Food & Drink News

There are so many food and drink things happening at the moment that we can’t help but be excited at #TeamCoco HQ, from new product launches including, Caorunn Raspberry Gin and Lily O’Brien’s Crispy Butterscotch Share Bag, to special occasion drinks like that by Chivas Whisky in association with Manchester United, and Tick Toc’s wonderful wellbeing tea.

We’ve got cakes and recipes by Dr. Oetker and the most magnificent Leander Pink NV Brut by Digby Fine English, proving that wines from England are going stratospheric, and not forgetting an outstanding beef wellington by Donald Russell who are suppliers of meat and poultry by Appointment To Her Majesty the Queen.

Food

Lily O’Brien’s Crispy Butterscotch Share Bag

Luxury Irish chocolate brand, Lily O’Brien’s, is delighted to introduce a brand-new flavour to the Share Bag collection, Crispy Butterscotch. Oh-so-moreish, the Crispy Butterscotch flavour combines Lily O’Brien’s famous Milk Chocolate with crunchy butterscotch pieces, to deliver an outstanding and indulgent taste experience.

The Crispy Butterscotch Share Bags celebrate the delicious dilemma for chocolate lovers, to share or not to share – they’re calling them Share Bags, but it’s more of a suggestion than anything! Handcrafted to perfection, the Crispy Butterscotch Share Bags offer chocolate lovers a mouth-watering taste experience, made with the finest quality ingredients; it makes them almost impossible to share.

Priced at £2.50 (110g), available from www.lilyobriens.com

Dr. Oetker

71% of Brits believe that they’re never too old for birthday cake and so the nations favourite baking brand, Dr. Oetker has developed a collection of deliciously decadent recipes to help recreate a masterpiece at home.
Dr. Oetker has also released a brand new collection of ultimate sprinkles, cake decorating kits, chocolate footballs, chocolate hearts, giant chocolate stars, chocolate letters and numbers, wafer decorations, heart marshmallows and so much more.

Recipe at the bottom of page……..

Visit www.oetker.co.uk

Donald Russell Beef Wellington

Donald Russell supplies meat and poultry to the Queen, and the Beef wellington they make is melt-in-the-mouth divine. Customers have the option of buying and having shipped to their home address the ready made Donald Russell Beef Wellington, which is handmade by their expert butchers and they use their own grass-fed British beef fillet steak in every Wellington, or you can purchase a tender fillet steak, hand cut into slim rounds and make your own Beef Wellington.

Recipe at the bottom of page………

Visit www.donaldrussell.com

Drink

Caorunn Raspberry Gin

Caorunn, the Scottish gin makers who are celebrating their 10-year anniversary this year have introduced a new gin to their collection; Scottish Raspberry Gin.

Just like the Caorunn you know and love Caorunn Scottish Raspberry is expertly handcrafted at Balmenach Distillery in the Scottish Highlands, in small batches of 1,000 litres at a time. Utilising Scotland’s unique natural resources, each drop of this delicious new gin is infused to perfection in a copper berry chamber. The result is a combination of invigorating dry, crisp Caorunn infused with delicate raspberry flavour, producing a crystal-clear natural gin.

Priced at £21 (50cl), available from independent and specialist retailers, and soon to be available from The Whisky Exchange and Amazon.

Tick Tock Wellbeing Tea

One of Britain’s most loved independent tea brands, Tick Tock, has launched three new wellbeing teas – BOUNCE, BALANCE, and BEDTIME. These naturally caffeine free infusions combine the benefits of the most delicious natural herbs and spices with antioxidant-rich rooibos to help tea lovers everywhere be well, feel good and keep smiling.

Whether you need a little boost, a little balance in your day, or a little help winding down, Tick Tock’s herbal blends offer something for everyone – morning, noon and night.
BOUNCE is a vibrant and refreshing blend, incorporating lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon and fresh green rooibos. BALANCE is perfect for helping your body and mind retain their natural poise, combining fennel, turmeric and antioxidant-rich rooibos. BEDTIME makes for a dreamy bedside companion, as it boasts camomile, lemon balm, lavender flowers and rooibos.

Priced at £2.05 for 20 bags, available from www.ticktocktea.com

Digby Fine English Leander Pink NV Brut

Digby Fine English is exported globally and is truly leading the charge in transforming English fizz into an internationally desirable category. Digby achieves racy yet sophisticated house style through the refined art of blending, using grapes grown by its meticulously groomed partner vineyards in the chalky soil of Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset. They have also recently opened up a Tasting Room in the heart of Arundel, West Sussex. Located steps away from the historic and beautiful Arundel Castle and a few minutes from where the wine is made, the new brand home is set to host, educate and entertain customers from around the world.

The brand has also won an extensive array of trophies and accolades for its range, with its flagship wine 2010 Vintage Brut winning Gold at the UK Wine Awards along with the ‘Most Outstanding Classic Style’ trophy, Leander Pink NV Brut just won Gold / 95 Points at the International Wine Challenge and Non Vintage Brut won Platinum / 97 Points in Decanter World Wine Awards.

