still have a distinctive deep and dark taste. When it comes to milk chocolate you are looking at much lower percentages of cocoa. This is due to needing to add both sugar and of course milk or cream to get that consistency and sweetness we all know and love. 30% and above is a good point of reference when checking packaging. White chocolate only needs to contain 20% of cocoa butter and has no cocoa solids. Its taste is much more delicate and creamy because of the cocoa butter content. We use white chocolate to enrobe delicious roasted nuts for a truly sensational taste in every mouthful.
Gift Guide: For Him
Caramelised Nut Selection in a Gift Box (KLBD), £35.00, Farhi.co.uk
Tom Ford Noir Extreme, £123, Harvey Nichols
2022 Kings Diary with Pocket, £225, Smythson
SAINT LAURENT, Monogram logo leather wallet, £330.00, Selfridges.com
Hibiki Harmony, 70cl, £79.95, Fortnum and Mason
Wasabi Peanut Crackers in a Gift Jar, £10.00, Farhi.co.uk
Tom Ford Noir Extreme, £123, Harvey Nichols
JURAZ10 Coffee Machine, £2,145, Harrods.com
Milk & Dark Chocolate Brazil nuts Gourmet Gift Jar, £17.50, Farhi.co.uk
Burberry Palladium-Plated and Enamel Cufflinks £320, Mrporter.com
Saffiano Leather Belt, £480, Prada.com
GG cashmere jacquard scarf, £ 590, Gucci.com
Cinnamon Dusted Milk Chocolate Almonds Coated in a Gift Tin, £20.00, Farhi.
Dark Chocolate Pistachios, £10, Farhi.co.uk
Gift Guide: For Her
Assorted Chocolate Coated Hazelnuts in a Gourmet Gift Jar, £17.50. Farhi.co.uk
CARTIER La Panthère 18-karat gold, alligator, tsavorite and diamond watch, £26,300, Net-a-porter.com
VERSACE Medusa-plaque chain necklace, £580, Matches.com
Valentino Garavani Roman Stud red leather gloves, £360.00, Harveynichols.com
Satin headband, £650, Prada.com
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, Kate Patent Leather Pumps 100, £545, Harrods.com
Assorted Chocolate Coated Almonds Hand Made Papier Mache Large Bonbonnière, £25.00, Farhi.co.uk
Assorted Pâte De Fruit in a Gift Pack, £17.50, Farhi.co.uk
LIMITED EDITION. Pine & Eucalyptus Luxury Candle, £330.00, Jomalone.co.uk
Chocolate Almond and Nougat Selection in a Nine-Way Gift Box, £30.00, Farhi.co.uk
Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia eau de parfum, £55.00, Selfridges.com The Curve bag, £ 1,090, Alexandermcqueen.com
Gift Guide: For Hosts Milk Chocolate Pralines, £17.50, Farhi.co.uk Bash vessel large, £420, Tomdixon.net
Edinburgh Gin garnish set, £45, Johnlewis.com
Luxury fruit and nut selection, £15, Farhi.co.uk
NANCY & BETTY, London Christmas Crackers Set of 6, £49.95, Liberty
Three Ingredient Cocktails, £14.99, Anthropologie.com
Belgian Chocolate Fruit Selection in a Nine-Way, £49.95, Farhi.
