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Now that hot cross buns are effectively available on Boxing Day, there is only one thing that properly signifies the coming of Easter – the arrival of the Cadbury Creme Egg. I’m no chocolatier but, to me, there is nothing more pleasing than biting the end off one and sucking out all the creamy fondant centre. And I’m not alone. At the Bournville factory in Birmingham where they are produced they are manufactured at the rate of 1.5 million a day. For $2 a fix, it’s the perfect amount of indulgence and restraint. Which makes me feel terrible when I pop into the Jasper & Myrtle factory in Fyshwick to talk to Li Peng Monroe and Peter Channells. The pair have been making artisan chocolates since 2016, the owners of one of the few bean-to-bar chocolate companies in Australia. Monroe talks about the origins of Jasper & Myrtle, how it started in the backyard of their Garran home with some second-hand equipment, fast forwarding today where they are winning international awards for their chocolate range. “This started as a hobby, something caught my eye when we were on holidays in Western Australia, and I thought, ‘If I’m going to make chocolate I want to do it properly’,” she said. “About 80 per cent of people who sell chocolate, don’t make the chocolate. We source the beans, roast them, grind them. It’s unusual in our game … maybe we are a little crazy but we wouldn’t do it any other way.” She walks us through the factory, explaining how the beans are turned into the exquisite products available, each process time-consuming and purposeful – roasting, winnowing, grinding. They mainly source their beans from the Autonomous Region of Bouganville; they know the names of the farmers who grow them and are in constant contact with them. They can trace some bars back to the actual farm they originated from. “You can think of us as flavour chasers,” Monroe says. “We chase the flavour in the beans, they have a distinct flavour … cocoa is even more complex than coffee.” Speaking of flavour, and the whole point of this chocolate quest I have embarked on, have generations of Australians had their chocolate tastebuds ruined because we grew up on some pretty average chocolate? “We would never criticise what went before,” says Channells. “We all grew up with the same chocolate but until you’ve tasted other chocolate you don’t know what chocolate can actually do.” I admit my penchant for Creme Eggs, Monroe reveals she liked a Snickers, Channells a family block of rum and raisin. There is no shame here. We’re among chocolate-loving friends. So what could we find on the chocolate front here in Canberra? Whether you’re looking for something bespoke for that special person, or just need five dozen to hide for the neighbourhood kids, there’s something here for everyone. The Canberra Times’ trusted taste testing team loosened our belts and sampled some of the best things Canberra has to offer this Easter, from chocolate to beer, buns and feasts to order in. We know we’ve only touched the surface but we came across several local companies making something special. Alongside Jasper & Myrtle, there’s Robyn Rowe Chocolates based out in Murrumbateman and Bruno’s Truffles in Mawson. At Enigma Fine Chocolates in Braddon, Stuart Strutt-Shotton was putting the finishing touches on his Easter range. We can highly recommend the honeycomb egg, a half shell full of large chunks of housemade honeycomb, set off by a delicate moulded chocolate hive. Or if the nights stay cool, grab a hot choc bunny bomb filled with mini marshmallows which melts when immersed in warm milk. We also discovered Sweet Pea and Poppy’s range of artisan bars, with flavours such as pomegranate wildflower, Davidson plum and Persian summer. They also do a range of eggs and bunnies, and hampers for Easter. But our favourite local discovery is our cover boy, a quirky sprinkles coated bunny from Koko Artisan. Based in Fyshwick, Koko Artisan puts the art into chocolate, check out their painted eggs. And make sure the freckle bunny finds a home. Koko Black and Haighs, which both have stores in the Canberra Centre, are well worth a visit. I gathered my bunnies here in the office to try out some treats and they were firm favourites. Seven out of 10 journalists would recommend Koko Black’s carton of mini praline eggs, a nutty hazelnut praline mixed with morish chocolate, wrapped in a crisp speckled shell. Presentation was cute. They