Christmas with friends

Up first is a deluxe hot choc, from the team at Chilly White, who bring endless creativity to our Classic No. 33 vending trike, serving up winter warmers, summer ice creams, and just about everything in between. Do check them out!

Luxury Homemade Hot Chocolate: A Chilly White Favourite (Serves 1)

When it comes to winter warmers, nothing beats a cup of homemade luxury hot chocolate. It’s nostalgic, cosy, and effortlessly indulgent - the exact kind of comforting treat you’d expect from a Chilly White Hot Chocolate Tricycle rolling into your event.

This recipe is simple, elegant, and made with beautiful ingredients. It’s the kind of hot chocolate that makes you pause, smile, and wrap your hands around the mug while the world slows down for a moment. Perfect for your kitchen at home or as inspiration for your next event menu.

Ingredients

• 250ml organic whole milk
• 40g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon organic cocoa powder (optional, for extra richness)
• A tiny pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whipped cream
• Mini marshmallows
• Optional: 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar if you prefer a sweeter cup

Method

1. Warm the Milk - pour the organic whole milk into a small saucepan. Heat gently over low to medium heat until it begins to steam. Avoid boiling - slow and steady keeps it smooth and creamy.
2. Add Cocoa Powder - whisk in the cocoa powder to create a rich base. This helps the chocolate melt evenly later and adds depth to the flavour.
3. Melt the Dark Chocolate - add the finely chopped 70% dark chocolate to the warm milk. Whisk continuously as it melts, turning the mixture glossy and velvety. This is where the magic happens.
4. Add Vanilla and Salt - stir in the vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of sea salt. The salt enhances the chocolate flavour, while the vanilla adds warmth and roundness.
5. Whisk Until Silky - once everything is fully combined, whisk for 15–20 seconds to give the hot chocolate a light, luxurious texture.
6. Pour and Top - pour into your favourite mug. Add a generous swirl of whipped cream and a handful of mini marshmallows. Let them melt slightly for that nostalgic, melts-in-the-mouth moment.

Chilly White Serving Suggestions

• Warm your mug before pouring to keep every sip perfectly cosy.
• Add grated dark chocolate on top for a gourmet touch.
• For a signature twist, infuse the milk with a cinnamon stick, a hint of peppermint, or a drop of orange extract.
• For events, pair this hot chocolate with handmade cookies or winter-themed toppings for a Chilly White level treat.

Up next, a gorgeous Christmas bake from our friends at Honeybuns – an artisan bakery started by Emma Goss-Custard when she baked goodies in Oxford and delivered them on her old Pashley Post Office bicycle. Now based in Dorset, they specialise in wrapped slices and traybakes, and all their cakes are gluten free with half the range also vegan and/or dairy free. Customer delight is their overarching aim, do head to their website to learn more!

A super easy festive bake filled to bursting with fruit, spice and all things nice

With twinkly lights, cottages adorned with wreaths and late night shoppers wrapped in bobble hats and scarves, the festive season here in Dorset is so pretty. One of my favourites “I spys” is spotting Christmas trees tied onto roof racks and dogs in their jolly jumpers.

As the sleeps ‘til Christmas dwindle so the to do list lengthens. Cards, wrapping paper, food shops plus meet ups with friends can lead to FOFF aka feelings of festive frazzlement. For a welcome touch of zen I recommend a spot of baking to slow things down and escape the Madding Crowd for a couple of hours.

Your home will also be filled with the delicious scent of spices and sweetness- far better than any shop bought candle in my opinion. You’ll also be suffused with feelings of calm (and maybe just a little touch of smugness) as you fill the cake tin up in readiness for visitors dropping by. This cake also freezes beautifully so you can get ahead of yourself by baking a couple of them to freeze ready for the holidays.

This recipe is designed to be quick, easy and adaptable. See our “Top Tips and Swaps” section for ideas on alternative ingredients which we’ve kept as simple as possible. This cake is already gluten free but we also show you how to make it dairy free too.

There is no requirement for fancy equipment, all you will need is:

• A mixing bowl
• Electric mixer or hand held mixer or a wooden spoon
• Traybake tin measuring approx. 30cm x 23cm x 4cm (think A4 piece of paper in terms of size)
• An hour is all you need including baking time.
• This traybake serves 12-16 and makes a cracking pudding if warmed through.

Cake ingredients:

• 280g melted butter or dairy free oil
• 5 free range eggs, beaten
• 170g ground almond
• 100g sorghum flour
• 280g granulated or light Muscovado sugar
• 80g pecans, toasted
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 60ml Maple syrup - for the Topping

How to make this cake: 

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Cut a rectangle of baking parchment to line the bottom of your traybake tin. Brush the tin liberally with melted butter or dairy free oil.
2. Pop all of the cake ingredients in your mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer or by wooden spoon until creamy and well combined.
3. Pour your cake batter into your lined tin and place in the oven for 22-25 minutes, until the surface springs back when pressed with your fingertips. Leave in the tin whilst you prick the cake all over with a cake skewer or fork. Whilst the cake us still warm pour the maple syrup over top.
4. Then turn out on to a cooling rack.

Top tips:

1. This is a lovely cake to enjoy with a quiet cuppa and also makes an easy pudding. Just warm through for 1.5 in the microwave or 5-6 mins in a pre heated oven and serve with custard or ice cream.
2. It freezes really well too -  very handy for wheeling out when those spontaneous visitors drop by. It will take 2-3 hours to defrost at room temperature.
3. Sorghum flour is now available from Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s and made from a grass seed commonly grown in Africa, Asia and the US. You can freeze all flours which can be helpful if you are worried about half empty packets languishing in the back of the cupboard and going out of date. This includes ground and whole nuts.
4. A ready-made gluten free flour can be used instead of the sorghum and ground almonds if you prefer.
5. If you don’t have pecans or don’t like them how about your favourite dried fruits chopped up with added chocolate buttons?
6. If you’re not so fond of spices- then orange zest and vanilla still taste Christmassy. The basic sponge cake base of sugar, butter or oil, flour and egg is the canvas to which you can add anything you fancy from your kitchen cupboard.

For extra Oooh La La a simple butter frosting can be made and added once your cake is completely cooled. A pinch of sea salt also adds a lovely sweet and salty dimension.

Indulge and enjoy!