Wood Sage & Sea Salt Home Candle, £50, Jomalone.co.uk
Whisky Club Connoisseur Set & Walnut/Cork Serving Tray, £425, LSA International
Belgian Chocolate & Stuffed Medjool Date Selection, £35.00 (available in vegan friendly), Farhi.co.uk
Almond nougat, £12.50, Farhi.co.uk
TAHI, Manuka Honey UMF 20+ 250g, £210.00, Harvey Nichols
Stocking Fillers
This Page: L-R MOET & CHANDON, Impérial Rosé NV Champagne 200ml, £19.99, Selfridges; Milk Chocolate Raisins, £10; Caramelised Chilli Peanuts Snack Box (KLBD), £25 for pack of 10, Farhi.co.uk
GINGKO, The TumblerSelfie Speaker - Walnut, £39, Amara.com
KeepCup Cork Brew Reusable 12oz Glass Coffee Cup/Travel Mug, 340ml, Clear/Grey, £22.00, John Lewis & Partners
Balenciaga Hourglass mini blush leather cross-body bag, £775.00, Harvey Nichols
Grind, Pink Tin 20 Pods House Blend, £12.00, Fenwick
Stocking filler gift set, £40, Molton Brown
Assorted Belgian Chocolate Jumbo Raisins Snack Box, £25 for pack of 10, farhi.co.uk
Luxury Small Nut Selection (Cashew & Almond) in a Gift Box (KLBD), £12.50, Farhi.co.uk
Designed by Freepik
How to wrap Christmas presents
It’s the festive season, which can only mean one thing… GIFTING! Here at Farhi we literally love giving presents and we understand that feeling both giving and receiving a wellpresented gift exudes. But while our chocolate covered fruits and nuts are ready and waiting to make someone smile, we know that you’ll also have a lot of other gifts to get ready this season. So here is a 10-step guide on how to wrap the perfect present this winter. So grab your scissors, clear tape, paper and ribbon, it’s time to get wrapping.
to bottom. The piece of paper you end up with should not be too long, but just wide enough to wrap across your entire gift.
4
Make sure your box is in place again and fold one edge of the wrapping paper over to the centre so that it covers just over half way of your box. If your box was 10cm tall, you’d want that piece of paper to be measuring at 5.5cm.
7
Now you’ve probably watched this next bit a thousand times and thought it was hard to do. But with your paper now the correct size, it should fold in quite naturally and be a breeze. On one of the open-ended sides, crease the wrapping paper over the corner, creating a nice snug and sharp edge. If you don’t have a second person there to hold it securely in place while you fold the next part, you can tape this end to the box to
1
The most important thing to start with is the correct size of wrapping paper. Get this right and the rest of your gift wrapping this Christmas will be a cinch and you’ll quickly become the go to birthday present gift wrapper too.
2
Make sure you have a clear and clean workspace - no one wants to wrap the perfect present and then find a mark on the paper! Unroll your wrapping paper with the patterned side of the wrapping paper facing down onto the table. Place your gift on top of the paper. If your present is rectangular, then line up the longer sides of the box so that they are parallel with the end of the roll. Next, fold the end of the paper over until it fully envelopes and covers the box. Make a mark with a pencil where the end meets with the paper, then add approximately 2.5cm. This marks out the width of your wrapping paper.
3
Using the marks made as a guide, cut straight from top
Now do the same for the other side of the paper and cut off any excess. Essentially this gives you just enough overlap to seal the gift but not mountains of paper that will make your wrapping cumbersome.
5
You’ll know straght away if you’ve got it right as you should now have a piece of wrapping paper that is the perfect size for your box. From right to left your gift paper should wrap full across the box and from top to bottom it should come to halfway up the box. If 1-5 has worked, it’s time to move on to step 6.
6
Wrap the right and left sides up to meet in the middle. Make sure the paper is taut (this is very important) and then tape into place. They should be just crossing over in the centre.
help. Now crease both side pieces in, one at a time.
8 9 10
Once your two side pieces are creased, you have created a sort of bottom flap, this is now folded up and secured with tape.
Repeat on the other side and just like that you’re a gift wrapping pro now.
Add any further decoration such as a bow or ribbon - this always makes a gift feel extra special and repeat for each gift.