went quick. The Inbetween Egg, vegan friendly, quinoa and goji berries in 80 per cent dark chocolate, also took a few people by surprise, the quinoa give it a crunchy texture, kind of like an exceptional chocolate crackle, only better for you. The other recommendation are the two flavours of “bites”, little jars of carrot cake or hot cross bun bites, the hot cross in particular made us happy with all their doughy deliciousness. Honeycomb seems to be the flavour de jour (and really who doesn’t love a Violet Crumble?), at Haighs the honeycomb egg was a big winner, and it’s almost impossible to ignore their frogs and bilbies. But’s let’s face it, you can head to Big W, or your local big chain supermarket, and get a very satisfying fix. Lindt white chocolate is to die for. There are big Cadbury rabbits in all kinds of familiar flavours and those trays with two-dozen eggs are the only affordable solution for an Easter egg hunt. (As a complete aside, when we moved downstairs here at The Canberra Times, after 30-odd years on the upper level, we found several eggs which had been hidden since Jack Waterford was editor – the first time – and they were perfectly edible.) Did someone say beer? Yes Capital Brewing Co and their Dairy Road neighbour Jasper & Myrtle have collaborated on a beer just in time for Easter. With a nod to Willy Wonka, the chocolate American porter has been dubbed Augustus Gulp. “Smooth and easy drinking, this beer is loaded with 12 kilograms of cocoa nibs provided by our good friends and Dairy Road neighbours, Jasper & Myrtle,” says Capital’s Alex Brown. “It’s brewed using the finest dark malts which give it a rich, toasty and roasty mouthfeel, one sip and your tastebuds will be drowning in a river of chocolate.” The porter will be pouring from the Dairy Road taproom from next week, in time for Easter. Having great success with their bake-at-home range during COVID, Three Mills Bakery is offering a range of hot cross buns for you to finish off from home. They are so easy to prepare, simply thaw in your freezer overnight and in the morning prove on your benchtop and bake. The best part is your home will be filled with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked buns and the experience of eating them warm from the oven is to die for. Available in six-packs, both traditional fruit and chocolate cherry flavours. Or you can just buy them ready to eat. At Sonoma, in Braddon, there’ll be a pop-up dedicated to selling nothing but its popular Not X Buns. On March 27-28 and April 2-4, head into Lonsdale Street early to avoid the queues. The signature Not X Buns are a twist on the classic, with a sweet dough, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, giving the buns a unique flavour profile. After baking, the buns are brushed with a house-made syrup steeped with spices and Sonoma’s own coffee beans and finished with an “S” rather than the typical cross. Available in both classic and chocolate varieties. There’s no need to hunt for treats this year – QT At Home’s little helpers will orchestrate a decadent Easter lunch or dinner for your family and friends. Park your diet at the door, it’s that glorious time of year when eating sweets before 10am is perfectly acceptable and loosening your belt buckle is practically a religious experience. We’re ordering a Good Friday seafood box which feeds four to six people, pick up by Wednesday, March 31. Includes Queensland tiger prawns, local Sydney rock oysters, Huon smoked salmon, marinate Fremantle octopus, Yarra Valley king salmon roe served with creme fraiche and blinis, a WA crayfish, as well as some Sonoma Miche and Pepe Saya. The Sunday Roast pack for four includes Sonoma dinner rolls with Pepe Saya butter; marinated and roasted whole boneless Margra lamb shoulder with Young garlic, rosemary, salsa verde, chick peas and cherry tomatoes; a pea salad with local heirloom zucchini, chilli, mint and pecorino; duck fat potatoes with rosemary and salt flakes; with a 1988 tiramisu V2.0, with mascarpone, hazelnuts and cocoa nibs. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
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Now that hot cross buns are effectively available on Boxing Day, there is only one thing that properly signifies the coming of Easter – the arrival of the Cadbury Creme Egg.
I’m no chocolatier but, to me, there is nothing more pleasing than biting the end off one and sucking out all the creamy fondant centre.
