Back at the Theatre of Food – and Ready to Talk Chocolate (and Brownies!)

I was chuffed to bits to be invited back to the Theatre of Food at this year’s Latitude Festival – always a brilliant crowd and a cracking excuse to dive into something delicious. This year’s conundrum? One close to my cocoa-loving heart:  

"Is 'expensive' chocolate really worth the money?"

But before we unravel that tasty question, let’s take a detour down memory lane… to the gooey, glorious world of chocolate brownies – those irresistible bites of joy that never go out of fashion.

The Soul of a Brownie: Where Texture Meets Temptation

Let’s paint a picture: a rich square of baked chocolate goodness – sometimes cakey, sometimes fudgy, but always utterly moreish. That’s the brownie – a true crowd-pleaser if ever there was one.

From crunchy walnuts to cheeky chocolate chunks, cream cheese swirls to a splash of booze, there’s no end to what you can sneak into a brownie. But at its heart, it’s still about chocolate, butter, sugar, and flour dancing in harmony.

Brownie Origins – A Delicious Accident?

Like many brilliant things in life, the brownie may have started with a kitchen mishap. Legend says an American baker forgot the baking powder in a chocolate cake and – lo and behold – the brownie was born.

Back in 1896, the culinary trailblazer Fanny Farmer published a cookie recipe adapted for a shallow rectangular tin. It wasn’t chocolatey (more of a blondie, really), but it paved the way for the real deal.

Then, in 1897, a recipe appeared in the Sears, Roebuck catalogue – a chocolate brownie, proper and proud. Dark, dense, and oh-so inviting.

Brownie Craft: Fudgy or Cakey? You Decide.

Here’s where the alchemy happens – the subtle tweaking of ingredients that transforms your traybake from chewy-fudgy heaven to light-as-air sponge.

For a fudgy finish:

Chocolate: The more cocoa butter, the gooier the result.

Butter & sugar: Melt ‘em together – no whisking. This keeps the texture dense and silky.

Flour: Less is more. Just enough to bind, but not so much that you end up with cake.

Fancy a cakey version?

Chocolate: Go easy. You want a gentle flavour, not a knockout.

Butter & sugar: Cream them like you're making a Victoria sponge – lots of air, lots of lift.

Flour: A bit more here, with a light touch. Think structure, not stodginess.

Cheap vs. Expensive Chocolate – What’s Really Going On?

Now then, the big question. Is posh chocolate worth the extra pennies? Let’s have a closer look.

Cheaper chocolate 

- Often bulk-made with a cocktail of beans from different origins.  

- Might use less cocoa and more fillers like modified vegetable fat or extra sugar.  

- Flavour? Sweet, waxy, and a bit one-note. Gets the job done, but won’t change your life.

High-end chocolate

- Usually bean-to-bar and single-origin, crafted with care and a story behind every bar.  

- Think Marou from Vietnam, Pump Street in Suffolk, Duffy Red Star in Lincolnshire, or Sheffield’s own Bullion chocolate. These aren’t just chocolate makers and chocolatiers – they’re cocoa custodians.  

- Transparent sourcing, fair pay for farmers, and real flavour profiles: citrusy, nutty, smoky, spicy – depending on the terroir.

You’re not just buying chocolate. You’re buying passion, provenance, and a piece of the journey from bean to bar.

Taste Is Only Half the Tale

So, is expensive chocolate worth it? Well – yes, if you care about the craft. If you're happy with a quick sugar fix, no shame in that. But if you want to taste the rainforest, the sunshine, the farmer’s pride, the maker’s skills – then that extra quid or two buys you something truly magical.

Final Thought from the Brownie Tin

Next time you sink your teeth into a brownie – whether you’re team fudgy or team cakey – think about what chocolate’s doing behind the scenes. Is it just flavour? Or is it telling a story?

And if you fancy trying your own chocolate destiny, start with a good bar. Something that speaks to you. Something that matters.

After all, life’s too short for boring brownies.