Luxury Almond & Nougat Selection, £30, Farhi.co.uk
REFLECTIONS COPENHAGEN Madison Crystal Bow, £452, Amara
VILLEROY & BOCH Toys Delight 3-Tier Cake Stand (30cm), £139, Harrods.com
Table Talk
KLEVERING Smoked Champagne Coupes Set of Two, £27.50, Liberty
Assorted chocolate coated almonds in handmade papier mache bonbonniere, £15, Farhi.co.uk Chase And Wonder, The Botanist Fine China Scented Candle, £45.00, Fenwick ANNA + NINA, Athena glass candle holder 35cm, £22.00, Selfridges Silver and gold sugared almonds in a gift bag, £20 per bag, Farhi.co.uk
KAYMET Ribbed Tray (51cm), £140, harrods.com
P
arty season is most definitely upon us and if you’re hosting family and friends in the coming weeks, then you’ve probably already started to think about your tablescaping and decorations. Created for celebrations, Rita Farhi has a host of gorgeous treats that make for the perfect centrepiece at a dinner party. Whether you’re looking for something to accompany cocktail hour or want a treat for after dinner, our foiled pralines and selection boxes of chocolate covered fruits and nuts are always a winner. We’ve compiled some luxurious tableware pieces that will help to enhance your table this winter. From marble trays, to tiered cake stands and luxurious champagne coupes, you can elevate your table in an instand with classic and stylish serveware. Choose the right scent for the room and use a mood boosting and evocative winter candle to help set the tone for the evening. It will ensure the room smells gorgeous and that your guests can instantly relax.
Gold and silver foiled covered pralines, £15, Harrods.com
Sweet Image by Freepik.com
treats
Ultimate Hot Chocolate Try warming up your winter nights with this decadent treat
H
ot chocolate is such a sweet and simple treat on long and cold winter evenings but it can be so much more than cocoa powder and milk. Whether you simply want a hug in a mug or you’re looking for a hot drink and dessert combination, we’ve come up with some irresistible ways to elevate your hot chocolate this winter. From cocoa cocktails to the ultimate in drinkable desserts, here are three ways to boost your hot chocolate right now.
I
ngredient base for all drinks: These are the base ingredients for all the enhanced hot chocolates. The additions are shown on the following page. For vegan or vegetarian friendly options use plant based milk such as Oatly Barista as it works well in hot drinks and a dairy free cocoa powder.
Ingredients: - Drinking Cocoa Powder - Milk, heated gently on a stove, enough to fill majority of your glass - Whipped cream (either from a can or whipped using an electric whisk. Method: - Put milk into a pan and start to heat slowly. - Add cocoa powder (measurement according to packet). - Stir constantly until heated and all combined. - Pour into your glass, leaving at least 0.5cm at the top of the glass. - Leave for 1 minute to settle and add the whipped cream into a peak. - Now it’s time to decorate... (see over the page).
Orange Hot Chocolate Cocktaill Hot chocolate pairs brilliantly with fruity liqueurs and chocolate-orange is a distinctive and classic combination. It is said you eat with your eyes, so while this really does taste delicious, make sure you style out your hot drinks too. The hit of orange liquor makes this really warming and it’s a great one for cosy nights in. Ingredients: - 1-2 shots of orange liqueur, depending on the strength you prefer (we suggest Cointreau or Grand Marnier). - To make this alcohol free use a Monin orange syrup). - Rita Farhi chocolate dipped orange slice to decorate. - Zest of an orange. - Chocolate syrup to decorate Method: - Make the hot chocolate according to the first page. - Before adding cream, add in the shots of orange liquere or syrup and mix. - Add whipped cream to the top. Now the fun starts. - Drizzle chocolate syrup - Sprinkle the orange zest - Make a slice down the centre of the orange slice, on the part not dipped in chocolate from just before the chocolate to the rind, slicing through, split the slice and add to the top of the drink and enjoy!
Magical Mocha Ingredients: - Kahlúa or Tia Maria(optional) single shot - Shot of espresso (or teaspoon of ground coffee) - Rita Farhi Chocolate Coated Coffee Beans to decorate. (be mindful of the caffiene percentage, please read the packaging). - Cocoa powder / Grate chocolate Method: - Make the hot chocolate according to the first page. - Before adding cream, add in a shot of espresso and stir or if using coffee granuela, dissolve in a tablespoon of hot water before stiring into the hot chocolate. - Add a single shot of Kahlúa or Tia Maria (if using) and stir. - Add whipped cream to the top. - Add grated chocolate or dust with cocoa powder - Sprinkle on Rita Farhi chocolate coffee beans (be mindful of the caffiene percentage, please read the packaging).