And I’m not alone. At the Bournville factory in Birmingham where they are produced they are manufactured at the rate of 1.5 million a day.
For $2 a fix, it’s the perfect amount of indulgence and restraint.
Which makes me feel terrible when I pop into the Jasper & Myrtle factory in Fyshwick to talk to Li Peng Monroe and Peter Channells.
The pair have been making artisan chocolates since 2016, the owners of one of the few bean-to-bar chocolate companies in Australia.
Monroe talks about the origins of Jasper & Myrtle, how it started in the backyard of their Garran home with some second-hand equipment, fast forwarding today where they are winning international awards for their chocolate range.
“This started as a hobby, something caught my eye when we were on holidays in Western Australia, and I thought, ‘If I’m going to make chocolate I want to do it properly’,” she said.
“About 80 per cent of people who sell chocolate, don’t make the chocolate. We source the beans, roast them, grind them. It’s unusual in our game … maybe we are a little crazy but we wouldn’t do it any other way.”
She walks us through the factory, explaining how the beans are turned into the exquisite products available, each process time-consuming and purposeful – roasting, winnowing, grinding.
They mainly source their beans from the Autonomous Region of Bouganville; they know the names of the farmers who grow them and are in constant contact with them. They can trace some bars back to the actual farm they originated from.
“You can think of us as flavour chasers,” Monroe says. “We chase the flavour in the beans, they have a distinct flavour … cocoa is even more complex than coffee.”
Speaking of flavour, and the whole point of this chocolate quest I have embarked on, have generations of Australians had their chocolate tastebuds ruined because we grew up on some pretty average chocolate?
“We would never criticise what went before,” says Channells.
“We all grew up with the same chocolate but until you’ve tasted other chocolate you don’t know what chocolate can actually do.”
I admit my penchant for Creme Eggs, Monroe reveals she liked a Snickers, Channells a family block of rum and raisin.
We’re among chocolate-loving friends.
So what could we find on the chocolate front here in Canberra?
Whether you’re looking for something bespoke for that special person, or just need five dozen to hide for the neighbourhood kids, there’s something here for everyone.
The Canberra Times’ trusted taste testing team loosened our belts and sampled some of the best things Canberra has to offer this Easter, from chocolate to beer, buns and feasts to order in.
Peter Channells and Li Peng Monroe at Jasper and Mrytle. Picture: Karleen Minney
Canberra’s own chocolatiers
At Enigma Fine Chocolates in Braddon, Stuart Strutt-Shotton was putting the finishing touches on his Easter range. We can highly recommend the honeycomb egg, a half shell full of large chunks of housemade honeycomb, set off by a delicate moulded chocolate hive.
Or if the nights stay cool, grab a hot choc bunny bomb filled with mini marshmallows which melts when immersed in warm milk.
We also discovered Sweet Pea and Poppy’s range of artisan bars, with flavours such as pomegranate wildflower, Davidson plum and Persian summer.
They also do a range of eggs and bunnies, and hampers for Easter.
But our favourite local discovery is our cover boy, a quirky sprinkles coated bunny from Koko Artisan. Based in Fyshwick, Koko Artisan puts the art into chocolate, check out their painted eggs.
And make sure the freckle bunny finds a home.
Koko Black’s mini praline eggs feature a nutty hazelnut praline mixed, wrapped in a crisp speckled shell. Picture: Karleen Minney
Koko Black and Haighs, which both have stores in the Canberra Centre, are well worth a visit. I gathered my bunnies here in the office to try out some treats and they were firm favourites.
Seven out of 10 journalists would recommend Koko Black’s carton of mini praline eggs, a nutty hazelnut praline mixed with morish chocolate, wrapped in a crisp speckled shell. Presentation was cute. They went quick. The Inbetween Egg, vegan friendly, quinoa and goji berries in 80 per cent dark chocolate, also took a few people by surprise, the quinoa give it a crunchy texture, kind of like an exceptional chocolate crackle, only better for you.