Priced at £32.99, available from Marks & Spencer and Waitrose

Chivas Whisky Ultis 1999 Victory Edition

Chivas has unveiled a new luxury Scotch whisky, Chivas Ultis 1999 Victory Edition, to mark the 20th anniversary of Manchester United’s memorable treble-winning season. To celebrate the launch, the Official Spirits Partner of Manchester United gifted the first bottles to deserving backroom staff, recognising the exceptional blend of people who contributed to the most successful season in the Club’s history.

Chivas Ultis 1999 Victory Edition is the first whisky Chivas has created for the Club that will be available for fans to purchase. The precious 20-year old blended Scotch whisky unites three hand-selected single malts distilled in 1999, each representing one of Manchester United’s cup victories during the famous Treble season.

Amongst the staff celebrated was Albert Morgan, Manchester United’s official kit man during the 1999 season, who has been at the Club since 1996. Morgan played an integral role in the Manchester United dressing room in ‘99, not only ensuring each player was properly prepared for the match ahead, but also acting as a confidant, helping to motivate the team and celebrate their successes.

Priced at $260 (70cl), currently only available from airport duty free. On general release from October 2019.

Recipes

Funfetti Sprinkle Cake recipe by Dr. Oetker

Ingredients for the cake:
400g unsalted butter (softened), 500g caster sugar, 6 large eggs, 200ml whole milk, 10d Dr. Oetker Madagascan vanilla paste, 500g self-raising flour, 5g Dr. Oetker baking powder, 800g Dr.Oetker vanilla buttercream style icing, 100g Dr. Oetker unicorn confetti sprinkles.

Ingredients for the marshmallow fluff:
100g pink mini marshmallows, 30g golden syrup, 30g unsalted butter, Dr. Oetker pink extra strong food colour gel.

Method:
Preheat oven to 180/gas mark4, grease and line 3x8inch round cake tins, place softened butter and sugar into bowl and beat with electric mixer until light in colour and fluffy in texture, in a jug beat eggs together with vanilla paste and milk, then add to butter and sugar with flour and baking powder, mix until well combined. Divide cake between 3 tins, place in oven and bake for 30-35 mins until cooked.

Once cakes are cool take first layer and place on cake board/plate. Using 400g of buttercream spread onto layer of cake, then add second layer spread buttercream, then add top layer. Use remaining butter cream around top and side of all cake. Take the final 400g buttercream, reserve 100g in piping bag, put remaining 300g in bowl and stir in 2/3 of unicorn confetti sprinkles to create the funfetti cream – cover cake all over.

To make marshmallow fluff, put marshmallows, butter and golden syrup in heatproof bowl and place over pan of simmering water to melt. Stir marshmallow mix until combined to form smooth paste, add 2 drops pink food colour gel and stir. Place fluff into piping bag, pipe around top edge of cake – in order to drip down side of cake. Once drips are around the cake fill in the top of the cake with all remaining fluff. Finish with piped buttercream kisses and sprinkle with remaining unicorn confetti.

Beef Wellington recipe created by Donald Russell Executive Chef Luke Matthews

Ingredients
2 x Donald Russell centre cut fillet steaks, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1x tbsp vegetable oil, 30g butter, 1 x banana shallot (finely chopped), 2 x garlic cloves (one finely grated/one chopped), 2 ½ x large flat mushrooms (peeled and put through food processor), 4 x sprigs thyme (2 for sealing the steak), 50ml Madeira wine, 1 x splash white truffle oil, 6 x slices Parma ham, 1 x large sheet puff pastry, 1tsp Dijon mustard, beaten egg for egg wash

Method
Preheat oven to 195°C. Heat oil in a frying pan. Season beef, brown fillet on all sides quickly with two sprigs of thyme, add chopped garlic and knob of butter. Remove fillet, thyme and garlic from pan and reserve on a plate in the fridge. Using same pan add shallots and sauté in butter till soft, add mushrooms with remaining thyme, then Madeira and reduce until evaporated and the mushrooms are cooked and dry. Add grated garlic and cook for a further minute. Add truffle oil, season with salt and pepper and reserve in fridge.

Once the steak and mushroom mixture has cooled, dry the steak of any resting juices. Brush steak with mustard. Lay out two sheets of clingfilm on top of each other and lay Parma ham over this. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the top of the beef, then place steak in the centre of the ham. Wrap ham around the steak, wrap with cling film to form a nice shape and return to the fridge.

Cut out three sheets of puff pastry, remove clingfilm from beef and place beef into the centre of pastry. Brush with egg wash. Place other pastry sheet on top, press down lightly and egg wash. Use a lattice cutter to score the remaining sheet of pastry, spread apart and lay over the Wellington. Using a reversed pastry cutter, press down to seal the all the pastry together. Place in fridge, allow to set, remove and reshape beef making sure there is no gathering of pastry.

Glaze pastry with egg wash and bake at 195°C for 22 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The steak will have cooked to medium rare. Leave to rest for two minutes before carving. Serve with red wine sauce.

Enjoy!

Author

A veteran in global travel, Rachel also loves to explore hidden gems on home turf. She’s a writing connoisseur of Britain’s best hotels, luxury beauty products, and UK food and drink launches.

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