Caramel and Ginger Hot Chocolate Ingredients: - 1 tbsp of biscoff (or lotus) spread. - Rita Farhi chocolate coated ginger. - Rita Farhi Salted caramel almonds Method: - Make the hot chocolate according
to the first page. - Before adding cream, add in a tablespoon of biscoff spread and stir until dissolved. - Add whipped cream to the top. - Take a teaspoon of biscoff/lotus spread and heat gently for a couple of minutes or until it becomes liquid, drizzle on the cream. - Carefully add pieces of chocolate coated ginger and salted caramel almonds to the the cream and serve a few on the side too.
Gorgeous
Grazing
There is a lot of food preparation at this time of year. While Christmas dinner is a celebratory meal already marked on our calendar, there are usually a host of pre and post Christmas meals to cater for too. Instead of slaving away on the surrounding celebrations, make your life easier with a tasty and on-trend grazing board. A grazing board requires little (if any) actual cooking, but is the perfect way to satiate a large crowd.
So what can you use?
Sliced meats (leftover turkey works well here), a selection of cheeses and/or even cured or cubed pieces of fish or tofu can also be used. Arrange abundantly on a platter before adding fresh vegetable crudites, a selection of olives, small gherkins and dips such as guacamole, chutney and hummous. Sweeter elements such as grapes and dried fruits add a lovely flavour dimension too.
But don’t forget adding texture with plenty of crunch...
Our snack box selection packs will help you add bite and depth to your grazing boards. Try our rice and peanut cracker combination box or go spicy with our wasabi coated peanuts or Mexican snack mix. Looking for something simpler? Then our salt and pepper peanuts are sure to delight. So this season, try an elevated grazing platter, both you and your guests will thank you for it. Image: Valeria_aksakova at Freepik.com
Chocolate Orange Cake
Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes, plus extra for the tin 200g dark chocolate, broken up 3 large eggs 250g caster sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp orange extract Zest of one orange 75g plain flour, sieved 50g cocoa powder ½ tsp fine sea salt 130g of chocolate chips (can be milk, dark or white chocolate - or a mix) Rita Farhi Chocolate dipped orange slices for decorating. Nb: Any whisking is done by an electric whisk, although energetic bakers can use a hand whisk and plenty of muscle!
Method:
- Melt together the butter and broken chocolate in a bain marie. - Leave to slightly cool. - Mix together the sugar and eggs, this should be relatively thick and will take around 10 minutes. It will leave a trail
when it’s thick enough. - Pour in the lightly cooled chocolate mix, constantly mixing whilst doing so. - Sift in the flour and cocoa to the mixture and continue to mix. - Add the vanilla extra, sea salt, orange zest and orange extract and continue to mix until fully combined. - Stir in the chocolate chips - Pour mixture into a greased baking tin. - Bake on 180c or 160c fan in the middle of the oven for approximately 35minutes. - Check your cake is baked thoroughly by inserting a toothpick or a knife through the centre. If the knife/toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready, if not return to the oven and check every 5-10mins so as not to over cook. - Cool on a baking grid. - Once cooled completely, top with Rita Farhi chocolate dipped orange slices and lightly (optional) dust with icing sugar using a sieve. - Serve and enjoy.
A Perfect Pair: with Coffee
Omni-Grind Signature Blend Coffee (200g), £12, Harrods.com
gift boxes of dark chocolate coated nuts are the perfect finisher to a meal. And if you’re the one doing the entertaining, they’re a great centrepiece for the table as you bring out hot drinks. But which is the best nut to choose for your after-dinner munch? While we love all our dark chocolate encased nuts, a chocolate covered hazelnut, plus a freshly brewed coffee is a perfect flavour combination. Hazelnuts offer a great crisp bite and are not too creamy or sweet. They have a delicate flavour that already works brilliantly with chocolate and it is these tasting notes that make it the ultimate partner for a cup of coffee. Our dark chocolate covered hazelnuts come in a selection of gift jars and boxes, from a sweet and small stocking filler size to our signature gourmet jars, or ready to gift, bow tied boxes. Our dark chocolate covered hazelnuts are the post-dinner treat to be serving this season.
