… every couple of months I write a ‘Food Heroes’ article for Lincolnshire Life Magazine… this month it’s all about Duffy Sheardown and his incredible chocolate… there’s also a naughty Hot Cross Bun recipe for you too!
Imagine a magical place where the heady aroma of dark chocolate permeates the air, where roasted cocoa beans and the bittersweet scent of the hot melted cocoa butter fills your senses. Welcome to Cleethorpes!
Yes, you did read correctly, for this unsuspecting North Lincolnshire coastal town is the home of Duffy’s Red Star Chocolate. Founded in 2007 by motor-racing manager Duffy Sheardown, this artisan producer is now heralded as one of the best chocolate producers in the UK winning multiple awards for his incredible chocolate. Set in a rather plain warehouse, on an un-presuming industrial estate just off the A16 not far from Grimsby, it’s not exactly what you’d imagine to be as the home of such wonderful delights but it’s here that the magic really does happen.
It was whilst listening to The Food Program on BBC Radio 4, where it mentioned that Cadbury’s was currently the only chocolate manufacturer in the UK who makes chocolate direct from the bean, rather than buying it in paste form – which most chocolatiers do, that inspired Duffy Sheardown to pack his bags and take a trip to Guatemala to find out just how hard it could be. It was a challenge that this Scunthorpe born chocolatier told his wife would make him produce the finest chocolate in the world. Duffy says ‘she didn’t scoff out loud but I knew she thought I was dreaming,’ and it’s testament to them both that his chocolate is indeed now in high demand on an international level.
To say that Duffy is a perfectionist is an understatement. If you liken chocolate making to wine making and think of the delicate intricacies we all know that go into that process, along with the finesse and complexity of the finished product, then you are some way into imagining what its like to produce fine chocolate. And Duffy’s is a true artisan manufacturer. This is industry on the smallest of scales, with just himself and sometimes one or two others to help turn out 300 chocolate bars a week.
Finding a willing supplier is not cheap and has not always been easy. Duffy has had to travel far and wide throughout South America to find cocoa bean farmers who can provide the small quantity of beans he requires. To keep quality at a premium he uses beans from a single crop to go into a single batch of bars and sourcing this can sometimes prove tricky. He has even purchased an entire crop from one small island to create his chocolate. Over time he has built up a list of trusted fair-trade suppliers. He has even been instrumental in the setting up of Direct Cacao a new organisation launched to help those people working in the chocolate industry support the growers supplying the cacao. It’s this dedication to quality that can be tasted in the finished product.
Because of the purity of the finished product the process itself is actually quite simple, from the delivery of the finest beans, which then get roasted and grounded. The shells are then removed and the remaining ‘nibs’ are then ground again for 12 hours at which point they turn into a liquid cocoa ready for the finely ground sugar to be added. This process is called conching and takes a full 48 hours. The cocoa is then poured into the tempering machine, which heats the chocolate to a secret temperature before being poured into the moulds, which are then cooled. It’s this final step that is most tricky and should produce the perfect ‘snap’ that a high quality chocolate should have.
Duffy now produces a range of 12 chocolate bars from the deeply rich Corazon Del Ecuador 83% Dark to the roasted earthiness of the Cocoa Nibs and Ground Coffee and my absolute favourite Cocoa Nibs and Oak Smoked Salt Corazon Del Ecuador 43% Milk Chocolate with its subtle salty taste setting cocoa flavoured fireworks off on my taste buds! All available from a variety of on-line and high-street retailers across the UK from Royston’s Deli in Louth to Fortnum and Masons in London.
Sometimes, when I mention to people that I write about food, many say that I must love my job because I get to meet so many wonderfully
passionate producers and visit some incredible places, getting to try all sorts of culinary delights and I have to say that my visit to Duffy’s chocolate factory, learning about the manufacturing process and of course sampling the divine chocolate was a privilege.
passionate producers and visit some incredible places, getting to try all sorts of culinary delights and I have to say that my visit to Duffy’s chocolate factory, learning about the manufacturing process and of course sampling the divine chocolate was a privilege.
Remembering a job I had as a teenager working in a chocolate shop with chocolates of an obvious far lesser quality, where I would go home at the end of the day hating the stuff, I asked Sue, the lovely lady responsible for pouring the chocolate in the moulds, if she ever tired of being surrounded by chocolate and her response was an immediate and resounding ‘no!’ and I can understand why!
More information about Duffy’s chocolate including a detailed list of stockists and an on-line shop can be found at www.redstarchocolate.co.uk
Is there anything more satisfying than butter melting on a warmly toasted Hot Cross Bun as the scent of mixed spice and caramelised candied peel wafts through the kitchen?
To celebrate Easter in style I’ve added some chunks of Duffy’s wonderful Corazon Del Ecuador 83% Dark Chocolate to these traditional sticky buns. I’ve used the milk version The subtle citrus flavours within the chocolate work perfectly with the spices and peel that are mixed into the dough, and to keep with the South American theme I’ve used a wonderful Mexican Orange Blossom Honey as a glaze. Divine!
