Thank you, Ma'am
Today I am putting down my pallet knives and scrapers to pay respect to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign.
(This does mean that my usual Monday evening Cocoa Bakery stock upload will be delayed until Tuesday, 7pm.)
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8th September 2022, I couldn't believe the loss I felt. I, like many across the nation, felt like I'd lost a 3rd Grandmother.
Her Majesty has been the inspiration behind a number of my chocolates over the years, including our lemon drizzle chocolates which I first made in celebration of Her birthday. I had heard through the grapevine that Her Majesty was quite partial to a slice of lemon drizzle cake, so of course I had to recreate this delicious zingy slice in a chocolate!
On another occasion I have designed a box of chocolates around the quintessentially British Afternoon Tea. The chocolate box, pictured above, featured Toasted Scone Praline, Chocaron (featuring micro-macarons), Floral Tea, Lemon Meringue Pie (currently available in our Chocolate Menu), Mille-feuille & English Sparkling Wine (which I always source from our dear friends at Cru Wines in Bradford on Avon).
In fact, the idea of an Afternoon Tea dates back to the 1840's where the lady in waiting to Queen Victoria, Anna Maria Stanhope, who was the 7th Duchess of Bedford, would get too hungry to wait for their scheduled late-evening dinner and therefore requested a small plate of bread with butter and delicacies, like biscuits and cakes, to be brought up to her dressing room. Anna began inviting her friends to share in this meal with her. Queen Victoria learned of this and fell in love with the idea. By the late 1840’s Queen Victoria was hosting Afternoon Tea daily. A royal tradition that has upheld.
My most recent chocolate collection inspired by Her Majesty was in honour of Her Platinum Jubilee. The collection included Eton Mess, Tea & Biscuits, Lemon Drizzle, Kir Royale, Chocolate Fudge and a collection of gold-dusted Truffles.