Bialetti Moka Express Hob Espresso Maker, 1 Cup, £20.00, John Lewis & Partners
Chocolate and coffee make for an irresistible combination. But how do you know what is the perfect sweet treat to team with a cup of freshly brewed coffee? When it comes to pairings, a fresh cup of coffee and some dark chocolate is a delightful combination. The dark chocolate complements the rich and nutty tasting notes that often feature in great coffee beans. Of course a cup of coffee is great at any time of day. Whether it’s that first hit of caffeine in the morning, or a mid-afternoon pickme-up, there is nothing quite like it. But as attention turns towards the festive season, we’re getting in the mood to entertain friends and family and enjoy long, drawn out dinners, catching up with the important people in our lives. Whether you’re entertaining or being entertained, don’t forget about that all important post-dinner coffee and sweet treat combination. If you’re heading to family or friends, a food gift is always well received and our ready to
Coffee Cup & Saucer, Purple, £55.00, Fortnum & Mason
A Perfect Pair: with Whiskey
The Macallan 18-year-old Highland single-malt Scotch whisky 700ml, £310.00, Selfridges
The season of excess is here and as the nights get longer we love the warming properties of a great whiskey in the evening. But if you’re dishing up pre-dinner whiskey to a crowd you need to give your snack pairing a little thought. So, what’s the best snack to serve? Well, that depends on the flavour profile of your whiskey. Nuts, crisps and crackers with added spice and flavourings can really complement your tipple. A snack mix with some salt and spice is a great way to kick start your offering and our Mexican Snack Mix and Assorted Rice and Peanut crackers offer the perfect salty balance to the smokiness of a whiskey. Want to recreate that bar snack feel? Try our salt and pepper peanuts as a great tasty morsel that you and your guests are guaranteed to enjoy grazing alongside your drinks.
GEORG JENSEN, Sky Icecubes , Set of 4, £39, Amara.
If you prefer your whiskey strong and peaty, then try balancing some of that flavour with a slightly sweeter nut. Our dark chocolate pistachios or cocoa dusted Belgian milk chocolate caramelised pecans with a hint of gianduja are truly dreamy and balance a peaty profile perfectly. For those with a love of sweeter whiskey, then make sure that your snack of choice pares back some of those more candied flavours. This allows you to enjoy the whiskey without being overpowered by sweetness. Try our dark chocolate covered Brazil nuts for a snack that is
less sugary on the palette. A good snack pairing allows both parties to truly shine. As the idea is for them to complement and enhance one another, not overpower. Heading to friends or family? Our ready to gift products are a great way of giving your host a treat that enhances the whole occasion.
How to be more sustainable this Christmas S
ustainability is the big buzzword at the minute. Whether it’s the Insulate Britain protestors making their presence known or world leaders making headlines from the recent COP26 gathering, eco efficiancy and sustainability is at the forefront of all of our minds. Here at Farhi we do not believe that sustainability is a buzzword or a fad but with such a spotlight on it currently, it’s easy for the message to get diluted or become a topic that brands pick up and drop as trends change. At Farhi we have one simple objective to, ‘do better everyday’. We are by no means perfect but everyday we strive to do a little bit more, to hold ourselves to account and to research more and subsequently action how we can improve our production process, our product lines and our packaging to work towards a more sustainable future that works long term. In future issues we will be taking an indepth look into packaging developments, the difference between compostable and recyclable and the other implications that come with changing established packaging productions. But, in this first issue we wanted to talk a little bit about how to have a more sustainable Christmas. At a time at high consumer spend, wrapping paper and an abundance of packaging, it’s easy for sustainability to go out the window. Here are our top 5 ways of improving your sustainability this Christmas, without compromising on festive cheer.