For the buns:
625g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
2tsp ground mixed spice
45g unsalted butter
85g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
11/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
1 large egg
10fl oz tepid milk
4oz dried fruit
4oz chocolate – roughly chopped
For the cross:
2tbsp plain flour
2tbsp water
a little extra chocolate (if doing chocolate crosses)
For the glaze
1 tbsp honey – gently heated
– mix the flour, salt and mixed spice in a large bowl, rub the butter in, then add the sugar, lemon zest and yeast.
– beat the egg, add it to the tepid milk (microwave) and then add this to the flour mixture, bring it all together to form a soft, pliable dough
– turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly, sprinkling the mixed fruit in to the dough in batches, work for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
– place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and put it somewhere warm for one hour to prove
– after an hour, knock back the dough, knead for a minute or two and then back into the bowl and warm place for a further 30 minutes.
– once it’s doubled in size, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide into 12, roll into balls, flatten slightly into a bun shape and place these on a lined baking tray
– get a large plastic bag and place the buns and tray into the bag, tie the end so no air can get in and leave them to rise once more for a further 40 minutes.
– pre-heat the oven to 240c
– now make the topping by combining the water and flour until you have a thick paste (if you’re going for chocolate crosses, add the melted chocolate to the paste but don’t pipe on until after the buns are out of the oven)
– once the buns are ready, pour the topping into a piping bag and pie crosses onto each bun and then bake for 8-12 minutes until dark golden.
– the moment they are out of the oven, brush them with the honey which you have heated gently in the microwave.
eat and of course, enjoy!
As if hot cross buns weren't delicious and then to add chocolate!!! I'm making mine tomorrow…I've never tried them before so fingers crossed 🙂
Duffy's chocolate sounds amazing too!
That's really interesting. I think I'll definitely have to make some chocolate hot cross buns.
mmm I can smell the chocolate – great article too
LoL Mummyx
A chocolate production workshop must be an amazing place to visit!
I've come online to look for hot cross bun recipes – the idea of adding chocolate is very tempting!
You should enter these into Teat Time Treats – the theme this month is Easter.
I have photos of me riding a horse at Cleethorpes as a child, which is a photo probably in everyones album. As for the chocolate we can celebrate an award winner as well as a winning combination in hot cross buns.
I snorted into my cuppa when I read Welcome to Cleethorpes. Only surpassed by Skegness!
This looks absolutely divine. Lovely and buttery. Mnnnm!
Great post, that chocolate sounds unbelievable!
Oh I have been waiting for the hot cross bun posts to get going but adding chocolate is just going far too far – how am I going to resist them now! A must for Easter.
Good God. That looks amazing. Nice evolution of the already cracking HCB.
I loved this post, Dom! I love hearing about people who have followed a foodie passion and made something phenomenal and 'one-of-a-kind' through their persistences and love of food craft … and those hot cross buns look the bomb, too!
They look delicious, love the picture of the stacked chocolate bars.
Really interesting article Dom, and those HCBs look fab. Just what I could do with while I wait for dinner to cook!
Fantastic review Dom! Just one tiny little problem…I now must have some of that delicious sounding Cocoa Nibs and Oak Smoked Salt Corazon Del Ecuador. But can I find it anywhere-no! Not even on their own website…I will just have to console myself and make some of your wonderful looking hot cross buns…
Those buns sound just perfect. I've never been to Cleethorpes and I'm feeling as if I've missed out now. Have a great Easter.
Fantastic post, Dom! Love the review. And the buns… yea.. naughty for sure!!
Taking the Hot Cross Bun to a new dimension… sounds wonderful. Dom, are you very fat? If not, why not??? I would only have to LOOK at those buns to put on an extra stone! 🙂
Chocolate Hot Cross Buns!!! Oh gosh! Yummmmmm!
The chocolate sounds excellent and your chocolate buns also sound nice. Have a great Easter XXX
I am so pleased that Lincolnshire produces so many amazing artisans, and now chocolatiers too. I am sure that Kate would love these beauteous buns to be added to TTT! Your buns look ace, as always Dom!
Thanks honey. I kind of figured that loads of people would do HCB for TTT and I wanted this article to stand alone as it were. I have something far better for you coming next week!!
Ok, where was I when chocolate & hot crossed buns happened?! I love this idea although I've never had the buns this way. And now I'm craving these so badly. Very interesting story about Duffy & his chocolate – I never really knew what went into chocolate making & I learned a lot while gaining appreciation for what Duffy has achieved…
Your articles are always so interesting. I would love to pluck out a couple of those chocolate bars and make something yummy. Speaking of yummy, the hot crossed buns look delicious
I'm about to make my hot cross buns and I may have to chuck some chocolate chips in them now! Great idea!
So wish I had seen your post earlier. We didn't have any hot cross buns this year and these little babies (along with the fantastic ones Janice made) would have been ideal for our Easter weekend. They look and sound divine!