The other recommendation are the two flavours of “bites”, little jars of carrot cake or hot cross bun bites, the hot cross in particular made us happy with all their doughy deliciousness.
Honeycomb seems to be the flavour de jour (and really who doesn’t love a Violet Crumble?), at Haighs the honeycomb egg was a big winner, and it’s almost impossible to ignore their frogs and bilbies.
The Lindt white chocolate bunny never fails to satisfy. Picture: Karleen Minney
But’s let’s face it, you can head to Big W, or your local big chain supermarket, and get a very satisfying fix. Lindt white chocolate is to die for. There are big Cadbury rabbits in all kinds of familiar flavours and those trays with two-dozen eggs are the only affordable solution for an Easter egg hunt.
(As a complete aside, when we moved downstairs here at The Canberra Times, after 30-odd years on the upper level, we found several eggs which had been hidden since Jack Waterford was editor – the first time – and they were perfectly edible.)
Capital Brewing Co.’s Augustus Gulp is made with 12kg of cocoa nibs from Jasper & Myrtle. Picture: Supplied
Yes Capital Brewing Co and their Dairy Road neighbour Jasper & Myrtle have collaborated on a beer just in time for Easter.
With a nod to Willy Wonka, the chocolate American porter has been dubbed Augustus Gulp.
“Smooth and easy drinking, this beer is loaded with 12 kilograms of cocoa nibs provided by our good friends and Dairy Road neighbours, Jasper & Myrtle,” says Capital’s Alex Brown.
“It’s brewed using the finest dark malts which give it a rich, toasty and roasty mouthfeel, one sip and your tastebuds will be drowning in a river of chocolate.”
The porter will be pouring from the Dairy Road taproom from next week, in time for Easter.
Three Mills Bakery has a large range of Easter treats. Picture: Supplied
Having great success with their bake-at-home range during COVID, Three Mills Bakery is offering a range of hot cross buns for you to finish off from home.
They are so easy to prepare, simply thaw in your freezer overnight and in the morning prove on your benchtop and bake.
The best part is your home will be filled with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked buns and the experience of eating them warm from the oven is to die for. Available in six-packs, both traditional fruit and chocolate cherry flavours. Or you can just buy them ready to eat.
Sonoma’s signature Not X Buns are a twist on the classic. Picture: Supplied
At Sonoma, in Braddon, there’ll be a pop-up dedicated to selling nothing but its popular Not X Buns. On March 27-28 and April 2-4, head into Lonsdale Street early to avoid the queues.
The signature Not X Buns are a twist on the classic, with a sweet dough, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, giving the buns a unique flavour profile. After baking, the buns are brushed with a house-made syrup steeped with spices and Sonoma’s own coffee beans and finished with an “S” rather than the typical cross. Available in both classic and chocolate varieties.
Order a seafood box from QT at Home, just in time for Good Friday. Picture: Supplied
There’s no need to hunt for treats this year – QT At Home’s little helpers will orchestrate a decadent Easter lunch or dinner for your family and friends. Park your diet at the door, it’s that glorious time of year when eating sweets before 10am is perfectly acceptable and loosening your belt buckle is practically a religious experience.
We’re ordering a Good Friday seafood box which feeds four to six people, pick up by Wednesday, March 31. Includes Queensland tiger prawns, local Sydney rock oysters, Huon smoked salmon, marinate Fremantle octopus, Yarra Valley king salmon roe served with creme fraiche and blinis, a WA crayfish, as well as some Sonoma Miche and Pepe Saya.
The Sunday Roast pack for four includes Sonoma dinner rolls with Pepe Saya butter; marinated and roasted whole boneless Margra lamb shoulder with Young garlic, rosemary, salsa verde, chick peas and cherry tomatoes; a pea salad with local heirloom zucchini, chilli, mint and pecorino; duck fat potatoes with rosemary and salt flakes; with a 1988 tiramisu V2.0, with mascarpone, hazelnuts and cocoa nibs.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