1
Buy better, buy less. Consumption is a big issue when it comes to sustainability and Christmas is easily a time when we are all guilty of over
purchasing. Opt for food items that can be enjoyed by friends and family and search out items with a long shelf life so that gifts can be enjoyed after the fairy lights have been switched off. Our products hold a 10 month shelf life, making them still utterly delicious after the festive season is over.
2
Reuse and re-love. Ever received a gift where the packaging is just as great as the product inside? When looking for gifts, think about purchasing items that can live beyond their original purpose. While our gourmet large jars and bow tied small jars are perfect for storing our delicious confectionery, once the treats are gone, don’t throw the jars away! Wash them out with some soapy water and use the storage containers to help tidy up your home. With screw top lids they’re great for storing dried goods or more confections and even work well for storing stationery. Our bonbonnières are also an incredibly stylish solution for a dressing table jewellery decanter or even for holding your keys on your console table by the front door.
3
Think about your wrapping paper. If you’re looking to wrap your gifts this season (make sure to check out our gift wrapping 10 step guide on page 17) then think about what you wrap your gifts with. Check that the wrapping you’re buying is recyclable or why not go a little retro and use brown paper and twine as the basis for your wrapping. When sealing your wrapping paper, use the minimum amount of tape or tape that can be peeled
off easily so that wrapping can be gently removed and reused, paying it forward to help the planet. Other wrapping ideas can include using old magazines and newspapers or even some fun fabric that again can be tied with twine and reused at a later date. Unwrapping presents is fun but it doesn’t need to cost the earth.
4
Make sure to check how to dispose of packaging properly. Somethings won’t be able to be recycled and in those instances try to reuse the packaging where you can. If something can be recycled make sure to dispose of it in the appropriate way to minimise landfill. It’s a little bit of extra effort but it goes a long way. Our new snack box range (that is perfect for stocking fillers) is compostable, why not start composting, a great way to enrich your garden and reduce waste too, you can even add left over brussel sprouts too it.
5
Give gifts that help the world. But why not try and go beyond the tangible and give a gift that pays it forward. Plant a tree for a friend, support an animal on someone’s behalf or gift a charity donation. There are lots of ways to be thoughtful this season that can ensure the wider world and community benefits too. From all of us here at Farhi HQ, have a wonderful break and enjoy yourselves, however you’re spending it.
In focus: Dates D
ates are thought to be the oldest cultivated fruit in the world. Medjool dates come from the Middle Eastern and North African regions. This exotic fruit is loved for their fleshy and slightly tougher skins that encase juicy, almost syrupy innards. Dates grow on big date palms, in clusters, almost like grapes and need glorious sunshine and heat to grow into irresistibly plump dates, ready for devouring or turning into jars of date syrup that spreads beautifully on toast and is perfect for marinating meats and chicken with. We introduced our stuffed mejdool dates in 2019 and they have developed many loyal fans, becoming one of Farhi’s best sellers. Served in one of our signature selection boxes, this really is a tasty treat that has something for everyone. High quality, plump, Middle Eastern dates are sliced open and filled with a combination of roasted nuts and delicious, candied fruits for a truly delightful sweet treat. Those dates that we don’t fill, are dipped into dark, milk or white chocolate for a truly decadent treat that will light up any table. Sealed with a bow, this multi selection box of juicy dates makes for a wonderful and thoughtful gift and will look simply glorious as a table centrepiece at anytime of day. from first sight until the last bite. Fillings include Spanish candied, zesty orange peels, creamy marzipan, crisp Persian walnuts, delicate pistachios, crunchy
cashew nuts and sun-ripened Californian almonds, served alongside dates dipped in rich Belgian dark, milk or white chocolate. This selection box is one that will enchant every guest and the brightness of the pistachios and candied orange peel really help to make this box of delicacies stand out from the crowd. The dates collection has been so popular that we also introduced our vegan friendly version, that skips the milk chocolate options and serves dates dipped in high quality Belgian chocolate for a velvety taste and rich flavour, alongside vegan friendly dates, filled with fruits and nuts.
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Sweet talk
Valentine’s Special
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